ALABAMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROVES DISCOVERY EDUCATION’S DIGITAL SCIENCE TEXTBOOK FOR STATEWIDE USE IN K-12 CLASSROOMS Shawnee Cohn, Discovery Education240-393-5849, shawnee_cohn@discovery.com Stephen Wakefield, Discovery Education240-463-2894, Stephen_Wakefield@discovery.com — National Shift to Modern Digital Learning Environments Continues as Interactive Science Techbook is Approved in Alabama as Core Instructional Resource – Silver Spring, Md. (March 17, 2016) – Following an extensive review and evaluation, the Alabama State Department of Education has approved Discovery Education Science Techbook™ for use as a core instructional resource in elementary, middle, and high school science classrooms statewide through its adoption process. An award-winning digital textbook series, Discovery Education’s Techbooks are aligned to rigorous standards, support a comprehensive curriculum, and include robust professional development. The Discovery Education Science Techbook has also been adopted in Oregon, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Texas, Idaho, Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and South Carolina and is now used by over 1 million students in 50 U.S. states and Canadian provinces. The Alabama State Department of Education adopted all elementary, middle and high school Discovery Education Science Techbook courses, including Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, and Physics, which are fully aligned to the Alabama 2015 Course of Study: Science. All 139 school districts across Alabama can now use Department of Education approved instructional materials funding to purchase and implement the award-winning Discovery Education Science Techbook, an interactive digital solution that replaces traditional textbooks. “The Discovery Education Science Techbook’s engaging digital content and resources bring science lessons to life for all students, regardless of their learning style,” said Dr. Janet Womack, Superintendent, Alabama’s Florence City Schools. “This dynamic tool will help educators across Alabama support academic success and engage their tech-savvy students in the digital environments in which we know they learn best.” A complete digital solution built from the ground-up, Discovery Education’s Science Techbook series helps educators transform science instruction. Utilizing an inquiry-based format built on the Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate (5E) model, each Science Techbook includes rich, standards-aligned content such as video, audio, text, interactives with hands-on activities, and virtual labs that help educators differentiate instruction and provide a rich and engaging learning experience for students. Additional student features include bilingual text-to-speech and leveled reading tools, and note-taking and highlighting capabilities. Embedded formative assessment opportunities help educators monitor student progress, and like all Discovery Education digital textbooks, the Science Techbook works on any device and can be implemented in a variety of instructional settings. A study conducted by independent research firm Merola Research, LLC found that usage of Science Techbook is associated with higher science achievement scores in South Carolina elementary school students. After one year of implementation in the state’s Rock Hill Schools, fourth grade students whose teachers used Discovery Education Science Techbook scored higher on average on the 2013 Science Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) than students whose teachers did not use Science Techbook. Techbooks are also a substantially less expensive option per student at nearly half the cost of a traditional textbook, with additional savings derived from a lack of textbook replacement or inventory costs. Discovery Education understands that teacher engagement is critical to implementing successful learning initiatives. Therefore, all Techbooks include research-based professional development that supports educators as they integrate new digital content and resources into classroom instruction. The Discovery Educator Network (DEN), a global community of education professionals, further connects teachers and administrators around the world with social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events that inspire innovation and facilitates idea sharing. “By adopting the Science Techbook as a core instructional resource, the Alabama State Department of Education empowers educators to create modern digital learning environments that transform teaching and learning and advance student achievement,” said Amy Knower, Director of Education Partnerships at Discovery Education. “We are excited to continue to partner with school districts in Alabama and across the country as they leverage innovative digital resources like the Science Techbook to support the success of all students.” For more information about Discovery Education’s Techbook series or other services and resources from Discovery Education, visit www.discoveryeducation.com. About Discovery EducationDiscovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 3 million educators and over 30 million students, Discovery Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, over 40 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.