Tag Archives: K 12

Flat Classroom Project Creates Globally Minded Students at Yew Chung International School of Beijing

Once a week, Coco Yu walks into her Year 4 classroom at Yew Chung International School of Beijing (YCIS Beijing), logs onto a computer and starts communicating with other children her age who are located in schools stretching from England to India.

Yu is one of dozens of students at YCIS Beijing who are participating in a global collaborative project that joins together primary students from around the world via the Internet and Web 2.0 technologies, including Wikispaces and Ning, an online service that allows members to create social networks.

The project is called Flat Classroom. It is part of an emerging trend in internationally aware schools, like YCIS Beijing, that embrace a holistic and full-rounded educational approach to work collaboratively with others around the world in order to create students who are competitive and globally-minded. One of the main goals of the project is to “flatten” or lower the classroom walls so that two or more classes are joined virtually to become one large classroom.

“In Flat Classroom, we work a lot with computers and we go to Wiki, and we type what we do in Beijing. Maybe we Skype, and we talk to other children around the world, for example, we have a school in Mumbai, a school in England and Mill Creek and the US,” Yu, who is 9years old, said.

YCIS Beijing teachers who take part in the program say they can immediately see the perceptions of their students about the world and their place in it change as a result of participation in the project, which incorporates themes and lesson plans from “The World is Flat,” a ground-breaking book authored by the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman. Students also work collaboratively on projects with their peers located in different schools around the world. On February 21st at 8am, students used Skype to video chat with the primary students and parents at a US primary school who were attending their back-to-school night. It was an exciting link for both primary classes involved who exclaimed cheers when the video connection occurred, followed by a question and answer period that bounced back-and-forth between times zones.

“Of course, students have discovered similarities between themselves and other students located at the other participating schools,” said Primary Year 4 teacher, Heather Davis.

“They also note the differences as well. It is through these similarities and differences that our students have expressed the most learning. They find it fascinating that the same hobbies, food or entertainment enjoyed by them is enjoyed by other students as well. Conversely, they are intrigued by the holidays and traditions of different countries and are surprised when preconceived notions they had about other countries are challenged and clarified with reality.”

The Flat Classroom Project is incorporated mostly during IT time at YCIS Beijing but also crosses over into other subject areas, including English, math, history and Chinese. Students, for example, learn how to correspond in English with their counterparts in different countries or study the history of the countries in which their peers are living.

From February 25 – 27, a special Flat Classroom Conference will be held in Beijing. It will include students and educators discussing the future of education through the integration of technologies, including wikis, blogs, social networking and multi-media storytelling, into learning environments.

About Yew Chung International School Beijing
Located in the scenic Honglingjin Park in the heart of downtown Beijing, Yew Chung International School of Beijing celebrates 15 years of educating students of the city’s expatriate community. YCIS Beijing is a fully accredited school by CIS, NEASC and NCCT, and is part of the Yew Chung Education Foundation with over 5,000 students across campuses in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Chongqing, Qingdao and Silicon Valley (USA). Providing Beijing’s expatriate community a quality education across a broad spectrum ranging from early childhood to senior secondary education, the school offers a unique richness and diversity of both Eastern and Western cultures that equip students to be bilingual, academically competitive, caring and globally-minded individuals. For more information, visit www.ycis-bj.com.

Via EPR Network
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New Website to Offer Big Discounts to Educators

CEO Greg Michaels of Michaels Associates LLC announced today that the company will soon unveil a new website www.teacher-books.net. The new site represents a complete re-design of www.michaelsassociates.com. Visitors to the old site will be automatically redirected to the updated site.

The company, founded in 1986, had its first website in 1995 and specializes in professional resources for K-12 educators and administrators. Michaels Associates LLC has been named “distributor of the year” three times by the International Reading Association. They are also one of the nation’s leading distributors for resources from Scholastic, Pearson, Maupin House, Sage, Shell Education, Guilford, NCTE, ASCD, and many others. Also sold on the site will be leveled books for guided reading and reading recovery as well as school supply items.

The new website will feature new, best-selling, and classic professional titles from over 30 publishers – at a discount. There will also be a button on the homepage that will take administrators and librarians to a page that offers deep discounts on topic-based professional libraries and multiple copies of the same title.

