VISIONARY EDUCATOR DR. MARK EDWARDS TO JOIN DISCOVERY EDUCATION AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF DIGITAL LEARNING Elizabeth Hillman, Discovery Education 240-662-2664, elizabeth_hillman@discovery.com Stephen Wakefield, Discovery Education240-463-2894, Stephen_Wakefield@discovery.com —World Renowned Thought Leader, Innovator, and Education Advocate to Lead the Continued Evolution, Expansion, and Implementation of Discovery Education’s Vision for Transforming Teaching and Learning— Silver Spring, Md. (June 30, 2016) – Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, today announced that visionary educator Dr. Mark Edwards, Superintendent of North Carolina’s Mooresville Graded School District (MGSD), will join the organization as Senior Vice President, Digital Learning in August of this year. As MGSD’s Superintendent, Dr. Edwards oversaw the creation of authentic digital learning environments that engaged all students and improved academic outcomes. In his new role at Discovery Education, Dr. Edwards will work with school systems worldwide to successfully implement similar digital transitions supporting the success of each learner. He will also lead the continued evolution, expansion, and implementation of Discovery Education’s strategic vision for transforming teaching and learning through its unique combination of professional development, award-winning digital content, and educator community. In addition, Dr. Edwards will provide strategic guidance and support across all aspects of the organization including, but not limited to, educational partnerships, state outreach, product development, partner success, and corporate partnerships. His deep expertise in managing district-wide digital transitions, implementing successful 1-to-1 programs, designing effective professional development initiatives, and purposefully integrating digital content into classroom instruction will further enhance Discovery Education’s efforts to support educators and students worldwide. A 38-year veteran of public education, Dr. Edwards previously served for nine years as MGSD’s superintendent. Under his leadership, the district was an early adopter of digital content as a core instructional resource, which helped drive dramatic increases in test scores, graduation rates and college readiness. Since 2007, the number of MGSD students testing proficient or advanced on state end-of-grade tests has increased by 16 percentage points from 73 percent to 89 percent, second best in the state of North Carolina despite being ranked 100th out of 115 districts in funding. “Discovery Education is perfectly positioned to transform teaching and learning on a global scale and is the ideal place for me to broaden my impact on education and continue my personal mission to see that every child, every day, has the opportunity to receive the education they demand and deserve,” said Dr. Edwards. “I am excited to embrace the challenges of my next role and will always be extremely proud of the groundbreaking results we accomplished as a team in Mooresville, and will forever be grateful to the Mooresville community for their tremendous support.” A highly respected and sought-after global spokesperson on digital transformation, Dr. Edwards has received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career. In 2001 he was named Virginia State Superintendent of the Year, and in 2002, he was recognized as a Tech Savvy Superintendent by eSchool News and received the Community Leader Award from the Mooresville NAACP. In 2013, he was named National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators and Common Sense Media’s Educator of the Year. In 2014, Dr. Edwards was the recipient of the North Carolina Public School Forum’s 2014 Jay Robinson Education Leadership Award. Most recently, he received a Bammy from the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences and was named Technology Educator of the Year by the NC Technology Association. Dr. Edwards has also briefed Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on the digital conversion and was asked to help launch Digital Promise at the White House. He is the author of Every Child, Every Day: A Digital Conversion Model for Student Achievement. “Discovery Education is thrilled to welcome Mark to our innovative and growing global team,” said Bill Goodwyn, President and CEO, Discovery Education. “His work in transforming teaching and learning in Mooresville, combined with his efforts to support the work of the educators from around the globe who have visited the district to witness first-hand his teams’ impact on students, makes him the perfect leader to support Discovery Education’s vision for the future of education. He will be a tremendous asset to both Discovery Education and the 30 million students and 3 million educators we serve around the world.” Before coming to Mooresville, Dr. Edwards served as dean for the University of Northern Alabama’s School of Education, and superintendent of Virginia’s Henrico Public Schools and Danville Public Schools. Dr. Edwards holds a Ph.D. in education from Vanderbilt University, a M.Ed. in administration and supervision from Tennessee Technical University, and a B.S. in education from the University of Tennessee. He will be based in Discovery Education’s office in Charlotte, N.C., and will report directly to Discovery Education’s President and CEO Bill Goodwyn. For more information about Discovery Education or its programs, services and initiatives, visit www.discoveryeducation.com. About Discovery Education Discovery 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, 50 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.