Action Learning Systems Helps Schools to Exceed State's Target for Academic Performance Index Scores.

Business Editors & Education Writers

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 25, 2001

Action Learning Systems Inc. (ALS) (www.actionlearningsystems.com), a private company that forms long-term partnerships with schools in California seeking to improve student achievement, announced that more than 90 percent of the 150 schools it has worked with in the last year have met the state's benchmark for Academic Performance Index (API) growth targets and have qualified for the Governor's cash award for results.

The API is a statewide system that compares similar schools across the state and ranks each school based on their test scores. In addition, 100 percent of the elementary schools in which ALS has assisted through comprehensive restructuring have increased their scores enough to qualify for the Governor's Award Program two years in a row.

"I'm pleased so many of the schools we worked with will receive recognition for improving academic performance," said Dr. Kit Marshall, president and CEO of ALS. "Most schools needed to get approximately nine to twelve plus points to meet their target scores on the API, but a majority of our schools that have been identified as `under performing' didn't just meet, but exceeded their target scores. In fact, in many cases, schools doubled or tripled what they needed to meet these targets."

For nearly 20 years, ALS has assisted schools in California and throughout the United States in increasing student achievement by aligning instruction to the California Content Standards for all students.

"The best place to find out how students are doing is in the classroom," said Roberta McAdam, principal, Tarzana Elementary, Los Angeles Unified School District. "Teachers can use ALS' objective information from assessments and testing to make instructional decisions about individual students."

Every ALS school uses multiple sources of data to track student progress over time. More important to ALS' school results is that teachers within and across grade levels are using the assessment data to plan and deliver instruction. In addition, ALS teaches every teacher to use research-proven strategies known to increase student understanding and retention of critical concepts and skills.

As early as 1985, ALS pioneered standards-driven, performance-based, accountability approaches to educational reform. ALS provides the analysis, strategies, support and in-class coaching for teachers to assist individual schools and districts in reforming the education process in order to increase student achievement.

Note to Editors: For a complete listing of ALS schools and their API scores, or to tour an ALS school with Dr. Kit Marshall, call Shannon Johnson or George McQuade at the numbers listed below.