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Debut Of ePath Knowledge Suite of Online Tools

Peoples Educational Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEDH), a leading provider of print and online supplemental educational materials for the K–12 school market, is pleased to announce the launch of their new ePath Knowledge™series of online tools for educators to address specific needs in schools. The initial launch of the ePath Knowledge™ series consists of three distinct offerings: ePath Assess™—the online formative assessment, progress monitoring, and reporting platform, ePath Discovery™—a targeted, state-specific online remediation and reporting system, and Practice Path™—the ongoing skill building and standards and test practice system. The tools share a common design featuring intuitive, easy-to-use interfaces, visually based reporting, and customized, state-specific content.

Debut Of ePath Knowledge Suite of Online Tools

“We are extremely excited about our new ePath Knowledge™ offerings and the potential of these tools to make a significant impact in K–12 schools,” said Brian Beckwith, President and CEO. “The tools in the ePath Knowledge™ series work together to deliver an integrated solution or as standalone offerings to fill in the ‘missing piece’ of any existing solution. This flexibility, combined with our high-quality content, user-friendly design, renowned service and support, and affordable pricing will make ePath Knowledge™ a ‘go to’ solution for schools.”

“We had the opportunity to pilot Practice Path™ for our summer Jump Start program,” said Stephanie Shaffer, Basic Skills Instructor from Franklin Township School District, NJ. “I honestly have to say the program has a lot to offer for both the teachers and students. I found the program offered a wide array of usable information and the students loved it. Because of our summer experience, we are going to use the program this school year.”

The ePath Knowledge™ offerings allow local and state level education agencies to provide powerful, state-specific tools accessible via any computer with an available connection to the Internet. Each ePath Knowledge™ tool addresses distinct educational needs while straightforward, visually based reports promote informed classroom instruction, so educators can readily identify the needs of each student or groups of students. The ePath Knowledge™ tools are available in the following geographic areas: The ePath Assess™ solution is available in all 11 of Peoples Education’s current states (AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TX, and VA), while ePath Discovery™ is currently available in California and Texas only and Practice Path™ is currently available in California, Texas, and New Jersey with more states to come. For additional information about Peoples Education ePath Knowledge™ tools, go to www.PeoplesEducation.com.

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New Quick and Easy Test Preparation Now Available for Reading, Math, and Science

Peoples Education, a leading provider of supplemental educational material for the K-12 school market, today announced the addition of Reading, Grades 3-8 materials to the successful Measuring Up Express for the TAKS program. This new program, which first launched late last year, now offers a complete line of Reading, Math, and Science materials for Texas elementary and middle school tested grade levels. The Reading, Grades 3-8 program, includes student worktexts, Diagnostic Practice Tests, and Formative Assessments.

“Teachers told us that they are beginning to instructionally move to the new reading TEKS, but these TEKS are not yet tested. They still need materials to help students succeed on the pre-existing TEKS, which will be tested in 2010 and beyond,” commented Brian T. Beckwith, the company’s President and CEO. “Peoples Education has a history of responding to Texas educators’ needs promptly and with high-quality TEKS and TAKS-customized content. This new reading TAKS preparation and review program is no exception.”

The Measuring Up Express worktexts are a companion to the successful Measuring Up to the TEKS program. The new books address the TEKS that will be tested in 2010 with new content and reading passages. In areas where students need extra instructional support, Measuring Up lessons can be selected for in-depth standards coverage. For quick and easy test review 3-6 weeks prior to the TAKS, Measuring Up Express lessons are the perfect tool. The short lessons provide a brief review of the standards and relevant vocabulary, as well as test practice in the format of the current TAKS. The Measuring Up Express books also include a correlation to the new reading TEKS to help teachers and students as they transition to the new standards.

“Peoples Education has worked tirelessly to align the TEKS with the Measuring Up Express Reading worktexts,” remarked Elizabeth Firmin Birdwell, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Duncanville ISD. “I think teachers will enjoy the product and they will find that it is cognitively aligned.”

The Measuring Up Express program includes free Formative Assessments as blackline masters so teachers can monitor student progress at the end of every chapter. Two free Diagnostic Practice Tests for each student allow teachers to diagnose student weaknesses and prescribe review lessons in the Measuring Up Express OR Measuring Up worktexts. This diagnose-prescribe-instruct model in the Measuring Up program has helped over 3 million Texas students improve test scores.

