CTB/McGraw-Hill Named Primary Contractor on Florida's State Testing Program

CTB/McGraw-Hill, the nation's leader in K-12 and adult education assessment solutions, today announced a three-year $82 million award from the Florida Department of Education to serve as the primary contractor for the administration of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) from 2005-2008. This award includes a two-year $58 million option to renew from 2008 to 2010.

Florida's large-scale assessment program, first administered in spring 1998, meets testing requirements outlined in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, and encompasses Reading and Math, grades 3-10; Writing, grades 4, 8 and 10; and Science, grades 5, 8 and 11.

Under the terms of the new contract, CTB/McGraw-Hill will manufacture and distribute the FCAT test books, process and score the tests, and manage the development and delivery of all score reports.

The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill, a nationally recognized leader in educational assessment reporting, will work with CTB/McGraw-Hill to produce the FCAT score reports. The company's innovative reporting system allows for flexible design and high-volume report publishing within short timeframes. The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill has transformed reporting by enhancing the usefulness of assessment data for educators and families around the country.

"The Florida Department of Education is pleased to work with CTB/McGraw- Hill and The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill on the administration of the FCAT," said Education Commissioner John L. Winn. "We are dedicated to meeting the performance goals set forth by Governor Bush's A+ plan for education, and look forward to our continued growth in student achievement during this important education initiative."

Florida is one of the largest states in number of students enrolled in public elementary, middle, and high schools. Approximately 1.8million students will participate in the FCAT during the current school year.

"CTB/McGraw-Hill is honored to work with the Florida Department of Education in support of students, educators, and parents," said Mostafa Mehrabani, president of McGraw-Hill Assessment and Reporting. "We are committed to providing assessment services at the highest levels of quality to enhance data-driven instruction and student performance."

In K-12 education, CTB/McGraw-Hill serves more than 16 million students annually in 8,700 school districts in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia and the worldwide U.S. Department of Defense system. In adult education, CTB/McGraw-Hill currently provides test results for more than 4 million adult students nationally and provides the education assessment for the nation's largest correctional systems.

As the reporting partner for states and districts, The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill presently provides innovative reports and customized learning resources in support of over 20% of tested students nationwide.

About CTB/McGraw-Hill

As the nation's leading publisher of standardized achievement tests for pre-school, elementary, middle, high school, and adult education, CTB/McGraw- Hill LLC offers a broad range of assessments, software and services. CTB/McGraw-Hill LLC is part of McGraw-Hill Education's Assessment and Reporting group, and is owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), a global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's and BusinessWeek. Founded in 1888, the Corporation has more than 280 offices in more than 37 countries. Sales in 2004 were $5.3 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com/ and http://www.ctb.com/.

About The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill

Established in March 2000, The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill has quickly become a nationally recognized leader in educational assessment reporting. The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill's innovative patent-pending system offers dynamic reports and differentiated learning tools in print and online for families, teachers, and educational leaders. As part of McGraw-Hill Education's Assessment and Reporting division, The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill is owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP). Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com/ and http://www.grow.net/.

SOURCE: CTB/McGraw-Hill

CONTACT: Media Inquiries:
Kelley Carpenter
Director, Public Relations
McGraw-Hill Assessment and Reporting
(831) 393 - 7196
kelley_carpenter@ctb.com

Web site: http://www.mheducation.com/
http://www.grow.net/
http://www.ctb.com/