Savvas is the only publisher on Alabama’s approved list with a full K-12 social studies solution

PARAMUS, N.J., April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Savvas Learning Company, a next-generation learning solutions leader, is pleased to announce that the Alabama State Board of Education (SBE) has approved all of its K-12 social studies programs for use in classrooms statewide. Savvas is the only publisher on Alabama’s approved list with a full K-12 social studies solution, providing educators with high-quality, customized curricula that supports innovative, creative, and impactful social studies teaching.

The Alabama SBE determined that all Savvas social studies programs are fully aligned to the Alabama Course of Study Social Studies Standards, which aim to prepare students to become knowledgeable, civically engaged citizens. Designed specifically for Alabama, Savvas social studies programs are structured around Alabama’s key disciplines of civics, economics, geography, and history.

“Savvas is fully committed to delivering the most innovative learning solutions to empower teachers and inspire students,” said Bethlam Forsa, CEO of Savvas Learning Company. “We are proud that the Alabama SBE has approved all of our custom-built social studies programs, giving Alabama educators the high-quality instructional materials they need to increase student achievement in the classroom while preparing students for success in college, career, and civic life.”

Providing students a deep understanding of civic ideals and practices, active citizenship, and global conversation, the Savvas Alabama social studies programs include:

Alabama myWorld Interactive for Grades K-5 that emphasizes activity-based learning, literacy integration, and real-world inquiry to engage students and help them become critical thinkers.
 Alabama myWorld Interactive for Grades 6-8 that encourages students to explore their world, expand their thinking, and engage their civic awareness through project-based learning and rich inquiry experiences.
 Alabama US History Interactive and Alabama World History Interactive that inspire high school students to question, inquire, and explore history from multiple perspectives, promoting deeper investigation and bringing a modern lens to history.
 Alabama Magruder’s American Government Interactive that features continuously updated digital resources complementing a foundational textbook, keeping content fresh with current events to help students discover how government is found in their everyday lives.
 Alabama Economics Interactive that emphasizes a student-centered approach to teaching core economic principles, incorporating real-life applications, budgeting skills, and financial literacy to equip students with essential economic knowledge for personal and civic responsibilities.

For grades K-8, Savvas supports educators by linking social studies content with essential literacy skills such as vocabulary development and reading comprehension, allowing students to grow as independent readers and informed citizens. The Science of Reading-based literacy resources, available in both print and digital formats, ensure every student can meaningfully connect with the content.

Savvas 9-12 programs bring history and social studies to life through diverse primary sources, immersive learning experiences, and digital activities accessible on the Savvas Realize learning management system. The inquiry-based curricula offer a wealth of interactive resources that promote a hands-on approach to learning, encourage student collaboration, and foster community within the classroom. With flexible, ready-to-implement resources and active classroom strategies, teachers can build a dynamic learning environment that promotes teamwork, critical thinking, and civic responsibility.

ABOUT SAVVAS LEARNING COMPANY
At Savvas, we believe learning should inspire. By combining new ideas, new ways of thinking, and new ways of interacting, we design engaging, next-generation learning solutions that give all students the best opportunity to succeed. Our award-winning, high-quality instructional materials span every grade level and discipline, from evidence-based, standards-aligned core curricula and supplemental and intervention programs to state-of-the-art assessment tools and the industry’s most innovative portfolio of college and career readiness solutions — all designed to meet the needs of every learner. Savvas products are used by millions of students and educators in more than 90 percent of the 13,000+ public school districts across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as globally in more than 125 countries. To learn more, visit Savvas Learning Company.

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SOURCE Savvas Learning Company

The retailer reveals customers’ favorite ways to use Pickup and Delivery as Kroger rolls out limited-time online savings

CINCINNATI, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), America’s grocer, is sharing new insights into how customers are shopping online today, prioritizing the speed, value and convenience of Pickup and Delivery options as it launches its Online Deal Days event running from April 22 through May 5.

Whether it’s a full weekly grocery order, a quick restock or dinner ingredients delivered fast, customers are choosing Kroger’s online shopping experience to make everyday life easier. During Online Deal Days, they’ll have even more reasons to shop and save.

“Customers are prioritizing convenience, flexibility and value when they shop online,” said Jody Kalmbach, Kroger Digital Experience and eCommerce Group Vice President. “We’re focused on making shopping easy and rewarding, and with Online Deal Days customers get even more savings and convenience.”

From April 22 to May 5, customers can unlock limited-time online savings, including:

$30 off a first Pickup or Delivery order of $75 or moreUnlimited free delivery on orders over $50

Customers shopping Online Deal Days can save on thousands of items with digital coupons exclusively for Pickup and Delivery, including Kroger’s Our Brand’s exclusive products:

25% off Simple Truth® protein items25% off select Private Selection® frozen fruit and frozen pizzas25% off select Kroger® brand frozen chicken

Boost by Kroger Plus members can stack on extra savings during the event with:

10% off fresh produce (April 22–28)10% off meat and seafood (April 29–May 5)

Customers can shop Online Deal Days by visiting Kroger.com or using the Kroger app to browse deals, clip digital coupons and schedule Pickup or Delivery.