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TuitionFlex Payment Program Implemented at Northwest Technical Institute

Education Loan Source, Inc., (ELS) in partnership with Sterling Education Finance, LLC announced today that Northwest Technical Institution implemented the TuitionFlexSM payment program. TuitionFlex offers two types of payment plans, TuitionEase(tm) which is a short-term 4 to 12 month program and TuitionExtendTM which is a long-term 13 to 120 month extended repayment plan. “In today’s market, schools have to become creative with their financing options and the TuitionFlex program met the needs of our institution,” stated Keith Fossen, President/CEO at Northwest Technical Institute. “At Northwest Technical Institute, we are helping students and families finance a higher education, without a higher price tag.”

Both TuitionFlex payment options offer a 100% online application process, e-signature capabilities, and a school portal for a school administrator to manage certifications and real-time application status managed by ELS. “ELS’s dynamic system allows schools to manage their tuition payment plans completely online while meeting all of the regulatory requirements,” stated Douglas Feist, Chief Executive Officer at ELS. “We are excited that Northwest Technical Institute is now providing the TuitionFlex program to their student and families.”

Tricia Oberg, Regional Vice President at Sterling Education Finance, and the relationship manager for Northwest Technical Institute stated, “This program is the perfect solution to fill educational funding gaps that can remain when other sources of aid are not available for the student and their families.”

For more information on the TuitionFlex Program go to (www.sterlingeducationfinance.org) or call Tricia Oberg, Regional Vice President, at (651) 707-7291 or Pat Cook, President and Chief Sales Officer, at (828) 335-1092.

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Delaware Credit Union League & Education Loan Source, Inc. Team Up

Education Loan Source, Inc. (ELS) a leading provider of education financial solutions is proud to announce its partnership with the Delaware Credit Union League to provide education loan programs to their member credit unions.

“The Delaware Credit Union League is excited to recommend Education Loan Source programs to our member credit unions for student loan services,” says Jane Bailey, Executive Vice President of the Delaware Credit Union League. “Credit Unions are taking a larger role in helping students and their families obtain the financing they need to attend college. The Delaware Credit Union League is looking forward to offering our member credit unions student loan solutions that can be customized while meeting each individual credit union’s goals.”

Education Loan Source® is committed to offering private education loan options and other financing alternatives uniquely designed for its clients. The Custom Loan SourceSM Program allows credit unions to develop their own customized student loan offering without the need for additional staff or resources and is completely supported by ELS and its affiliates. “This program offers credit unions a great way to provide a student loan product to their existing members, while attracting new members at the same time,” said Tracy Sniscak, Senior Vice President of Business Development. “Credit unions are stepping in to help finance education at a time when traditional lenders are backing away due to the current financial markets. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with the Delaware Credit Union League and their member credit unions to help them better understand the student loan industry and provide student loan solutions to their members.”

“We are extremely pleased that Delaware Credit Union League has recognized ELS as a business partner and recommends our services to their credit union members,” stated Douglas Feist, Chief Executive Officer of Education Loan Source, Inc. “ELS currently serves many clients in multiple states providing education financial solutions and is looking forward to working with the Delaware Credit Union League.”

For more information on the Custom Loan SourceSM Program, go to (www.educationloansource.com) or call Tracy Sniscak at (717) 385-3483.

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Health Profession Loan from Custom Loan Source Now Offered at Rocky Vista University

Education Loan Source, Inc. (ELS), in partnership with Sterling Education Finance, LLC (Sterling) has announced its launch of the Health Profession Loan (HPL) through ELS’ Custom Loan Source(sm) Program for Rocky Vista University, located in Parker, Colorado.

Rocky Vista University, with students trained in osteopathic medicine, has disbursed approximately $7MM in loan volume since its August launch with pending disbursements of an additional $7MM. “Our students are facing significant challenges in paying for college since traditional financing options are becoming more difficult to access,” said Kathy Leary, Director of Financial Aid at Rocky Vista University. “The HPL Custom Loan Source Program provides our institution with the opportunity to offer an alternative private loan program which specifically meets some of the unique needs of our students.”

