Sylvan Education Solutions Begins Tutoring Students Under 'No Child Left Behind'; 74 Centers Opened Nationwide

3/25/2003

From: Jay Diskey of Diskey Communications (for Sylvan Education Solutions), 202-262-8220, e-mail: DISKEYPR@aol.com or Alice Cherry of Sylvan Education Solutions, 410-843-6374, e-mail: alice.cherry@educate.com

BALTIMORE, March 25 -- In response to the growing demand for supplemental education programs required by "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB), Sylvan Education Solutions has opened 74 new school- and community-based centers and enrolled more than 2,300 students in 12 school districts nationwide.

Sylvan Education Solutions is partnering with school districts in California, Colorado, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York and Tennessee to provide supplemental reading and math programs to eligible students. To date, Sylvan Education Solutions has been approved as a NCLB supplemental educational services provider in 24 states, more than any other provider according to the Education Quality Institute.

"We are thrilled at the opportunity to continue growing our partnerships with schools, school districts and community organizations across the country as we embrace the opportunities offered to students under No Child Left Behind," said Jeffrey H. Cohen, president of Sylvan Education Solutions. "This is just the beginning. These government-funded programs, which are free to eligible students, offer exciting new educational opportunities for families who otherwise have few if any options for after-school academic assistance."

Under NCLB, parents of eligible students who attend schools in their second year of "school improvement" can place their children in the state-approved after-school tutoring program of their choice. "We are seeing a rapid increase in demand for our programs across a growing list of participating school districts," said Cohen. "By the end of the 2002/03 school year, we expect to launch programs in another five to seven school districts, growing the total NCLB enrollment to more than 3,000 students."

Even before the implementation of NCLB, Baltimore-based Sylvan Education Solutions had become the nation's leading provider of supplemental education services in schools. Sylvan Education Solutions brings to schools and families more than 15 years of experience boosting student achievement. Sylvan's No Child Left Behind tutoring programs are an extension of the company's proven core programs, providing instructional and support services to schools, school districts and community organizations nationwide.

School districts where Sylvan Education Solutions is currently providing supplemental education service programs include:

-- Anne Arundel County Public Schools, MD -- Baltimore City Public School System, MD -- Denver Public Schools, CO -- Memphis City School District, TN -- New York City Department of Education, NY -- Philadelphia Public School District, PA -- San Bernardino Unified School District, CA -- San Jose Unified School District, CA

All Sylvan Education Solutions instructional programs are backed by scientifically based research and utilize a personalized diagnostic/prescriptive approach to learning. At the start of every program, every student is assessed to determine his/her skill strengths and weaknesses. Then, a personalized learning plan is established, prescribing a targeted learning path to address a student's individual needs. Students are taught in small groups after-school for typically one hour, two times a week. Student achievement is further maximized by:

-- Aligning curriculum to state and district education standards. -- Providing parents, teachers and administrators with regular evaluations to track achievement. -- Motivating students by rewarding effort and achievement with the SylvanRewards program. -- Involving parents and classroom teachers in their students' education.

"Our diagnostic-prescriptive instructional system allows Sylvan to target educational assistance to students where they need it most. Our goal is clear -- to help children become confident and successful learners," Cohen said.

About Sylvan Education Solutions

Sylvan Education Solutions partners with schools and school districts to provide high-quality, research-based supplemental education services, including those called for through the enactment of the landmark No Child Left Behind Act. By the end of the 2002/03 school year, Sylvan Education Solutions will have provided services to more than 65,000 students in 900 urban schools across 150 districts. Sylvan also supports schools with specialized services and programs ranging from after-school programs to early childhood education to counseling.

Sylvan Education Solutions is a sister company of Sylvan Learning Center, which operates well-known tutoring centers in over 950 locations across North America serving more than 150,000 students annually. Both companies are part of Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc., which intends mid-year to transfer them to a new private company, Educate, Inc., focusing solely on the K-12 market.

Sylvan Education Solutions and Sylvan Learning Center will continue operating as they do now, with the same services and same brand name.

More information on Sylvan Education Solutions can be found at http://www.sylvansolutions.com, or by calling 1-888-7SYLVAN.

About No Child Left Behind

Signed into law in early 2002, the federal No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to make "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) in raising the achievement of all students to the state-defined level of proficiency. Under the supplemental services provisions of NCLB, schools in their second year of school improvement (or third consecutive year of missing their AYP), must provide low-income parents with the option of accessing supplemental tutoring services for their children. The law defines supplemental services as tutoring and other research-based academic enrichment programs that supplement - but not replace - instruction provided during the school day. The services must be designed to increase the academic achievement of economically disadvantaged children and help them meet state academic achievement standards. Parents of eligible children will choose a supplemental service provider from a list of state-approved providers. The services can be offered in community sites, faith-based sites, retail sites and schools.