Harcourt Assessment Announces 2005 Summer Fellowships in Psychometrics.

SAN ANTONIO -- Leading test publisher Harcourt Assessment, Inc., today announced that four doctoral students will spend eight weeks this summer as Slawski fellows in psychometrics at the company's San Antonio headquarters. Psychometrics is the science of measuring cognitive functions, such as learning, and is the foundation of standardized testing and large-scale assessment programs.

This year's Slawski fellows are:

Mr. Shu-Ren Chang, a doctoral student in qualitative and quantitative methods in education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, whose dissertation focuses on time pressure issues in computerized adaptive tests. His advisor is Dr. Barbara Plake.

Ms. Do-Hong Kim, a doctoral student in educational psychology and research at the University of South Carolina, whose research interests include assessment issues for students with disabilities and computer-based testing, with a focus on accommodation for students with disabilities. Her advisor is Dr. Huynh Huynh.

Ms. Tianli Li, a doctoral student in measurement and quantitative methods at Michigan State University. Her current research is focused on linking student achievement multi-dimensionally across grades to improve the interpretation of yearly growth. Her advisor is Dr. Mark Reckase.

Ms. Yue Zhao, a doctoral student in psychometric methods and statistics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Her research interest is computer-based and computerized adaptive testing, score reporting and test equating, as well as differential item functioning and standard setting. Her advisor is Dr. Ronald Hambleton, a member of the Harcourt Research Advisory Board.

"Due to the Slawski fellowship program's increasing reputation for excellence, this year's applicant pool was especially strong and we feel we picked the best of the best," said John Olson, the company's vice president of psychometrics and research services. "These four scholars have the potential to be future leaders in the field of psychometrics, and we are delighted they will spend their summer at Harcourt."

"We will provide our Slawski fellows with an exciting and enriching professional experience as they apply their academic training to the real-world challenges we face in our business," Olson added. "They will acquire valuable skills that will serve them well in their future careers as psychometricians, and Harcourt will benefit from the new perspectives these scholars will contribute during their fellowship."

Harcourt launched the summer fellowships in 2000 to help cultivate the next generation of psychometricians. In 2002, the company named the program in memory of Edward J. Slawski, Jr., who had been director of Harcourt's psychometrics department until his death.

Slawski fellows are among the best students enrolled in doctoral programs in the fields of measurement, statistics, research, methodology or related areas. Through the fellowship, they gain practical experience that enhances and reinforces their academic studies. Fellows have direct interaction with professional staff and gain valuable insights into the research, development and validation of large-scale tests.

Based in San Antonio, Harcourt Assessment is a leading provider of high-quality assessment instruments and testing programs used by educators, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, human resource professionals, admissions and credentialing professionals, and businesses. Through the development of custom statewide educational testing programs, Harcourt is helping more than 20 states meet the accountability requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

The company is a unit of Harcourt Education, which is the global education brand of Reed Elsevier Group plc (NYSE:RUK) (NYSE:ENL). Reed Elsevier is a world-leading publisher and information provider operating in the science and medical, legal, education and business-to-business industry sectors.

Visit Harcourt Assessment on the Web at www.HarcourtAssessment.com.