The Custom Loan Source Program is highly flexible and customizable private education loan that can be implemented quickly and easily. “Our Program provides the ability for the school to choose the best private loan product features for its students and their families while meeting the school’s needs and financial objectives,” said Douglas Feist, Chief Executive Officer of ELS. “At ELS, it is our mission to help schools find additional low-cost funding options for their students and the Rocky Vista University program is another example of that goal.”

ELS manages the entire HPL Program for Rocky Vista University from product development and vendor relationships to loan portfolio administration services. Servicing is performed by AES/PHEAA.

Nancy Chalker, Regional Vice President at Sterling Education Finance, is the relationship manager for Rocky Vista and identified the HPL Program as a product that could meet the school’s short timeline without sacrificing a competitive product for students. “Offering the HPL Custom Loan Source Program creates a win/win situation for Rocky Vista University and their students.”

For more information on the Custom Loan Source Program go to (www.sterlingeducationfinance.org) or call Pat Cook at (828) 335-1092.

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National Lending Associates, And Sterling Education Finance Launch TuitionFlex SM Payment Program for California Northstate College of Pharmacy

National Lending Associates, Inc. (NLA) in cooperation with Sterling Education Finance, LLC announced today that California Northstate College of Pharmacy, LLC will expand their financial aid options by offering the TuitionFlex(sm) payment program. TuitionFlex is designed to help students and their families manage tuition expenses not covered by student loans and other financial aid resources. These alternative financing options are designed to help ease the current financial burden by extending tuition payments over a pre-set repayment period. The TuitionFlex Program offers two customizable tuition payment products which include TuitionEase™ (up to 12 months) and TuitionExtend™ (13 to 120 months). Both payment options offer a 100% online application process, e-signature capabilities, and a school portal for a school administrator to manage certifications and application status. “At California Northstate College of Pharmacy, we are always looking for financial aid options which will assist our students and their families in paying for the cost of education,” saidNorman Fong, Vice President of California Northstate College of Pharmacy . “TuitionFlex offered the flexibility and program terms our institution needed. Sterling Education Finance staff has gone above and beyond to provide us with a customized solution for our students.”

National Lending Associates, And Sterling Education Finance Launch TuitionFlex SM Payment Program for California Northstate College of Pharmacy

“NLA’s partnership with Sterling Education Finance has been successful in providing TuitionFlex Program to schools across the nation,” states Douglas Feist, Chief Executive Officer of NLA . “With institutions like California Northstate College of Pharmacy they are willing to go the extra mile for students and their families during these difficult economic times.”

“TuitionFlex provides California Northstate College of Pharmacy with a valuable alternative to existing products they have available to their students,” states Nancy Chalker, Regional Vice President at Sterling Education Finance . “We are excited to continue to partner with them, to also develop a customized private loan product for their needs and the students they serve, to roll out next year. “

For more information on the TuitionFlex Program go to (www.sterlingeducationfinance.org) or call Pat Cook at (828) 335-1092.

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Peoples Education Debuts Measuring Up for Level A/Grade 1

Peoples Education, a leading provider of supplemental educational material for the K-12 school market, announced today the addition of first grade materials to the successful Measuring Up to the California Content Standards program. This exclusive approach to first grade standards preparation includes two levels in one book to give teachers flexibility to differentiate instruction for a wide range of student needs.. The Level A program includes instructional worktexts, Diagnostic Practice Tests, and Building Stamina booklets for English Language Arts and Mathematics.

Peoples Education

“We took our time to research what would be the best option for first grade teachers and their students,” commented Diane M. Miller, the company’s co-founder and Chief Creative Officer. “Having two sets of lessons on the same standards allows teachers to scaffold instruction for their first-grade students and for second-grade students who need specialized instruction to bridge the gap from first grade to second. We believe this program meets the needs of California educators in a more realistic way than traditional materials.”

The worktexts include Early Level lessons to be used at the beginning of first grade and Bridging Level lessons for the second half of first grade and second graders needing intervention. The program helps students transition to second grade and prepare early for the second grade assessment.

Lisa Anderson, a key advisor on the project and K-6 Reading Specialist from National City, said, “I am thrilled Peoples Education is coming out with a Grade One version of Measuring Up. I love how these workbooks present the essential California standards in an easy-to-learn, student-friendly format.”

