StraighterLine and Scripps Health Help Employees Complete College With More Flexible College Tuition Assistance Options

BALTIMORE, Sept. 12, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StraighterLine (www.straighterline.com) announced today that Scripps Health, a major provider of health care in the San Diego area, is adding StraighterLine's extremely flexible self-paced online college courses as an option for their employees. The incorporation of StraighterLine's courses allows Scripps Health employees to earn a degree on their own time while balancing workplace and lifestyle commitments and responsibilities. StraighterLine even allows students to earn credit for their life experiences through a prior learning assessment program.

Scripps Health will benefit by providing additional educational options and career advancement opportunities for their employees. And because StraighterLine's affordable online college courses allow students to save up to 90 percent on their first year of college, Scripps Health employees are given the opportunity to spend less to earn their degrees. Course credits transfer to StraighterLine's partner colleges and universities or through the ACE Credit service.

Currently, StraighterLine offers thirty eight entry-level college courses online, including College Algebra, Precalculus, Calculus I, Calculus II, Business Writing, Introduction to Biology, Introduction to Biology with lab, General Chemistry I, General Chemistry I with lab, English Comp I, English Comp II, Accounting I, Accounting II, Managerial Accounting, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Business Statistics, Anatomy & Physiology I & II, each with a lab option, Medical Terminology, Psychology, Introduction to Business, Introduction to Criminal Justice, Introduction to Nutrition, Introduction to Sociology, Western Civilization I, Personal Finance, Pharmacology I, Pharmacology II, United States History I, Physics I with lab option and two developmental courses.

"We are excited to extend the StriaghterLine discount opportunity to our workforce at Scripps. Providing flexible resources to complete their education is an added benefit for our staff," said Veronica Zaman, corporate vice president, human resources and learning at Scripps Health.

"Health care is a rapidly growing field that requires substantial education and training. Together, Scripps and StraighterLine will make it more convenient and affordable for Scripps employees to reach their educational and career goals," said Burck Smith, CEO and founder of StraighterLine.

About Scripps Health

Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a $2.5 billion nonprofit integrated health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats a half-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,600 affiliated physicians and 13,500 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, home health care services, and an ambulatory care network of physician offices and 23 outpatient centers and clinics.

Scripps has been consistently recognized by Fortune, Working Mother magazine and AARP as one of the best places in the nation to work. More information can be found at www.scripps.org.

About StraighterLine

StraighterLine has been recognized as a revolutionizing force in education by major news organizations and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for offering students online courses that earn real college credit for just $99 a month. Fast Company named StraighterLine one of the "10 Most Innovative Companies in Education."

In order to facilitate the award of credit, StraighterLine has forged partnerships with leading accredited online colleges and universities. A student ultimately earns a degree from those institutions but realizes tremendous savings and convenience by starting with StraighterLine.

StraighterLine's courses are evaluated and recommended by the American Council on Education's College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT). In addition to the institutions with which StraighterLine has a direct relationship, more than 300 other schools are reported to have accepted StraighterLine coursework for transfer credit.

Currently, StraighterLine offers 38 entry-level college courses online in the Sciences, Humanities, English, Math and Business. 5 StraighterLine courses have been approved by The College Board to be listed as AP courses: AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP English Language and Composition, AP Calculus AB and AP Psychology. And dozens of StraighterLine courses cover the same subject areas as CLEP exams, making them acceptable alternatives to or preparations for those tests.

For information, visit www.straighterline.com or call 1-877-str8erline (1-877-787-8375).

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