GREENVILLE, Wis., March 23, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- School Specialty (Nasdaq:SCHS) today announced it has acquired the rights to the Think Math!™ curriculum product from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, expanding its math offerings to include a core curriculum product. Think Math!™, created at the respected Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) with support from a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, is a comprehensive K-5 curriculum that combines research-based methodologies and data-driven strategies to meet the needs of today's diverse classrooms. It emphasizes problem solving and skill building that formulates computational fluency, provides extensive practice opportunities and utilizes visual models to enhance math comprehension.
School Specialty Educational Publishing Group President Steven Korte says that the major appeal of the Think Math! curriculum is its differentiated yet validated approach to elementary math instruction. "The product offers an innovative and effective pedagogy for students learning mathematical concepts while also providing exceptional professional development for teachers and administrators. Further, this new business relationship supports our objective to expand our curriculum-based portfolio with comprehensive programs and services," said Korte. "Think Math! is also a great match for us because its approach is consistent with the inquiry-based methodologies employed by our FOSS® and CPO Science curricula, which emphasize science learning through hands-on, lab-centered investigations.
"In addition to adding a solid, reform-based math curriculum, we also gain a valuable partner in EDC, who will continue to take the lead in developing program enhancements and the next major revision," said Korte. "This partnership will have similarities to the highly successful relationship that we have with the University of California, Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science in support of our FOSS curriculum."
School Specialty's math offerings also include the supplemental math intervention software product Academy of Math®, which provides individual learning opportunities for struggling students. The product was acquired last year through School Specialty's purchase of AutoSkill International.
The current transaction involves School Specialty purchasing the exclusive license to the Think Math! product from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, with future royalties paid to EDC, who will continue to serve as School Specialty's product development resource. No other financial details were released.
About School Specialty, Inc.
School Specialty is a leading education company that provides innovative and proprietary products, programs and services to help educators engage and inspire students of all ages and abilities to learn. The company designs, develops, and provides preK-12 educators with the latest and very best curriculum, supplemental learning resources, and school supplies. Working in collaboration with educators, School Specialty reaches beyond the scope of textbooks to help teachers, guidance counselors and school administrators ensure that every student reaches his or her full potential. For more information about School Specialty, visit www.schoolspecialty.com.
About Education Development Center, Inc.
Based in Newton, MA, Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is a global nonprofit organization that addresses some of the world's most urgent challenges in education, health, and economic development. EDC manages more than 350 projects in 35 countries. EDC's services include research, training, educational materials and strategy, with activities ranging from seed projects to large-scale national and international initiatives. For more information on EDC visit www.edc.org.
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 and adult education. 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 Adult Education division of Steck-Vaughn is the exclusive distributor of the Official GED® Practice Tests and offers an extensive line of products for adult basic education, including GED test preparation and products to support transitioning students into post-secondary education programs or the workforce. 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.