For Immediate Release
Contact: Traci Barnett
Tel: (714) 990-4332
Email: tbarnett@ballard-tighe.com

Ballard & Tighe English Language Development Products Approved
by the State of California for Purchase Under AB 1802

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – February 15, 2008 – For 30 years, Ballard & Tighe, Publishers has been providing educators with the tools they need to help English language learners (ELLs) transition into mainstream classrooms. In a continuation of its many years of success in California, today Ballard & Tighe announced that ten of its products have state approval and can now be purchased with funds made available through California Assembly Bill 1802.

     AB 1802 provides $30 million for California schools to purchase approved supplementary instruction materials for English Language Development (ELD) like those from Ballard & Tighe that are aligned to state ELD standards. Among the ten approved Ballard & Tighe resources are its flagship products, Carousel of IDEAS for grades K-5 and Creative IDEAS Activity Books for grades K-6. Supplementary products such as the IDEA Picture Dictionaries and the Explore series, which provide social studies readers and anthologies to contextualize the ELD process, have also been approved.

     “Developing learning products for the English language learner is our entire focus and has been for over 30 years so it is no surprise that our products have been approved under AB 1802,” said Mark Espinola, CEO of Ballard & Tighe. “With state funding, schools can quickly get hold of our highly effective products and put students on the fast track for learning English.”

     “It is clear to our district that Ballard & Tighe knows what teachers need in reaching English learners,” said Kim Anh Vu, director of English services for Oak Grove School District. “Oak Grove School District has used Carousel of IDEAS for two years for our Title I schools. We are so pleased with Carousel of IDEAS that we plan to expand its use into non-Title I schools as well and hope to use AB 1802 funds to do so.”

     Since 1976, Ballard & Tighe has focused solely on learning resources and assessments in the ELD and ELL market. Ballard & Tighe’s products and services have helped nearly half of the school districts in California and over 3,500 school districts nationwide meet the unique needs of English language learners.

About Ballard & Tighe
Ballard & Tighe, Publishers (www.ballard-tighe.com) has focused on developing products for English language learners since 1976. Ballard & Tighe provides testing, instructional, and training products and services to more than 3,500 state, regional, and local school districts throughout the United States and internationally. Ballard & Tighe produces assessment products, English language development instructional materials, professional development programs, and a series of unique social studies programs designed especially for English language learners.

About AB 1802
California Assembly Bill 1802 provides one-time funding of $30 million to school districts to purchase standards-aligned instructional materials for English language learners. Products are certified for alignment with the identified ELA and ELD standards. Additional information can be found at www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/englearnrs.asp.

Contacts for the Media
Jennifer Harrison for Ballard & Tighe, 916-716-0636, jennifer@jharrisonpr.com
Traci Barnett, Ballard & Tighe, 800-321-4332 x301, tbarnett@ballard-tighe.com