Contact: Gail Ribalta
210.558.1902
gribalta@edvanceresearch.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, March 29, 2006
EDVANCE RESEARCH, INC. WINS U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BID

Leading educational research company Edvance Research, Inc. today announced that it has been selected by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education to run the Southwestern Regional Educational Laboratory (SWREL). The $38 million contract commenced on March 15, 2006 and continues through 2011.

"We are delighted that the U.S. Department of Education has selected Edvance Research as one of its laboratory partners, and we are especially excited to be part of the IES’s ambitious plans to build a more innovative and robust educational laboratory network," said Dr. Dean Nafziger, chief executive officer of Edvance Research. "We look forward to employing our extensive experience and resources in rigorous educational and market research for the advancement of student achievement," said Donald Barfield, president of Edvance Research. "Edvance Research has a very seasoned staff which is partnering with a network of leading, national educational researchers that will ultimately benefit the students in the southwest region as well as nationally.”

SWREL, run by Edvance Research is one of ten educational laboratories in the Regional Educational Laboratory Network (REL Network), the nation's network of support for research-based school reform run by the IES. SWREL serves the states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana and works for the benefit of over 6.5 million students, over 400,000 teachers in approximately 14,000 schools in grades kindergarten through college in this five-state region.

“Our goal is to provide the highest degree of responsiveness to the needs of our region by providing guidance on how to access educational programs that will positively impact students,” said Barfield. Educators in the southwest region may call 1-877-EDVANCE (1-877-338-2623) or visit www.edvanceresearch.com to obtain technical assistance.

Edvance Research has a strategic partnership with WestEd, a leading research, development and service agency based in California. WestEd has directed the Regional Educational Laboratory for the Western Region for many years. This partnership is ideal as WestEd has vast experience conducting and disseminating solid and innovative educational research. The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is also a strategic partner with their specialized capabilities in special education and high school reform. In addition, several highly respected Universities with leading research capabilities and experience have partnered with Edvance Research to address educational issues in the southwest. These include the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Oklahoma, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Edvance Research is a leading provider of high-quality, rigorous educational research and is committed to identifying and promoting scientifically valid educational programs that can be utilized to close the achievement gap in the southwest. Founded in 2005, Edvance Research is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas with an affiliate office in Austin, Texas.

www.edvanceresearch.com