CTB/McGraw-Hill Partners with the Association of Christian Schools International to Provide Standardized Tests

MONTEREY, Calif., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CTB/McGraw-Hill, a leading provider of PreK–12 and adult education assessments, today announced that it is collaborating with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) to provide standardized tests for nearly 5,300 schools worldwide. Beginning with the spring 2012 testing season, ACSI will implement CTB's TerraNova™, Third Edition and a customized online reporting solution that provides immediate test results and easy access to achievement data to drive instruction.

"CTB/McGraw-Hill has extensive experience in providing highly accurate and dependable results that translate into valuable, informed decision making in the classroom," said Derek Keenan, EdD, vice president of academic affairs for ACSI. "We're confident that TerraNova, Third Edition will enable our teachers to provide targeted instruction and help raise student achievement levels."

"We are proud and honored to have been chosen by ACSI to serve as their test publisher," said Ellen Haley, president of CTB/McGraw-Hill. "We look forward to providing ACSI schools with excellent customer service, an excellent assessment, and outstanding professional development tools to help teachers help their students successfully navigate the learning journey."

CTB met the rigorous criteria presented to all vendors undergoing ACSI's selection process, including:

• high quality, technically sound tests that minimize bias and maximize accuracy;
• great design, innovation, technical excellence, and content that reflect today's curricula;
• current norms derived from national resources that mirror ACSI's students;
• online reporting and analysis with easy access to achievement data to drive instruction;
• inclusion of the ACSI Bible knowledge, comprehension, and application subtest; and
• robust professional development that includes information about test administration, managing test materials, understanding reports, analyzing data, and connecting test results to inform decisions about school improvement and curriculum/instruction as well as research-based best practices.

About TerraNova, Third Edition

TerraNova, Third Edition measures K-12 skills, identifies strengths and weaknesses, and guides instruction. By integrating assessment and reporting options, it translates data into information that educators can use to improve instruction. Test results can be used as a diagnostic tool, enabling teachers to identify and remediate areas of weakness by individual students or the entire class, and develop targeted instructional practices. Using visual displays and familiar language, TerraNova, Third Edition clarifies complex information, making it easier to interpret data and focus instruction. Content covered is reading, language, mathematics, science, and social studies, and reports can be delivered in standard or custom formats. For more information, visit CTB.com/TerraNova.

About Association of Christian Schools International

Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, ACSI (www.acsi.org) is the world's largest association of Protestant schools. Its mission is to enable Christian schools and educators worldwide to effectively prepare students for life. ACSI leads its 5,300 member schools in 106 countries to greater effectiveness through a wide variety of services targeted toward school improvement, professional development, and the provision of resources for the unique needs of children.

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 46 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.

SOURCE CTB/McGraw-Hill