The Kentucky Department of Education and Apex Learning Expand Kentucky Virtual High School.

Business/Education Editors

FRANKFORT, Ky. and BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 29, 2000

Public/Private Partnership Teams Online

Coursework with Kentucky Teachers

The Kentucky Department of Education and Apex Learning Inc., a leading online learning service provider, announced today they are including Apex Learning's award-winning, accredited online educational offering as part of Kentucky's nationally-recognized Virtual High School (KVHS).

The Kentucky program is the first in which Apex Learning will provide its online coursework, technology and support services, with the online instructors provided by the partner state. Teachers will be provided by the Kentucky Virtual High School, and will be trained (with assistance from Apex) to teach the Online Courses. Apex's offering will include:

-- technology platform for online delivery of course materials

and instruction;

-- a comprehensive selection of accredited online Advanced

Placement courses;

-- an award-winning online AP Exam Review;

-- online supplemental curriculum and assessment for use by

teachers in the traditional classroom;

-- online teacher training;

-- communication support to help KVHS build awareness of the

availability and benefits of online learning and AP courses

throughout the state of Kentucky.

The Kentucky Virtual High School is a statewide educational service delivering high school courses and online learning opportunities to any Kentucky citizen desiring to complete a high school education. The KVHS provides students with the opportunity to take courses that may not be available in their local public high school. Also, students who cannot fit all desired coursework into the traditional school day will find additional options through KVHS.

"We're very excited about our partnership with Apex", said Linda Pittenger, Director of the KVHS. "The ability to team our own teachers with the technology, content and other support that a private company like Apex Learning can provide has given us a unique opportunity. We are able to expand our Advanced Placement curriculum, train our instructors and communicate to a new online group of students".

Kentucky was recently awarded a three-year, one million dollar federal grant to increase the state's participation in Advanced Placement programs. As part of this grant, one-hundred student scholarships for online AP courses through KVHS are available this year. The KVHS offers 11 Advanced Placement courses, and two of those are provided through Kentucky Educational Television (KET).

Keith Oelrich, President and CEO of Apex Learning, said, "The Kentucky Virtual High School has been one of the leaders in the VHS market. By partnering with third-parties, they are able to build their program quickly to ensure that all students in the state have access to important educational offerings such as AP courses. We're proud to be working with them as one of their key partners, and excited about having them as a launch customer for our new virtual high school technology platform."

About Apex Learning

Apex Learning is a leading Online Learning Service Provider for the K-12 education system. Founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, Apex Learning provides award-winning online educational content, technologies and services to states, school districts and other partners in the K-12 system. The company's online educational offerings are fully accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. Apex Learning is a privately-held company, with significant investments from Vulcan Ventures, Warburg Pincus, Edison Schools, Maveron, Kaplan and Michigan State University.

About Kentucky Virtual High School

The KVHS is an unprecedented collaboration between the Kentucky Department of Education, the Council on Postsecondary Education, and the state's major education partners whose common interest is to secure an internationally superior education for our state's citizens. Through the KVHS, every Kentucky high school student is able to enroll in for-credit classes taught by Kentucky certified teachers and receive credit from their local high school. Courses are delivered online to schools, homes and other places with Internet access, available anytime and anywhere -- meeting the needs of students. Kentucky Virtual High School curriculum ranges from the basic to the very advanced.