California State Board of Education Approves HMH Programs for ELA and ELD Learning

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BOSTON – Global learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) today announced the approval of all five English Language Development (ELD) and English Language Arts (ELA) programs submitted to the California State Board of Education for the 2016-2017 reading adoption. With foundational reading programs such as CA Journeys and CA Collections plus the recent acquisition of flagship programs CA READ 180 Universal and CA English 3D, HMH now offers the most comprehensive solution for English Language and English Language Arts learners available in the market today.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 20% of K-12 students in California are designated as English Language Learners, making English Language Development programs critical to supporting student achievement statewide. To address this crucial need, HMH offers two ELD programs. CA Escalate English is designed for students (grades 4-8) who are at risk of falling behind due to language barriers and increases grade-level English language skills via listening, speaking, reading and writing exercises. CA English 3D (grades 4-8) was developed in partnership with Dr. Kate Kinsella, one of the nation’s leading scholars on secondary English language instruction, and teaches high-level academic speaking, listening, and writing skills by engaging students with rigorous and increasingly complex texts.

“After years of research, I finally feel we have what it takes to engage these students and help them develop as proficient, bi-literate academics who are prepared for their futures,” said Dr. Kinsella. “We can inspire not only a passion for learning, but also a greater capacity for learning in all of our students.”

In addition, HMH’s celebrated ELA programs CA Journeys (K-5) and CA Collections (6-12) together offer a complete K-12 language arts solution that supports all students throughout their academic careers. Students engage with complex texts and sharpen close reading and analysis skills, while a rigorous instructional path helps them draw deep connections across genres.

“HMH’s ELA curricula are among the most rigorous and engaging programs I have seen for developing skills and a passion for reading and writing,” said Carol Jago, Program Consultant, Journeys and Collections. “Our approach encourages students to think deeply about text and media and will strengthen their ability to communicate effectively and interpret the world around them, both in the classroom and beyond.”

For intensive reading intervention, CA READ 180 Universal (4-8) leverages the strongest blended learning approach on the market, which has proved effective in helping struggling readers close achievement gaps. A recent report commissioned by the Institute for Education Sciences found statistically significant gains in students using READ 180, as defined by the What Works Clearing House (WWC) evidence standards. These gains were unique to READ 180; out of the 10 interventions evaluated, only READ 180 was found to have statistically significant positive effects on reading achievement.

In addition to the programs formally submitted to the State Board of Education, HMH’s unique CA Journeys Pathway to Biliteracy addresses the requirements for bilingual learning identified by the State of California and will be available to school districts statewide. The program was built on California’s bilingual ELA/ELD framework and empowers students with multilingual academic proficiency.

HMH provides ongoing implementation and professional learning support for all programs and the districts with which it partners. Combining robust services with quality content infused in core K-12 content, intervention and ELD programs, HMH offers California a single partner with a comprehensive approach that addresses the instructional shifts in the California Common Core State Standards and prepares students to succeed in a multicultural, multilingual world.

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About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (NASDAQ:HMHC) is a global learning company dedicated to changing people’s lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. As a leading provider of pre-K–12 education content, services, and cutting-edge technology solutions across a variety of media, HMH enables learning in a changing landscape. HMH is uniquely positioned to create engaging and effective educational content and experiences from early childhood to beyond the classroom. HMH serves more than 50 million students in over 150 countries worldwide, while its award-winning children's books, novels, non-fiction, and reference titles are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.

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Media Contact

Jennifer Berlin

Director, Corporate Communications

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

617-351-5270

Jennifer.Berlin@hmhco.com