New agreements will bring Lexile reading measures to hundreds of thousands of Chinese students learning English

DURHAM, N.C. and SHANGHAI, Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — MetaMetrics^®, the developer of the Lexile^® Framework for Reading, and Blue Heron Global, a leading provider of corporate business development services for EdTech and publishing organizations, today announced a strategic partnership to expand access to Lexile reading measures to learners in China. Through this agreement, Blue Heron will serve as an authorized reseller of Lexile® measures in the country, enabling large-scale adoption of Lexile assessment and literacy solutions.

As part of this partnership, Blue Heron has secured contracts with several influential education organizations, including Sunshine Learning Centers, Aliu Tutoring, Jian Jin Education, and Chinese National Publications Import & Export Group (CNPIEC) NPIEC, a governmental publishing authority, to deliver Lexile measures to more than 200,000 students learning English. These agreements represent one of the most significant expansions to date of the Lexile Framework within the Chinese market.

“We are thrilled to expand our reach in China through our partnership with Blue Heron Global,” said Chris Minnich, Chief Executive Officer of MetaMetrics. “The Lexile Framework has long supported learners around the world, and this collaboration deepens our commitment to ensuring that every student has access to accurate, meaningful measures of reading growth. Together with Blue Heron and their partners, we are excited to help Chinese students connect their English reading skills to future academic and career opportunities.”

To support this market launch, Andy Shafran, Founder and CEO of Blue Heron Global Consulting, will speak at multiple high-profile education conferences in China in December, where he will highlight the impact of Lexile reading measures and introduce the Heron Literacy solution designed specifically for the local market. Blue Heron Global is an official sponsor of both conferences, which will include speaking sessions, promotional exhibition space, and on-site activation booths to showcase the power of the Lexile Framework for Reading.

Key December Events Featuring Blue Heron and Lexile Solutions:

• Event 1: EnglishUp Conference for English Educators (Shanghai, China)
  A premier event for China’s English-education sector, featuring leading researchers, corporate innovators, government advisors, and K–12 and adult-education experts.
• Event 2: 2025 中国教育 EE 年会 (Hefei: 2025 China Education EE — Education & Explore Conference)
  A high-profile conference in China’s edtech market, including hundreds of founders of major education startups, executives from publicly listed education companies, and senior industry leaders.

At both conferences, Shafran will speak about the Lexile Framework and the Heron Literacy solution, demonstrating how the Lexile scale can bring comparability, transparency, and actionable insights to China’s rapidly growing English-language learning market.

In addition to these speaking engagements, Blue Heron will host events supporting their customers during the week of December 14, further introducing Lexile-powered solutions to publishers, educators, and institutional partners across China.

“MetaMetrics and Lexile are terrific products and brands globally. This partnership marks a new chapter for reaching English organizations in China through dedicated technology and solutions,” said Andy Shafran, Founder and CEO of Blue Heron Global Consulting. “Our goal is to accelerate access to high-quality, research-based reading measurement for Chinese learners, while supporting content developers and English-language educators with tools that promote growth, motivation, and long-term success. With strong partners and MetaMetrics’ trusted framework, we believe we are building a powerful foundation for learners across the country.”

About Blue Heron Global Consulting

Blue Heron Global enables EdTech and publishing organizations to scale internationally through strategic partnerships, market-entry planning, and corporate business development. Headquartered in the United States and active across Asia, Blue Heron supports clients in navigating complex markets and launching high-impact educational solutions. Learn more at BlueHeronGlobal.com.

About MetaMetrics^®

MetaMetrics is an award-winning edtech company that provides the global standard for measuring literacy and numeracy. The Lexile® and Quantile® Frameworks connect students’ reading and math abilities to the complexity of content on the same scale, making learning more personalized. Millions of learners receive our measures, turning individual moments of assessment into meaningful connections that empower learning. For over 40 years, our research-based, consistent, and actionable measures have been trusted by educators, publishers, assessment providers, and policymakers worldwide. Leveraging the most advanced language models and learning theory, MetaMetrics continues to innovate solutions for a wide range of applications, including early reading, career-connected learning, and literacy frameworks for non-English languages. Lexile and Quantile measures increase engagement with learning across the education ecosystem, inspiring everyone to build life skills for a brighter tomorrow. Learn more at MetaMetrics.com.