e.Republic's Center for Digital Education Announces Top Portals and Applications in Education Technology

Market Wire, September, 2006

The nation's top K-12 and higher education Web portals and applications have been evaluated and ranked by the Center for Digital Education ( www.centerdigitaled.com ), the leading source for analysis, trends and data about technology's use in Education.

The Center's 2006 Best of the Web competition evaluates higher education, K-12, state and local Web sites on their innovation, Web-based delivery of public services, efficiency, economy, and functionality.

The Center's Digital Education Achievement Awards program broadens its scope to include submissions of cutting-edge ed-tech applications from around the world.

"There were some great technology innovations this year," said Marina Leight, vice president of education, for the Center for Digital Education "The K-12 Web sites are maturing and now becoming representative of facilitating information, communication and learning resources for students, parents and teachers."

On progress in the higher education area Leight added, "In higher education, colleges and universities are responding to student demand and expectation for technology via their Web sites, the range of services and information offered is growing exponentially year after year."

2006 BEST OF THE WEB AWARDS:

K-12 State Web site Category:
Winner:
IDEAL: Integrated Data to Enhance Arizona's Learning

K-12 District Web site Category:
Winner:
Rockwood School District, Missouri

Finalists:
Howell Township Public Schools, New Jersey
McAllen Independent School District, Texas
Richland School District Two, South Carolina

Higher Education Web site Category:
Winner:
South Seattle Community College, Washington

Finalist:
Carson-Newman College, Tennessee

2006 DIGITAL EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:

Teacher-Focused category:
Winners:
Broward Enterprise Education Portal, School Board of Broward County,
Florida
Protein Folding Research, Pande Research Group of Stanford University,
California
The Lost Museum: Exploring Antebellum U.S. Life and Culture, Center for
Media and Learning, Graduate Center, CUNY

Administrator-Focused Category:
Winner:
Substitute Employees, NYC Department of Education

Student-Focused Category:
Winners:
DC OneApp, District of Columbia
The Groundwater Story, King County Water and Land Resources Division,
Groundwater Protection Program, Seattle Public Schools, Water Tenders and
Renton, Washington

Honorable Mentions:
Panther Den Online/D2L, South Florida Community College
Pinion Post, Sawnee Elementary School, Cumming, Ga.

Student-Focused/Student Design Category:
Winners:
Extreme Cuisine, NYC Public School 56 Queens
Kids Can Dance, NYC Public School 56 Queens

Honorable Mentions:
Learn About Native Americans, Arlington Heights School District 25,
Illinois
Step Into The Future Aboard the ISS, NYC Public School 56 Queens

Integrated Multi-Focus Category:
Winner:
My VCCS, Virginia Community College System

Honorable Mentions:
Extended Learning Institute Distance Learning Program, Northern Virginia
Community College
FCUSD eNews, Folsom Cordova Unified School District, California

This year's BOW and DEAA programs were sponsored by SMART Technologies ( www.smarttech.com ) and Smead Software ( www.smeadsoftware.com ).

For more information on the awards programs please contact Janet Grenslitt at 916.932.1363 or jgrenslitt@centerdigitalgov.com .

For more information about the Center for Digital Education, contact Meg Mason, 916-932-1411 or mmason@centerdigitaled.com .

The Center for Digital Education ( www.centerdigitaled.com ) is a premier resource for information about the best use of technology in K-12 and higher education. From its market intelligence programs, advisory services and research, to its annual events, custom publishing and publications, the Center provides the most dynamic and diverse opportunities for private- and public-sector leaders to succeed in 21st century education.

The Center is a division of e.Republic, Inc. ( www.erepublic.com ), the nation's leading publishing, research, event, and new media company focused on information technology for the state/local government and education markets.

For more information about the Center for Digital Education, contact: Meg Mason 916-932-1411 Email Contact