QUALITY EDUCATION DATA (QED) ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2002-2003 SCHOOL YEAR EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS


Apple, Dell, Renaissance Learning and Microsoft Dominate
School Market Intent to Purchase Survey

Dallas, TX (November 14, 2002) -- Quality Education Data (QED®), a leading education market research and database firm, and a subsidiary of Scholastic Inc., announced the winners of its fourth annual Technology Leadership Awards today at the National School Board Association's Technology + Learning Conference. Apple, Dell, Renaissance Learning and Microsoft are among the top technology companies recognized by QED as 2002 award recipients. QED's Technology Leadership Awards recognize companies that rank highest among school technology leaders in Intent to Purchase for the coming school year or for Installed Base for the current year.
 
Award Winners for School Market Products
Products That District Technology Coordinators Intend to Purchase
CATEGORY COMPANY
Instructional computers
  • Dell
  • Apple/Macintosh
Student Assessment and reporting software
  • Renaissance Learning
  • Scholastic
Multi Student License Comprehensive Courseware Brands
  • Compass Learning
  • Glencoe McGraw Hill
  • Lightspan
  • NCS Learn
  • PLATO Learning
  • Riverdeep/The Learning Company
  • Scholastic
Instructional management and student record management software
  • Apple (Power School)
  • Chancery
  • Microsoft
  • Renaissance Learning
Single-User CD-based Instructional software brands
  • Microsoft
  • Riverdeep/The Learning Company
  • Scholastic/Tom Snyder Productions
Productivity software
  • Adobe
  • Microsoft


In addition, school technology leaders reported their Installed Base for the 2001-2002 school year, which ended in June, 2002. The two leading brands for instructional computers are Apple/Macintosh and Dell.
 
"When educators are pressured to meet ever stricter accountability and standards requirements, the fact that they intend to purchase these kinds of materials to help their students learn is heartening," said Jeanne Hayes, President of QED. "Both educators and vendors have realized that as part of the tool set to improve student learning an even stronger emphasis on technology is required, with a closer working relationship between educators and publishers. Together they can match the needs of diverse student populations to the appropriate products."
 
For more information on companies' proportional share of intent to purchase, copies of QED's eighth annual Technology Purchasing Forecast 2002-2003 are available to media upon request.
 
Survey Methods
Results are based on telephone interviews with a random sample of 450 district-level technology coordinators conducted from July 1 to September 23, 2002. For results based on the total sample of technology coordinators, one can say with 95% confidence that the margin of sampling error is ±4.6 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of surveys.
QED's Technology Purchasing Forecast is an annual report covering a variety of technology information including instructional computer brands as well as hardware and software spending cross tabulated by demographic information such as district enrollment and metro status. It also includes budget sources and technology decision-makers, allowing marketers to develop plans and projections for the school year ahead. This report is available now.
 
About QED
QED's National Education Database includes all public school districts and schools in the United States. For further information about QED products and services such as Market Research, Database Licenses and Technology Research Reports, visit the QED web site at www.qeddata.com. For up-to-date technology data and state-by-state findings contact Quality Education Data by phone at 1-800-525-5811 or e-mail at info@qeddata.com. To purchase a copy of the 2002-2003 Technology Purchasing Forecast, please contact QED at the above number.
 
Established in 1981 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, QED is a leading provider of integrated marketing services for the K-12 and higher education markets. Services offered include: marketing campaign consulting and execution, custom market research studies, industry trend reports, direct mail programs, implementation, conferences and advertising opportunities. QED Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Scholastic Inc., the global children's publishing and media company. QED's National Education DatabaseÔ covers U.S. and Canadian educational institutions and is at the core of all QED products and services. Included in the National Education Database are 4.5 million names of educators, including teachers, librarians, and administrators. These data are updated utilizing QED's research team combined with Scholastic Inc.'s 750 educational service representatives. This unique methodology positions QED at the forefront of education data and trends. Nelson B. Heller & Associates, a leading business-to-business publisher of education market newsletters and market research, and producer of education industry conferences and on-line roundtables, is a QED company.
 
About Scholastic:
Scholastic Corporation (NMS: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, textbooks, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries, and television networks; and the Company's Internet Site, www.scholastic.com.

Contacts:
Scholastic
Andrea Reibel
212-343-4563
 
Scholastic
Jennifer Slackman
212-343-6427
 
Scholastic
Judy Corman
212-343-6833