Avilar Teams with Maryland Public School System On Competency Assessment Program For No Child Left Behind Act.

Business Editors/Education Writers

LAUREL, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 29, 2003

Avilar Technologies, Inc. and the Howard County Public School System of the State of Maryland announced today that they have entered into a partnership to provide a data management program that will assist the school system in collecting, storing, and analyzing certification and No Child Left Behind information. Certification and No Child Left Behind information will be used to create professional development programs to assist teachers in meeting both certification and No Child Left Behind requirements. Avilar's WebMentor Skills professional development management system will also allow teachers to complete a self-assessment that will match their professional development needs with resources such as courses, seminars, workshops and in-service activities. The No Child Left Behind Act was signed by President Bush on January 8, 2002 and is designed to improve student achievement and change the culture of America's schools.

"The quality of our public education system is a critical issue to all people, and it is important that we employ our most innovative methods and tools to improve that system if we are to remain competitive in this fast-paced world," said John Skowlund, CEO of Avilar Technologies. "We are eager to participate with the highly-acclaimed Howard County Public School System to put into practice methods for advancing student performance, which may then be applied to school systems throughout the country."

"The No Child Left Behind Act is tremendously important for the State of Maryland and will ensure all students have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education," states John R. O'Rourke, Superintendent of Howard County Public Schools. "We are pleased to partner with Avilar to provide the expertise in competency management, the most advanced software solution available for this purpose."

About Avilar

Avilar Technologies, The Competency Company(TM), provides online workforce management and learning solutions for the corporate, government and academic sectors. Formed in 1997, Avilar was a pioneer in the e-learning marketplace. The flagship WebMentor(R) product line, originally introduced in 1998, includes a complete suite of affordable, easy-to-use, and full-featured competency development and management tools. Avilar solutions range the spectrum from the development and operation of portals and web sites for blended learning and competency management, powered by WebMentor, to the licensing and customization of the product line for installation and use by the customer. Avilar is the recipient of the Excellence in E-Learning for Customer Satisfaction award from Brandon Hall and E-Learning Magazine in September 2001, and was cited by Training Magazine in 2002 as a top "Price-to-Value" provider.

About Howard County Public School System

The Howard County Public School System, located along the Baltimore/Washington corridor has been rated the highest performing district in Maryland during the past decade. There are 70 schools with a total student enrollment of over 47,000. All work of the Howard County Public School System supports excellence in teaching and learning so that each student will participate responsibly in a diverse and changing world. The Howard County Public School System is committed to ensuring that each student meets or exceeds rigorous performance and achievement standards. To that end, the school system develops and implements curriculum and assessments, that are relevant and challenging; hires the most qualified, dedicated teachers and staff; and offers professional development opportunities that are designed to advance the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes of the teaching and administrative staff in ways that positively affect student achievement.