Sylvan Centers to Buy Canter & Associates

Sylvan Learning Centers Inc., provider of commercial educational services, said it would acquire closely held Canter & Associates Inc., the premier provider of training-and-development programs for teachers. Baltimore-based Sylvan said the deal to purchase the Santa Monica-based Canter would close within a week. The price tag: $25 million in cash immediately, with additional payments of cash and restricted Sylvan stock possible should Canter meet certain performance goals. Canter, the best-known brand name in the teacher-courseware business, had revenues of about $20 million last year.