CTB/McGraw-Hill Launches Navigator™ Suite Of Online Data Management Applications

CTB/McGraw-Hill, the nation's leading provider of K-12 and adult education assessment solutions, today announced the release of Navigator™, an integrated suite of online components that enable schools to securely track and manage student data. The system was developed to offer CTB/McGraw-Hill's customers the most complete range of data management services available, and to make educators' experience of integrating and reporting student data as efficient and simple as possible.

Navigator™ was developed in collaboration with school districts nationwide to help solve the data management challenges that have confronted school administrations for years. Core applications cover traditional areas such as enrollment and student identification upload, test materials tracking, and assessment data management. The system also incorporates assistive features not found in other online data management systems. These features include real-time file sharing that give district and state entities secure and immediate access to information, multimedia web conferencing, custom program Web sites for public or private sharing of information, and a program- specific searchable knowledge base. Navigator's online components are enabled through any common Web browser and an Internet connection.

In addition, Navigator™ performs a key role in helping schools establish accountability systems in compliance with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) reporting requirements. Student demographic data can be compiled and modified up until one week before AYP reports are due, allowing schools to significantly increase the accuracy of statistical data needed for NCLB submission.

"Colorado used the first available applications of the Navigator™ system with success -- those applications primarily related to the shipment of student test materials," said Jo O'Brien, assistant commissioner for Learning and Results, Colorado Department of Education. "Our relationship with CTB/McGraw Hill has enabled us to discuss our increasing need for enhanced security, speed in delivery, and analytically-driven sharing of data. The newly-launched, more robust system will provide many benefits to administrators regarding data management and AYP reporting. We are quite pleased with Navigator's™ capabilities, since they address our changing needs in education -- moving from traditional and seasonal school information collection to high-speed and value-added information gathering and delivery. The Navigator™ system provides us with the transparent capacity for new work."

Ten of the 22 applications in the Navigator™ suite are customizable to meet the needs of individual states and districts. Data management is quick and intuitive, edits are readily performed, and additions and updates to data are propagated instantaneously. With Navigator™, school administrators can now easily edit or transfer student demographic and identifying information. Labor requirements are reduced, errors are minimized or eliminated, and recordkeeping is simplified and more accurate.

"The effective integration of technology in education is a significant goal for many school districts," said Mostafa Mehrabani, president, McGraw- Hill Assessment and Reporting. "Navigator™ provides educators with a demonstrated set of tools that immediately modernizes their administrative systems, bringing a new level of efficiency and accuracy to assessment data management. We believe Navigator™ will set a new standard for modernizing assessment processes in the education industry."

Navigator™ is a cost-effective, value-added service available to clients already working with CTB/McGraw Hill and it complements the increasing use of online assessment as well as technology in education. For more information about the system's benefits, go to http://www.ctb.com/navigator.

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.

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 300 offices in more than 40 countries. Sales in 2004 were $5.3 billion.

Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com/ and http://www.ctb.com/.

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.ctb.com/
http://www.mheducation.com/