Online Shopping by Numbers
Customers are Saving Time:

Delivery customers save an average of 47 minutes per orderPickup customers save an average of 29 minutes per order

When customers need groceries in a hurry, Express Delivery can arrive in as little as 30 minutes when convenience matters the most:

Peak Express Delivery ordering happens at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.Sundays are the most popular day for Express DeliveryKroger can deliver in less than two hours from 97% of its 2,700 U.S. stores.

What’s in Customers’ Carts:

Top-selling Pickup item: Heritage Farm Boneless Chicken BreastTop-selling Delivery item: Driscoll’s Strawberries

Boost Keeps Delivering Savings:

Annual Boost by Kroger Plus customers saved on average more than $200 on fuel and $792 on groceries last year

No matter how you shop, Kroger makes it easy. Customers can get their favorite products in store or Kroger.com, offering the same fresh items at the same low prices for pickup at a convenient store location or delivery in as little as 30 minutes.

About Kroger 
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are, across our family of companies more than 400,000 associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through an eCommerce experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site. 

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.

From platform to agents to real workflows, Vertafore and NetVU bring the industry together to move from friction to flow

DENVER, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Accelerate 2026 brought together a highly engaged community of insurance professionals to power what’s possible in the AI era, sparking conversations, forging high-impact connections and experiencing firsthand the innovations redefining what’s next for the industry. More than 2,000 attendees participated in the event by Vertafore®, the leader in insurance technology, and the Network of Vertafore Users (NetVU).

Vertafore CEO Amy Zupon and Chief Product Officer James Thom took the stage to outline a bold vision for the future, centered on delivering Distribution Velocity across the insurance value chain. They showed how agencies, MGAs and carriers can harness core digital technology, unmatched data and insurance-specific AI to reduce friction across workflows and achieve speed with intentional outcomes.

During the keynote, Vertafore introduced the Velocity™ AI Platform, brought ReferenceConnect AI™ to market to deliver trusted insights, launched six AI agents to reduce manual work and improve efficiency, and announced AgencyOne® Certificates to streamline certificate management and improve client service.

“This Accelerate was our most impactful event yet, and our customers brought incredible energy. They’re ready to put AI to work,” said Rick Warter, chief customer officer at Vertafore. “From the Velocity AI Platform to the momentum behind AgencyOne, everything we delivered this week focused on helping agencies, MGAs and carriers adapt faster and grow smarter.”

Hands-on AI sessions drive real business impact for attendees

NetVU and Vertafore brought AI to life at Accelerate with hands-on learning designed to turn ideas into action. Attendees worked through real-world use cases and practical training to apply AI across submissions, quoting, servicing and client engagement—reducing manual work and unlocking faster insights.

Education tracks combined technical guidance from Vertafore product experts and real-world experience and tangible next steps from NetVU volunteer session leaders, empowering peer insurance professionals to move from concepts to real, everyday impact.

“You could feel the momentum around AI in every session and every conversation this week,” said Shyla Lankford, chair of the NetVU Board of Directors and principal at Symphony Risk Solutions. “At a time of rapid change, community plays a critical role in helping us collaborate on best practices, stay connected and put what we’ve learned into action so we can continue to learn, grow and thrive together.”

NetVU celebrates industry leaders and delivers meaningful community impact

NetVU honored standout leaders in the Vertafore user community with its annual awards, recognizing meaningful contributions across the industry. Carl Schlotman III of CAI Insurance Agency received the Leadership Award for his long-standing leadership and industry advocacy. Joyce Sigler of SeibertKeck Insurance Partners earned the Insurance Technology Advocate Award for advancing automation and supporting agencies through change, while Sarah Dinwiddie of Charles M. Moore Insurance Agency received the Volunteer Service Award for her growing leadership and commitment to strengthening the NetVU network.

That spirit of leadership extended beyond the event into the local community. Day of Caring, a long-standing Accelerate tradition, brought attendees together for hands-on service, with nearly 200 volunteers packing shelf-stable groceries for The Just One Project’s drive-through distribution program. This year’s Day of Caring will provide up to 23,000 meals to 1,400 Southern Nevada families in need. Alongside these efforts, the community raised $30,000 to support hunger relief and critical local programs.

Insurance professionals can look ahead to this live infusion of innovation and community momentum at Accelerate 2027, scheduled for May 17–20 in San Antonio, Texas. Registration is now open.

About Vertafore

Vertafore powers Distribution Velocity, accelerating every part of the insurance value chain within and across agencies, MGAs, and carriers so they can adapt faster and grow smarter. As the trusted backbone of the industry, Vertafore provides the core digital systems, specialized AI, and data-driven foundation to eliminate distribution drag across sales, servicing, accounting, underwriting, and back-office operations, taking insurance workflows from friction to flow.

Supporting over 95% of the top agencies and insurers and 50% of industry compliance transactions, Vertafore leads at the intersection of innovation and trust, giving customers the speed, performance power, and confidence to transform and grow at scale in the new era. Vertafore is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Learn more at www.vertafore.com.

©2026 Vertafore and the Vertafore logo are registered trademarks of Vertafore. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

MEDIA CONTACT:
INK Communications
vertafore@ink-co.com

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SOURCE Vertafore, Inc.