FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Leslie Kiddie
Gordon S. Black Corporation
(716) 272-8479 x 537/ LeslieK@GSBC.COM

SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS SHOW A LACK OF FAITH IN RECENT INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDIZED TEST RESULTS

Rochester, NY, November 17, 1998 -- The Gordon S. Black Corporation
announced today that 80% of U.S. school superintendents believe the
recent standardized testing results are inaccurate indicating
American twelfth grade students perform poorly in math and science
relative to students in other countries.

The Survey of American School Leadership, which was completed by 622
school superintendents across the country in September 1998, asked
questions on current issues facing school districts and government.
The survey showed that superintendents are fairly confident in the
current performance of American students in the areas of math and
science.

School leaders from the Northeast region were the harshest critics
of American students.  Thirty-four percent of superintendents from
this region said the results from the studies are accurate, compared
to 11% in the South.

According to John Geraci, Vice-President of the Gordon S. Black
Corporation, "This study shows that U.S. school leaders put
virtually no faith in these international studies.  They feel that
the U.S. has the strongest economy in the world, and that it is our
educational system that makes this possible."

The general American public, on the other hand, seems to have much
more faith in the standardized testing results.  Sixty-five percent
of Americans surveyed in a recent Harris Poll reported that they
believe these test results are accurate.

Results from this study also show that school superintendents have
mixed feelings about a system of national education performance
standards as well as standardized tests used to measure against
national standards.  They survey also indicated showthere is
stronger support among superintendents for a system of standardized
tests than a system of national education performance standards.
While 52% reported that they are in favor of the national
performance standards, 63% reported that they are in favor of the
national system of standardized tests.  Support for both of these
systems is strongest in the Northeast.

For additional information, readers should contact:
Leslie Kiddie
Gordon S. Black Corporation
(716) 272-8479 x 537/ LeslieK@GSBC.COM

                              TABLE 1

    VIEWS ON AMERICAN STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN MATH AND SCIENCE

"As you may know, recent results of standardized tests indicate that
American twelfth grade students performed poorly in math and science
compared to students from other countries.  Some say these results
are accurate and indicate problems with Americas schools.  Others
say these results are not accurate because the US economy wouldnt
be the strongest in the world if students werent learning math and
science.  Which come closest to your opinions?"

                         Results are             Results are
                         Accurate                not Accurate

GENERAL PUBLIC           65%                     35%

SUPERINTENTENDENTS
Total                    20%                     80%

Northeast                34%                     66%
South                    11%                     89%
Great Lakes              26%                     74%
Central                  13%                     87%
West                     26%                     74%

                               TABLE 2

                  SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL STANDARDS

"In general, are you in favor of or opposed to a system of national
education performance standards?"

                         In Favor Of             Opposed to

SUPERINTENDENTS
Total                    52%                     48%

Northeast                69%                     31%
South                    56%                     44%
Great Lakes              57%                     43%
Central                  44%                     56%
West                     49%                     51%

                          TABLE 3

            SUPPORT FOR A SYSTEM OF STANDARDIZED TESTS

"In general, are you in favor of or opposed to a system of
standardized tests to measure performance against national
standards?"

                         In Favor Of             Opposed To

SUPERINTENDENTS
Total                    63%                     37%

Northeast                78%                     22%
South                    67%                     33%
Great Lakes              64%                     36%
Central                  54%                     46%
West                     62%                     38%


METHODOLOGY

The Survey of American School Leadership covers issues regarding
school safety, technology, class size, and performance of America'
schools.  This poll was conducted by telephone within the United
States from September 21 to October 2, 1998.  The sample was
stratified based on the size of the school district and all data
were weighted so that the study is representative of the universe of
public school superintendents in the United States.  The sampling
precision for the study is +/-4%.  This is the first of an annual
poll of Americas school leaders.

Parallel questions were posed as part of the Harris Poll.  Data was
collected for this poll from October 14 to 20, 1998 among a
nationwide cross section of 1,013 adults.  Figures for age, sex,
race, education, number of adults and number of voice/telephone
lines in the household were weighted where necessary to bring them
into line with their actual proportions in the population.

In theory, with a sample of this size, one can say with a 95 percent
certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or
minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult
population had been polled with complete accuracy.  Unfortunately,
there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or
surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations
of sampling error.  They include refusals to be interviewed (non-
response), question wording and question order, interviewer bias,
weighting by demographic control and screening (e.g. for likely
voters).  It is difficult or impossible to quantify the errors that
may result from these factors.

Further information about the Gordon S. Black Corporation can be
found at our Website at www.GSBC.com.