CONTACT:
Ben Weintraub (212-675-8567)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Black Male Students Denied Equal Educational Opportunities, Group Says
New report highlights the lack of resources available to help African-American male students finish high school; Merit is one of the best and most cost-effective options to address this issue.

Website Link:
http://www.meritsoftware.com

The Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males: Given Half a Chance highlights the resource disparities that exist in schools attended by Black males and their White, non-Hispanic counterparts. The 2008 report documents that states and most districts with large Black enrollments educate their White, non-Hispanic children, but do not similarly educate the majority of their Black male students.

Merit Software has a strong track record of helping students build the skills necessary to graduate from high school. Merit is one of only a handful of educational products that has been demonstrated to improve secondary level student test scores in reading, writing and math. Summaries of the research can be found at http://research.meritsoftware.com.

Unlike most software used in schools, Merit is not drill and practice. Merit gives students instruction in core curriculum skills while automatically tracking student progress. With Merit, students apply skills as they learn them, receiving clear explanations when they encounter troublesome concepts.

Merit programs fit into a variety of curriculum and classroom structures. They are offered in several different configurations and pricing options. Teachers can implement the classroom organization and curriculum that best fit their students' needs. The programs are designed for students reading at a grade three level and above.

Merit can be used with small groups or large classes and it aligns with state and local curriculum standards. Students begin working at a suitable level of challenge. They advance as they demonstrate readiness. Instruction is differentiated to accommodate a variety of skill levels.

Lower level students have been shown to make striking gains with the software. It is also affordable and easy to implement. For administrators working with a limited budget, Merit is an ideal option.

ABOUT MERIT SOFTWARE:

Since 1983, Merit Software (www.meritsoftware.com) has been producing educational software that addresses the core competencies that students require to succeed. The emphasis is on strengthening students' ability to read, analyze data and communicate their ideas.

Merit Software's programs are known throughout the industry for providing context-sensitive tutorials for students and convenient record management features to aid teachers, tutors and parents.

Visit www.meritsoftware.com to examine the company's library of educational applications currently being used in thousands of educational facilities worldwide.

Merit's educational software has been the subject of rigorous, independent, scientific-based research. These studies have concluded that Merit's software provides an effective supplement to everyday instruction. Research findings are available on www.meritsoftware.com/research.

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