A variety of assessment tools are available to help teachers diagnose student needs and monitor progress. Two short Diagnostic Practice Tests, one for Early Level and one for Bridging Level, can be used as a pretest and posttest for the program. These diagnostic assessments cover the key grade 1 standards with 30 questions each. Separate Building Stamina booklets are designed as formative assessments to be used at the end of each chapter in the Early and Bridging levels. All the assessment results can be used to prescribe specific Early and Bridging lessons in the Level A Measuring Up worktext for a truly customized approach for every classroom.

About Peoples Educational Holdings, Inc.

Peoples Educational Holdings, Inc. is a publisher and marketer of print and electronic educational materials for the K-12 school market. The Company focuses its efforts in two market areas:

Test Preparation, Assessment, and Instruction

Test Preparation and Assessment: The Company creates and sells state customized, print and electronic, test preparation and assessment materials that help teachers prepare students for success in school and for required state proficiency tests, grades 2-12.

Instruction: The Company produces and sells proprietary state customized print worktexts and print and web-based delivered assessments, for Grades 2-8. These products provide students with in-depth instruction and practice in reading, language arts, and mathematics. In addition, the Company’s backlist remedial and multicultural products are included in this group.

Literacy

The Company distributes K-8 supplemental literacy materials for three publishers, on an exclusive basis in the United States. These materials include an extensive selection of leveled reading materials; high interest engaging resources for striving readers; series that integrate reading, science and social studies; and selections and strategies for English Language Learners.

College Preparation

The Company distributes instructional materials that meet the academic standards high schools require for honors, college preparation, and Advanced Placement courses. The Company is the exclusive high school distributor for two major college publishers, and also creates proprietary supplemental materials for this market.

The Company’s proprietary products are supplemental in nature. They are predominately soft-cover, high gross profit margin titles that can be sold efficiently through the Company’s direct sales force, as well as through catalogs, direct mail, telemarketing, and independent commission sales representatives. Distributed products are both basal and supplemental in nature.

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National Lending Associates, Inc. Launches TuitionFlex SM Payment Program for Lesley University

National Lending Associates, Inc. (NLA) in cooperation with Sterling Education Finance, LLC announced today that Lesley University will expand their financial aid options by offering the TuitionFlex SM payment program. The TuitionFlex Program offers two customizable tuition payment products which include TuitionEase™ (less than 12 months) and TuitionExtend™ (contracts greater than 12 to 120 months). These alternative financing options are designed to help ease the current financial burden on students and their families by extending their tuition payments over a pre-set period. “With limited private loan funding available, the TuitionFlex program is a great financial alternative for our students and their families,” said Scott Jewell, Director of Student Financial Services at Lesley University. “Along with partnering with Sterling Education Finance, the turnkey program has made implementation for our institution very easy.”

TuitionFlex

“NLA has once again partnered with Sterling Education Finance in order to provide Lesley University the TuitionFlex Program,” states Douglas Feist, Chief Executive Officer of NLA. “This allows both organizations the opportunity to assist the school in providing a financing option for paying for education during difficult economic times.”

“With private loans being increasingly difficult to secure, the TuitionFlex program offers a great alternative means of financing for families,” states Jennifer Wallace, Regional Vice President at Sterling Education Finance. “With institutions like Lesley University willing to go the extra mile for students, a win-win situation is created for all parties.”

For more information on the TuitionFlex Program go to (www.sterlingeducationfinance.org) or call Pat Cook at (828) 335-1092.

About National Lending Associates, Inc.
Based in San Diego, California, with offices in Ohio, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and New York, National Lending Associates, Inc., is a nationwide specialty service company focused on providing financing solutions, loan and portfolio administration services, and technology options for the education financing marketplace (www.nationallendingassociates.com).

About Sterling Education Finance, LLC
Sterling Education Finance, LLC is an innovative education financing company dedicated to the larger mission of ensuring access to education. Our product suite is designed to offer financing solutions for every private K-12 school, college or university based on the institution’s unique needs as well as the needs of the students and families they serve. We have a select group of origination, funding and servicing partners and all of our products are fully supported by our team of industry veterans.

