Kaplan Launches Achievement Tests for Nursing Schools

Assessments Enable Nursing Faculty to Track Student Progress

New York, NY, September 18, 2002 - In a move that brings crucial student assessments to nursing schools, Kaplan Nursing, a part of the Kaplan Medical division of Kaplan, Inc., has launched STARS (Subject Test Assessment Resource Service)—a proprietary, integrated testing program designed to evaluate students' progress through the nursing school curriculum. Detailed feedback on individual test score results provided by Kaplan's STARS program allows nursing faculty to effectively and efficiently evaluate students' content comprehension and critical thinking skills. Equipped with this information, faculty will be able to identify at-risk students and intervene early to improve performance. Nursing schools will also be able to use aggregate test score reports to monitor the progress of entire student groups.

"Given the current nursing shortage and increased scrutiny from accrediting agencies, it is important for nursing schools to document student progress," said Judith A. Burckhardt, MEd, RN, Executive Director of Kaplan's Nursing and Allied Health Programs. "Kaplan will provide nursing schools with up-to-date assessment tools and the comprehensive score reports they need to evaluate student progress so they can intervene where necessary in a timely manner."

Developed by experienced nurse educators nationwide, the tests in the STARS program consist of 75-180 questions of varying levels of difficulty designed to assess a student's ability to apply nursing content to clinical situations. Each test is designed to challenge students and provide feedback regarding each student's ability to recall information, understand concepts, set priorities and make sound nursing judgments. In addition to the Nursing Pre-Admission Test, the course evaluation tests in the program include:

Fundamentals of Nursing Test
Wellness/Physical Assessment Test
Psychological Test
OB/GYN Growth and Development Test
Medical/Surgical Test
Pharmacology/Parenteral Therapy Test
Nursing Assessment Test

For each test, Kaplan will provide timely, detailed feedback on every student's performance in such areas as critical thinking and the nursing process. Faculty will also receive an aggregate school report for each test. As an added benefit to its STARS Program, Kaplan will provide participating schools with its leading NCLEX® Review Courses at preferential rates.

STARS is the latest addition to Kaplan Nursing's comprehensive nursing licensure preparation programs, which include its leading NCLEX® prep courses and products, available at Kaplan Centers and online at www.kaptest.com. Kaplan Nursing is a part of Kaplan's Test Preparations and Admissions unit (www.kaptest.com), which offers preparation for 35 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college, and graduate school as well as English language and professional licensing exams. Kaplan (www.kaplan.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services to individuals, schools and businesses. Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

Press Contact:

Bonnie Eissner
Tel: 212-707-5287
bonnie_eissner@kaplan.com

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