Northrop Grumman Releases New Version of ASPIRE Assessment System for Schools

RESTON, Va., July 14, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation
(NYSE:NOC) today announced the release of a new version of the Assessment
Solutions Promoting Instruction, Reflection, and Evidence (ASPIRE) of Learning
Assessment System. ASPIRE is a comprehensive assessment system designed to
support both formative and summative student assessment.

Formative assessment is the process of evaluating students during the learning
process to help ensure learning and close the achievement gap, allowing teachers
and schools to focus on areas where students need help. Summative assessment is
the evaluation of student learning after the teaching process is complete.

Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector developed ASPIRE in conjunction
with educators as a tool with a strong emphasis on formative assessment and
teacher collaboration in their own learning communities. By providing structure
through the automation of the assessment process, ASPIRE helps teachers in the
classroom improve their instructional practice. Access to real-time student
performance data drives instructional decisions and helps to target students in
need of intervention.

"To help address the challenges of an increasingly competitive world, Northrop
Grumman is preparing students through the ASPIRE system," said Dave Nastase,
vice president of Advanced Public Services for Northrop Grumman's Civil Systems
division. "Many schools are experiencing the benefits of ASPIRE through its
tracking of critical performance information, and realizing more effective
teaching practices and improved student learning results."

ASPIRE promotes teacher collaboration and helps educators determine what works
in the classroom. With ASPIRE, teachers can share assessment results, identify
trends, reflect on teaching practices and develop collaborative intervention
strategies for addressing problem areas. Teachers can also work together or
individually to create assessment questions in ASPIRE and develop an in-depth
understanding of their teaching curriculum.

"ASPIRE is helping to improve educator's teaching proficiency, which leads to
increased student learning and achievement," said Mark Scheffel, director of
business process solutions for Northrop Grumman's Civil Systems division.

The latest version adds several features and enhancements that expand visibility
into student performance through reporting. New features include:

* Schools Interoperability Framework agent that provides a standard
definition and method of exchanging information with other
applications.
* Question review process that enables teachers to submit questions
for review by school district instructional support personnel and
inclusion to a test questions bank that is available for school
district use.
* Project-based assessments that help students format responses and
essay questions by including graphics and adding hyperlinks, a
feature not previously available in standard assessments.
* Student entry of complex mathematical responses.
* Longitudinal reporting framework that provides information on how
a student is progressing over time and across school years.
* Print-ready versions of paper-and-pencil tests.
* Increased reporting and enhanced usability.
The ASPIRE Assessment System is currently in use in school systems throughout
the country, including Fairfax County (Va.) Public Schools, Deer Valley Unified
School District in Phoenix, Az., and the Ascension Parish School Board in
Donaldsonville, La.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000
employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace,
electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to
government and commercial customers worldwide.

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CONTACT: Christy Whitman
Northrop Grumman Information Systems
(571) 213-5302
christine.whitman@ngc.com