Houghton Mifflin Co. News Release - May 26, 2009

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Book Designs Receive Special Recognition at the 2009 New England Book Show

New education alliance combines formative assessment tools and instructional content to set higher standards for learning

BOSTON — May 26, 2009 — Global education publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a national not-for-profit organization that provides research-based assessment and analytical tools, have formed an alliance to improve student achievement. The partnership will focus on aligning student assessment results with best-in-class instructional content.

"The NWEA's mission is to help all students learn, and we do that by providing educators with accurate and comprehensive data that can really make a difference," said Matt Chapman, chief executive officer, NWEA. "We are proud to partner with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to combine the power of student assessment data with their exceptional instructional resources."

As part of this alliance, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has aligned its award-winning Destination Math and Destination Reading interactive curriculum solutions with the assessment data from NWEA's Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for the state of South Carolina. This alignment allows teachers and students to provide a highly effective multi-tiered approach to instruction and intervention, using the instructional content and resources available in Destination Math and Destination Reading. The power of data to inform instruction means that students receive an individualized learning path that is aligned to assessment results and state standards.

"We are very pleased to be working with the NWEA on this market-leading initiative in South Carolina," said Scott Kirkpatrick, executive vice president of strategy and business management, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. "We are committed to working with partners like the NWEA to enhance teaching and learning through powerful data-driven, decision-making tools that inform and prescribe the exact instruction a student needs to reach proficiency."

Destination Math is a pre-K–12 interactive math program that provides highly engaging, personalized instruction, modeling and practice opportunities to improve math reasoning, conceptual understanding and problem solving skills. Destination Reading is a pre-K–8 interactive reading program that builds mastery in reading, vocabulary and comprehension for both early learners and adolescent readers. More information on the Destination Solutions can be found at http://www.hmlt.hmco.com.

MAP assessments are state-aligned, computerized adaptive assessment tools that accurately reflect the instructional level of each student. Districts can test up to four times a year, thus monitoring academic growth accurately and consistently. The NWEA offers MAP assessments in Reading, Mathematics, Language, General Science and Science Concepts, Reading and Mathematics for kindergarten through second grade.

About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company is a global education leader and the world's largest publisher of educational materials for pre-K–12 schools. The Company publishes a comprehensive set of best-in-class educational solutions, ranging from research-based textbook programs to instructional technology to standards-based assessments for students and educators. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning literature for adults and young readers. With origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. To learn more about Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, visit www.hmhpub.com.

About The Northwest Evaluation Association
The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) is a national not-for-profit educational services organization that provides research-based educational growth measures, professional training and consulting services to improve teaching and learning. Partnering with school districts, states and other education organizations, the NWEA delivers computerized assessment services to more than 3,400 education agencies and approximately four million students. Additionally, its Growth Research Database, the most extensive collection of student growth data in the country, provides a rich source for the study of academic achievement. More information is available at www.nwea.org.