About Lesley University
Lesley University www.lesley.edu is an 8,000-student, multi-site university for women and men, and is one of the nation’s largest providers of graduate professional education opportunities to K-12 educators. Anchored by a strong liberal arts curriculum, Lesley offers undergraduate and graduate programs in education, the arts, human services and the environment at its Cambridge and Boston campuses, online, and in 150 locations in 23 states. Lesley’s four schools include the School of Education, the Graduate School of Arts and Social SciencesThe Art Institute of Boston, and Lesley College, an undergraduate residential college. Lesley University prepares individuals for lives and careers that make a difference, and serves the evolving needs of students and a diverse society through innovative programs and pedagogy, high quality instruction, scholarship, advocacy, and outreach.

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National Lending Associates, Inc. Launches TuitionFlexSM Payment Program for Technology Learning Center, Inc.

National Lending Associates, Inc. (NLA) in cooperation with Sterling Education Finance announced today Technology Learning Center will expand its financing options by offering the TuitionFlex payment program. TuitionFlex is a customizable tuition payment program which allows students and their families to extend their tuition payments over a pre-set period, easing the economic impact of tuition payments. “These are very difficult times for many of our students,” said Tony Chamoun, President of Technology Learning Center. “Every day, we speak to families who are not in the same financial position they were last year, yet they remain dedicated to achieving their goals of a higher education. We wanted to find an effective solution to ease the strain of tuition costs for our families—and partnering with Sterling Education Finance helped us do that”.

“NLA is excited about our partnership with Sterling Education Finance.  Pat Cook, its CEO, and her team bring extensive industry experience which our senior management team has worked with in the past,” states Douglas Feist, Chief Executive Officer of NLA.   “Putting the TuitionFlex Program in place with the  Technology Learning Center provides both Sterling Education Finance and ourselves a greater opportunity to assist the school in providing a financing option for the education of their students and families during these difficult economic times.”

TuitionFlex is a turn-key program which enables the school to create an extended payment plan for students and parents—with terms as short as 4 months or as long as 120 months. TuitionFlex is designed to be compliant with Truth in Lending disclosure requirements in all 50 states. Once students enroll, NLA works with them to ensure that payments are made at a minimum, deferred or graduated payment schedule, assisting them and their families every step of the way. “The TuitionFlex program was designed to help schools create opportunities for families to continue to afford college,” explained Jennifer Wallace, Regional Vice President at Sterling Education Finance. “With institutions like Technology Learning Center willing to go the extra mile for students, we have put a program in place that offers a low cost option to pay tuition bills not covered by financial aid. It’s truly a win-win situation”.

For more information on the TuitionFlex Program go to www.sterlingeducationfinance.org or call Pat Cook at (828) 335-1092.

About National Lending Associates, Inc.

Based in San Diego, California, National Lending Associates, Inc., is a nationwide specialty service company focused on providing financing solutions, loan administration services and technology options for the consumer and commercial markets (www.nationallendingassociates.com ).

About Sterling Education Finance, LLC

Sterling Education Finance, LLC is an innovative education financing company dedicated to the larger mission of ensuring access to education. Our product suite is designed to offer financing solutions for every private K-12 school, college or university based on the institution’s unique needs as well as the needs of the students and families they serve. We have a select group of origination, funding and servicing partners and all of our products are fully supported by our team of industry veterans.

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National Lending Associates, Inc. Launches Its Tuition Payment Program – TuitionFlex

National Lending Associates, Inc. (“NLA”) is formally announcing today the launch of its TuitionFlex SM tuition payment program. The TuitionFlex Program is a highly flexible and customizable tuition payment program for schools and colleges which currently do or do not offer this low cost financing option to their students and families. TuitionFlex is designed to be compliant with all federal and state Truth-in-Lending disclosure requirements. This turn-key program features a branded on-line application process, electronic signature, customizable reporting, automated payment processing and flexible servicing repayment terms.

“NLA is excited to launch this additional financing option for schools and colleges while leveraging the experience and expertise of our management team.  Our TuitionFlex Program was created as an alternative higher education financing option, which enables institutions throughout the country to provide effective financing solutions for their students during a time of economic uncertainly and limited private financing choices ” states Douglas Feist, Chief Executive Officer of NLA.

The TuitionFlex Program offers payment products aimed at providing tuition financing solutions for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. With its TuitionEase™ (less than 12 months), TuitionExtend™ (contracts greater than 12 up to 120 months), and soon to be launched TuitionExtend Plus ™ (contract purchase option) products, the TuitionFlex Program provides alternatives to meet the current demands of all educational institutions.

