Houghton Mifflin Harcourt K-12 Assessment Tools Provide Critical Components to 21st Century Student Learning and Measurement

New editions of Iowa Assessments and Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) measure against Common Core State Standards; provide enhanced measurement for English language learners

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global education leader Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s (HMH) Riverside division today announced important new editions of its largest assessment products – the Iowa Assessments™ and Cognitive Abilities Test™ (CogAT®).

“The challenges our students face continue to grow more complex by the day”

“The challenges our students face continue to grow more complex by the day,” said Jim Nicholson, President of Riverside. “It is absolutely critical for schools to implement the most appropriate assessments to support the 21st century student and accurately chart his or her performance. Educators have trusted the Iowa Assessments and CogAT for many years. These new editions reflect HMH’s ongoing commitment to ensure that the best assessments are available to gauge student understanding and direct future learning.”

The Iowa Assessments program, a measurement tool originally created through a partnership between Riverside and the University of Iowa, monitors growth through a continuous research-based vertical scale. Its newest edition, Form E, continues in the tradition of rigor and psychometric quality, measuring achievement in core academic areas important for success at the college and university level. In addition to allowing educators to measure students' performance on a national level, this 2011 update also gives them the opportunity to evaluate performance against the Common Core State Standards and track College and Career Readiness.

CogAT, an assessment that measures students’ cognitive abilities and learning styles, also boasts a new edition that is largely language-neutral and accessible for English-Language Learner (ELL) students. This new edition, Form 7, also features new types of questions that provide a better assessment of reasoning abilities. Additionally, Form 7 offers alternative assessment that provides a quick additional data point for gifted program placement. Dr. David F. Lohman, an award-winning, internationally-recognized abilities assessment researcher, was the lead author of this test and brought years of thought leadership to the table, creating a truly comprehensive measurement tool.

These new editions feature all-new test content specifically tailored to measure the abilities of the 21st century student. Both products also give educators increased freedom to choose the way they wish to manage their students’ tests. Educators can score each test locally, via plain-paper scanning, or allow Riverside to centrally-score them. Online administration will be available in 2012.

For more information about the Iowa Assessments Form E please visit http://www.riversidepublishing.com/products/ia/index.html.

For more information about the Cognitive Abilities Test Form 7 please visit http://www.riversidepublishing.com/products/cogAT7/index.html.

About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

With education products and services used by 57 million students throughout all 50 U.S. states and 120 countries, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global education and learning company. The world's largest provider of materials for pre–K—12 learning, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is leading the way with innovative solutions and approaches to the challenges facing education today. Through curricula excellence coupled with technology innovations and professional services, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt collaborates with school districts, administrators, teachers, parents and students, providing interactive, results–driven learning solutions. Its Educational Consulting Services group works to increase student achievement in underperforming schools by developing, implementing and supporting education transformation through sustained district partnerships. With origins dating back to 1832, the Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award–winning literature for adults and young readers. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.