Houghton Mifflin Launches Pre-K Program; New Curriculum Meets Early Reading First Criteria.

BOSTON -- Houghton Mifflin Company has announced the launch of Houghton Mifflin PRE-K: Where Bright Futures Begin, a brand new, comprehensive, integrated pre-K program that provides children with the foundational skills they need to succeed as lifelong learners.

The new curriculum is based on scientific research and is aligned with key critical pre-K learning goals, including those defined by Early Reading First, Head Start, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the International Reading Association, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and state frameworks.

"We developed Houghton Mifflin PRE-K to meet the growing needs of educators nationwide," said Ali Sullo, publisher, Houghton Mifflin School Division. "This new program encourages hands-on, minds-on learning that builds a solid foundation for enduring success. It's a total package that gives teachers everything they need to provide instruction, activities and learning centers in their pre-K classrooms."

In its "2004 State Preschool Yearbook," the National Institute for Early Education Research reports that preschool education is widely recognized as an engine of success for children, but across the U.S., high-quality curriculum programs are the exception rather than the rule.

The core of the Houghton Mifflin curriculum features high-quality literature, child-centered themes and a flexible lesson structure that specifically develops critical early literacy skills, such as oral language, listening comprehension, vocabulary, phonological awareness, print awareness and alphabet knowledge. The program also teaches mathematics on a daily basis, and incorporates activities to address social/emotional development, physical development, science, social studies, music and art.

The authors of Houghton Mifflin PRE-K are Dr. Sue Bredekamp, director of research for the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition; Dr. Lesley Mandel Morrow, professor of literacy and early childhood/elementary education at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University; and Dr. Jack Pikulski, professor of education at the University of Delaware and senior author of Houghton Mifflin Reading.

About Houghton Mifflin Company

Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Company is one of the leading educational publishers in the United States, with over $1 billion in sales. Houghton Mifflin publishes textbooks, instructional technology, assessments and other educational materials for elementary and secondary schools and colleges. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers. Houghton Mifflin offers computer-administered testing programs and services for the professional and certification markets. With its origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. The Company's Web site can be found at www.hmco.com.