For more information on the TuitionFlex Program go to www.tuitionflex.com or contact Tim Kulesha at tim.kulesha@NLALoans.com (602) 579-6555.

About National Lending Associates, Inc.
Based in San Diego, California, with offices in Ohio, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and New York, National Lending Associates, Inc., is a nationwide specialty service company focused on providing financing solutions, loan and portfolio administration services, and technology options for the education financing marketplace (www.nationallendingassociates.com ).

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Cybershala.com is a new educational website that brings, via easy to access virtual classrooms, advanced international curriculums like Singapore Math to children all across the United States

You see it on the news time and time again – American students are falling behind the rest of the world in Mathematics, Science, and other subjects. In fact, a recent study published Nov 14, 2007 by the American Institutes for Research puts American children far behind their foreign peers in regards to math and science.

It was this very notion that led to the birth of a new virtual learning website dedicated to bringing US students the best educational curriculums the world has to offer.

Launching earlier this month, Cybershala.com is the brainchild of Ripujeet Sharma, an engineer who found his own children were having trouble with math. Being a world traveler, he did some research, and found a few interesting notions. “In my research and studying other curriculums, I found out there was a huge ‘learning gap’ in what was being taught, and what could be learned” says Sharma “In essence, we’re doing it backwards, and that’s why we are ranking so low.”

Sharma took the next logical step and created a substantial website that acts as an online learning portal. His website offers an international curriculum via online virtual classes, and is aimed primarily at home schooled children and public school students who need extra help. The first offering is what his own children had trouble with – math.

“The website is starting out by offering what is called ‘Singapore Math’” commented an excited Sharma “and Singapore Math is simply a name for the Math Curriculum they teach to students in Singapore, whom have consistently ranked amongst the highest in the world.”

Indeed, Singapore Math has gained worldwide respect, and differs from other math curriculums because it utilizes a visual approach to problem-solving instead of solely a memory-based one.

Sharma also built the educational and online learning website to be, in his words, “effective, accessible, and affordable. We have the best instructors, an affordable price of $10 per hour, and the benefit of teaching the best curriculum around.”

The classes themselves are also different, exclaims Sharma: “The classes differ from traditional online classes in that there is real interaction. We have textbooks and workbooks that we provide, and small 6-person virtual classes with face-to-face live video. The child is in their home, but they can see and hear the teacher, and vice-versa, in real time.”

“In other words, it’s a real class” adds Sharma.

While the website has launched with the focus on k-12 math, Sharma also plans to add science and technology based curriculums in the near future, making cybershala.com a well-rounded answer to some of America’s most troubling academic questions.

About Cybershala.com
Cybershala.com inc. is an online educational portal dedicated to bringing the best of international curriculum to the US, and to close the “education gap” between what is taught, and what can be learned. Their first curriculum is the highly successful “Singapore Math”, which they offer via virtual classrooms.

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Welcome to EPR Education News

EPR Education News is a new blog, part of EPR Network, that is going to be focused on and will be covering the education news and stories from press releases published on EPR Network.

EPR Network (EPR stands for express press release) is one of the nation’s largest press release distribution networks on Web. The EPR’s nationwide network includes 12 State based PR sites, one major PR forum and a number of industry specific PR blogs and what started as a hobby on Internet years ago turned out to be a rapidly growing business today. EPR Network is also known as one of the most trusted (human optimized, published, edited and monitored, spam/scam/low quality PR content free) PR sites on the web with more than 10,000 company and individual press releases distributed per month. EPR Network is putting your press releases on top of all major search engines’ results and is reaching thousands of individuals, companies, PR specialists, media professionals, bloggers and journalists every day.

EPR Network has thousands of clients around the world including global 500 corporations like Hilton Hotels, Barclays Bank, AXA Insurance, Tesco UK, eBay/Skype, Emirates, just to name a few. The network’s PR web sites are currently reaching from 150,000 to sometimes 500,000 unique visitors per month while our viral reach could possibly go to as much as 1M people per month through our presence across various social media sites. EPR Network was established in 2004 and as of May 2008 it had more than 800,000 press releases (pages) published on its network.

If you have a press release to be distributed, you can do it over here: press release distribution