Kaplan Partners with PaRR Inspections to Offer FEMA Disaster Housing Inspector Training for Home Inspectors
Chicago, IL, May 9, 2006

Lake Forest, CA, May 9, 2006 – It is difficult watching disasters live on television, observing the weeks, months and years of aftermath when communities and families struggle to get back on their feet. Nearly 30 tropical storms formed in 2005, with seven becoming major hurricanes, including four that made landfall in the United States. Disaster recovery home inspectors play a vital role in helping to rebuild these communities, revitalize neighborhoods and aid affected families by assessing the damage in a rapid, efficient – and thoughtful - manner. Many of today’s home inspectors are choosing to get certified to add disaster housing inspection to their business.

Kaplan Professional Schools’ Kaplan Professional Schools is partnering with the Partnership for Response and Recovery (PaRR Inspections) to introduce comprehensive training for home inspectors to become disaster housing inspectors. PaRR is a primary contractor to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and manages the housing inspections following federally-declared disasters across the United States and U.S. territories. Disaster housing inspectors are responsible for collecting and reporting the required information from applicants whose houses have been damaged in the U.S. by disasters, such as the 182,000 homes destroyed by Katrina.

“There is a definite need for more home inspectors to add disaster recovery inspection to their business,” said Michael Casey, Vice President and General Manager of Kaplan Professional Schools. “We’re seeing a growing number of professionals going through this training due to the personal satisfaction of helping those in crisis.”

In order for home inspectors to also become certified disaster housing inspectors, they must complete comprehensive training that includes an overview of the disaster response process, an introduction to FEMA policies and procedures and technology training.

PaRR’s Disaster Home Inspector classes are available at Kaplan Professional Schools’ upcoming seminar, “Build a Stronger Tomorrow,” May 20–21 in Miami, Florida. Visit www.itaroadshow.com for more details. Additional classes are offered at several locations in California, Florida and Texas, with additional classes to come. Visit www.home-inspect.com for class dates and locations.

About Kaplan Professional Schools
Kaplan Professional Schools, a Kaplan Professional company, provides licensing and continuing education for the real estate (commercial and residential), appraisal, home inspection, mortgage, contractor, insurance and financial services industries. Kaplan Professional Schools is a division of Kaplan, Inc., leaders in education and test prep and a wholly owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO). With more than 50 locations, Kaplan Professional Schools offers both classroom and distance education to help students earn their state certifications in the 15 states served. Kaplan’s instructors are the leaders in their field, with many years of industry and teaching experience. Distance education courses include textbook correspondence and online learning. For further information, please visit www.kaplanprofessionalschools.com or call 1-800-621-9621.

About Kaplan, Inc.
Kaplan, Inc. is a leading provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses and is comprised of four divisions: Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, which offers test prep and admissions services worldwide, including K12 services for schools; SCORE!, which offers after-school learning programs for children; Kaplan Professional, which offers licensing and continuing education training and compliance tracking; and Kaplan Higher Education, which offers postsecondary certificate and degree programs online and through 76 campus-based locations. Kaplan is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO). For more information about Kaplan, please visit www.kaplan.com.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Kaplan Professional http://www.kaplanprofessional.com