Austin, Texas (April 17, 2007) - CompassLearning Inc., the leading provider
of K-12 education software that empowers educators to teach and students to
learn more effectively, announced today an exclusive partnership with Parent
Tutor Corporation, publishers of The Parent Tutor, an electronic tutorial service
that provides parents with the tools they need to help their children achieve
success in elementary and middle school classrooms.
As a result of the partnership, CompassLearning will bring directly to K-8
teachers the tools that The Parent Tutor offers currently to parents so educators
can work directly with parents to increase parental involvement in the education
of their children.
Called The Parent Toolkit™, the program will be available to teachers
via the URL www.theparenttoolkit.com, a password-protected website populated
with articles, activities, ideas and on- and off-line tutorials that parents
can use — with guidance from teachers — to assist their children with schoolwork
at home. The Parent Toolkit meets the requirements of the federal No Child Left
Behind Act, which requires and provides funds for parent involvement programs.
Among the tools that teachers will find on www.theparenttoolkit.com are:
- Parent-friendly activities for K-8 foundational skills
- Standards-aligned targeted tutorials, in both Spanish and English, so parents
can understand what is being taught at school and help their children learn
- Parent activity booklets aligned to district curricula that support the teachers'
in-school instruction at home
- Instant resources that allow teachers to drill down to find the correct
prerequisite skill or go forward to more advanced skills to match each student's
ability level
- Recommended reading lists individualized by each student's interest and
reading level to improve reading achievement
- Database of well-researched and written in-depth articles that school administrators
and teachers can use to educate parents on relevant issues
In addition, the easy-to-administer program allows a school district to get
started with the program in as quickly as one day, saving the district time
and money by not requiring in-depth staff development.
"Studies show that schools with an active parent outreach program perform up
to 40% better on standardized tests than schools that do not offer such a program,"
says Ann Henson, CompassLearning's Vice President of Curriculum and Instruction.
"Increasing parent involvement is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve
student achievement and The Parent Toolkit will provide overworked school districts
with an easy and cost-efficient way to help teachers get parents more engaged
in their children's education."
"CompassLearning has long been a leader in providing education software that
allows educators to personalize and individualize their instruction to address
the varied learning needs of students," says Bill Tudor, Parent Tutor Corporation's
President. "We're delighted to be partnering with CompassLearning as they continue
that mission."
About CompassLearning
CompassLearning is one of the nation's leading providers of K-12 education software.
With more than 35 years of experience in the field of research-based education
software, CompassLearning delivers standards-aligned curriculum, assessment,
and comprehensive data reporting products that reduce what CompassLearning calls
"edu-stress," the stress associated with succeeding in today's complex education
environment. CompassLearning serves more than 11 million students in more than
20,000 schools nationwide. For more information about CompassLearning, visit
www.compasslearning.com
About Parent Tutor Corporation
Founded by education industry veteran Bill Tudor, Florida-based Parent Tutor
Corporation publishes The Parent Tutor, an electronic tutorial service that
helps parents tutor their children in grades K-8. Tudor created The Parent Tutor
after consulting with hundreds of educators, parents, and education experts
to learn exactly what parents need to give their children an "edge" to succeed
in school. Leading educators and parent advocacy groups have recognized The
Parent Tutor as an effective resource in helping their parents "connect" with
children in academic activities and as a tool that has had a significant impact
in their success in school. For more information about Parent Tutor Corporation,
visit www.parenttutor.com.
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