CTB/McGraw-Hill Forms Publishing Advisory Board to Guide Company in Developing Next Generation of K-12 Assessments

Board will counsel CTB as the company works to address Common Core State Standards and other emerging assessment requirements

MONTEREY, Calif., Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CTB/McGraw-Hill, one of the country's leading educational assessment partners, today announced the creation of a Publishing Advisory Board that will guide the company as it works to develop assessments that reflect the goals of the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Board's experience in developing assessments and their insight into the CCSS and other emerging educational requirements will help CTB stay at the forefront of the ever-changing world of K-12 assessment.

CTB's Publishing Advisory Board is comprised of diverse professionals with deep experience and leadership across the education arena. Represented on the board are the perspectives of state assessment directors, classroom teachers, university professors, education researchers, and business leaders. Many members of the Board have specific knowledge of or have been deeply engaged with the development and implementation of the CCSS, and each is committed to helping CTB play a more effective role in serving the needs of today's educators.

While CTB has long sought advice from external experts in regard to general publishing practices and product development, the creation of the Publishing Advisory Board establishes a formal framework for these relationships. The Board will not endorse specific products or solutions, but it will provide general guidance, review specific product development plans and content development work, and help CTB serve the needs of customers, including states, consortia of states, and other education stakeholders.

"The broad consensus regarding the Common Core State Standards presents a unique opportunity for the nation to advance education quality and improve economic competitiveness," said Dr. Tim Shanahan of the University of Illinois, who chairs the Advisory Board. "Those of us who believe in making the most of this opportunity understand that the aspirations embodied in the Standards need to be reflected in high quality educational tests and other publications used by teachers and students every day."

"The world of education and assessment is constantly changing, and the new Publishing Advisory Board will help CTB stay at the leading edge," said Ellen Haley, president of CTB/McGraw-Hill. "The Board's experience and perspectives on new educational standards will be invaluable to us as we work to develop the next generation of K-12 assessments."

Members of the Publishing Advisory Board include:

Dr. Timothy Shanahan, Chair
Professor, Curriculum and Instruction
University of Illinois

Elizabeth B. Celva, M.A. Ed.
State Assessment Director, Principal, District Teacher (Retired)
Denver, Colorado

Dr. Jody Clarke-Midura
Research Associate
Graduate School of Education, Harvard University

Dr. Gary Natriello
Professor
Columbia University Teachers College

Chuck Pack, M.S.
National Board Certified Teacher
Tahlequah, OK

Dr. Victoria Risko
Professor of Language, Literature, and Culture, Emerita
Vanderbilt University, Peabody College

Dr. Kathleen Scalise
Associate Professor
University Of Oregon, College of Education

Dr. Lanette Waddell
Assistant Professor, Mathematics
Vanderbilt University, Peabody College

Jay Whitchurch
Chief Executive Officer, Campus2Careers

About CTB/McGraw-Hill

CTB/McGraw-Hill has an 85-year record of innovation and excellence in assessment, and serves more than 18 million students in all 50 states and in 49 countries. One of the first American publishers to introduce objective, standardized achievement tests to schools, today CTB/McGraw-Hill is a leader in testing with recognized products for online interim and formative, adult, and language proficiency assessment. Dedicated to advancing the use of student performance data to inform instructional decision making, CTB/McGraw-Hill's innovation continues today with technologies that include Web-based assessment and reporting, student response device (clicker) software, and artificial intelligence for automated scoring of student essays. CTB/McGraw-Hill is part of McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP). McGraw-Hill Education is a leading global provider of instructional, assessment and reference solutions that empower professionals and students of all ages. For more information, visit CTB.com.

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SOURCE CTB/McGraw-Hill