Blackboard Announces K-12 Advisory Board.

Business Editors/Education Writers

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 2003

Blackboard Inc., a leading enterprise software company for e-Education, announced the formation of a K-12 Advisory Board. The new board will serve to further guide Blackboard in the areas of product development and services and offer an in-depth perspective into the evolving e-Education needs of the K-12 community.

The formation of the Blackboard K-12 Advisory Board serves as a critical platform for communication with the K-12 community. Board members will share their ideas and experiences with other members and Blackboard's product development team to ensure that Blackboard solutions continue to align with the diverse needs of K-12 teachers and students.

"Blackboard has maintained a strong commitment to the needs of K-12 institutions since the Company launched its first product in 1998 and the depth and breadth of adoption in this community has been unparalleled," said Matthew Pittinsky Chairman and Co-Founder of Blackboard. "In formalizing a specific advisory board for K-12 we build on our own experiences to date and add with the experience of institutions on the front-lines of implementing, administering and directing e-Education initiatives."

Institutional members are nominated and selected for the Blackboard K-12 Advisory Board based on their unique ability to offer diverse insight into the issues affecting e-Education policies and procedures at the local, state and federal level. Insight from the board will help Blackboard provide its K-12 clients with effective technology solutions that meet the evolving needs of educators and that address today's education policy and budgetary challenges.

Blackboard's K-12 Advisory Board represents the entire spectrum of the K-12 community in the United States. The new board has members from the Eastern, Central, and Western regions of the United States; urban, suburban, and rural areas; large public school districts to independent schools; education service centers; and virtual schools. The diversity of the Board ensures that voices and needs of organizations of all size and scope are equitably represented.

Blackboard K-12 Advisory Board Members:

-- Alabama Online (AL)

-- Alaska Online Consortium (AK)

-- Baltimore City Public Schools (MD)

-- Calcasieu Parish School Board (LA)

-- Fairfax County Public Schools (VA)

-- National School Boards Association (VA)

-- Phillips Exeter Academy (MA)

-- Poway Unified School District (CA)

-- Region IV Education Service Center (TX)

-- Sycamore Community Schools (OH)

About Blackboard Inc.

Blackboard Inc. was founded with a vision to transform the Internet into a powerful environment for teaching and learning. Blackboard is a leading provider of e-Education solutions serving the global needs of primary and secondary schools, higher education, corporations and government agencies. Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices and staff across North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Please visit www.blackboard.com/K12 for more information on Blackboard's K-12 solutions.