Press Releases

Hillsborough County Public Schools Selects Scantron^® for Districtwide Assessment Solution

Comprehensive Solution Helps Raise Student Achievement Through Combination of Standards-Based Formative Assessment and Computer-Adaptive Diagnostic Testing

IRVINE, Calif. (Jan 22, 2007) - Scantron, a leading provider of assessment, software and survey solutions for the K-12, higher education and commercial markets, today announced that Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) has selected Scantron's comprehensive assessment solution to provide customizable formative and diagnostic testing for its students district-wide. With 193,000 students in 200 schools, HCPS is the eighth largest school district in the nation.

At the core of the Hillsborough program is Scantron's unique combination of assessment solutions: Achievement Seriesâ„¢, a standards-based formative assessment program that allows educators to monitor student progress and guide instruction in preparation for high-stakes testing, and Performance Seriesâ„¢ which provides computer-adaptive diagnostic testing for periodic measurement of gains and student mastery. Combined with specialized test preparation item banks, training, and Scantron's market-leading scanners, the Hillsborough program represents the best of Scantron's complete assessment solutions for K-12 education.

According to Dr. John Hilderbrand, Director of Assessment and Accountability at HCPS, the district was looking for a solution that allows teachers to diagnose student progress on a regular, real-time basis. "We wanted to provide our teachers with a tool to easily design and implement customized tests in a variety of subject areas, and to give them information that can drive instruction on a daily basis," said Dr. Hilderbrand. "Achievement Series' open architecture allows us to add items to the system. Teachers can then print out the tests or administer them online, have the system score them, and then get immediate, detailed reports. It's a solution that holds the potential to greatly enhance our instructional effectiveness and student performance."

"Scantron is a wonderful tool for teachers to easily assess students’ strengths and develop appropriate interventions to support academic areas of need for each student," said Hillsborough Superintendent MaryEllen Elia.

To ensure maximum effectiveness of its new system, HCPS will provide nine hours of staff development to approximately 1,000 teachers and administrators. The training includes instruction in creating tests, developing customized reports, data analysis, and equipment usage.

Select district employees will receive specialized training that will allow them to provide on-site assistance and training for future staff.

About Hillsborough County Public Schools

The Hillsborough County Public School district (www.sdhc.k12.fl.us), located in Central Florida, is the eighth largest school district in the nation. The district received an overall "A" grade under the state’s school accountability system for the 2005-2006 school year.

About Scantron Corporation

Scantron Corporation (www.scantron.com), headquartered in Irvine, Calif., helps education and commercial organizations measure and improve effectiveness with assessment and survey solutions. Scantron provides tools for the rapid, accurate and reliable capture of data with innovative software and survey solutions that leverage the company's expertise in world-class forms printing and scanner manufacturing. Scantron is a subsidiary of Harland Clarke Holdings Corp., which is wholly owned by M&F Worldwide Corp. (NYSE: MFW).

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For More Information: JP Clark | 949-639-7640 | jp_clark@scantron.com