Scholastic Corporation

Scholastic Corporation is an American multinational publishing, education, and media company that publishes and distributes books, comics, and educational materials for schools, teachers, parents, children, and other educational institutions. Products are distributed via retail and online sales and through schools via reading clubs and book fairs. Clifford the Big Red Dog, a character created by Norman Bridwell in 1963, serves as Scholastic's official mascot.

Scholastic Corporation
FormerlyScholastic Inc. (1981–2011)
Company typePublic
NasdaqSCHL
S&P 600 Component
IndustryChildren's literacy and education
FoundedOctober 22, 1920; 103 years ago (1920-10-22)
Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
FounderMaurice Robinson
HeadquartersScholastic Building
557 Broadway, New York City, New York 10012,
Key people
Peter Warwick, CEO, president; Kenneth Cleary, CFO
ProductsBooks, magazines, pre-K to grade 12 instructional programs, classroom magazines, films, television
RevenueIncrease US$1.7 billion (2022)[1]
Number of employees
8,900 (2019)[2]
DivisionsImprints and corporate divisions
Websitewww.scholastic.com/home Edit this at Wikidata

Company history

Richard Robinson served as the corporation's CEO and president from 1975 until his death in 2021

Scholastic was founded in 1920 by Maurice R. Robinson near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to be a publisher of youth magazines. The first publication was The Western Pennsylvania Scholastic. It covered high school sports and social activities; the four-page magazine debuted on October 22, 1920, and was distributed in 50 high schools.[3] In the 1940s, Scholastic entered the book club business. In the 1960s, scholastic international publishing locations were added in England 1964, New Zealand 1964, and Sydney 1968.[4] Also in the 1960s, Scholastic entered the book publishing business. In the 1970s, Scholastic created its TV entertainment division.[3] From 1975 until his death in 2021, Richard Robinson, who was the son of the corporation's founder, served as CEO and president.[5] In 2000, Scholastic purchased Grolier for US$400 million.[6][7] Scholastic became involved in a video collection in 2001. In February 2012, Scholastic bought Weekly Reader Publishing from Reader's Digest Association, and announced in July 2012 that it planned to discontinue separate issues of Weekly Reader magazines after more than a century of publication, and co-branded the magazines as Scholastic News/Weekly Reader.[8] Scholastic sold READ 180 to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2015. in December 2015, Scholastic launched the Scholastic Reads Podcasts. On October 22 2020, Scholastic celebrated its 100th anniversary. In 2005, Scholastic developed FASTT Math with Tom Snyder to help students with their proficiency with math skills, specifically being multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction through a series of games and memorization quizzes gauging the student's progress.[9] In 2013, Scholastic developed System 44 with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to help students encourage reading skills. In 2011, Scholastic developed READ 180 with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to help students understand their reading skills. Scholastic Reference publishes reference books.[10]

Company structure

The business has three segments: Children's Book Publishing and Distribution, Education Solutions, and International. Scholastic holds the perpetual US publishing rights to the Harry Potter and Hunger Games book series.[11][12] Scholastic is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and print and digital educational materials for pre-K to grade 12.[13] In addition to Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, Scholastic is known for its school book clubs and book fairs, classroom magazines such as Scholastic News and Science World, and popular book series: Clifford the Big Red Dog, Goosebumps, Horrible Histories, Captain Underpants, Animorphs, The Baby-Sitters Club, and I Spy.Scholastic also publishes instructional reading and writing programs, and offers professional learning and consultancy services for school improvement. Clifford the Big Red Dog serves as the official mascot of Scholastic.[14]

Marketing initiatives

The Scholastic Art & Writing awards was Founded in 1923 by Maurice R. Robinson, The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards,[15] administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, is a competition which recognizes talented young artists and writers from across the United States.[16]

The success and enduring legacy of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards can be attributed in part to its well-planned and executed marketing initiatives. These efforts have allowed the competition to adapt to the changing times, connect with a wider audience, and continue its mission of nurturing the creative potential of the nation's youth.

Imprints and corporate divisions

  • Trade Publishing Imprints include:
    • Arthur A. Levine Books, which specializes in fiction and non-fiction books for young readers. The imprint was founded at Scholastic in 1996 by Arthur Levine in New York City. The first book published by Arthur A. Levine Books was When She Was Good by Norma Fox Mazer in autumn of 1997. The imprint is most notable as the publisher for the American editions of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling.[17][18][19] In March 2019, Levine left Scholastic to form his own new publisher. Scholastic will retain Levine's back catalogue.[20]
    • The Chicken House
    • Graphix, a graphic novel imprint started in 2005.[21]
    • Klutz Press
    • Orchard Books
    • Scholastic Australia - made up of Koala Books, Margaret Hamilton Books, Omnibus Books, and Scholastic Corporation.[22]
  • Children's Press (spelled Childrens Press from 1945 to 1996) - founded in 1945,[23] and originally headquartered in 1224 West Van Buren Street, Chicago, Illinois until its acquisition by Grolier in 1995, this press published various publications such as the Rookie Read-About series, A True Book series, Young People's series (Young People's Animal Encyclopedia by Maurice Burton, Young People's Science Encyclopedia, New Frontiers in Science and Young People's Science Dictionary by the staff of National College of Education (now National Louis University), Young People's Illustrated Encyclopedia, and Young People's World) and also has a secondary imprint, Franklin Watts.

In 2005, Scholastic developed FASTT Math with Tom Snyder to help students with their proficiency with math skills, specifically being multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction through a series of games and memorization quizzes gauging the student's progress.[24] In 2013, Scholastic developed System 44 with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to help students encourage reading skills. In 2011, Scholastic developed READ 180 with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to help students understand their reading skills. Scholastic Reference publishes reference books.[25][26]

Scholastic Entertainment

Scholastic Entertainment (formerly Scholastic Productions and Scholastic Media) is a corporate division[27]led by Deborah Forte since 1995.It covers "all forms of media and consumer products, and is comprised of four main groups – Productions, Marketing & Consumer Products, Interactive, and Audio." Weston Woods is its production studio, acquired in 1996, as was Soup2Nuts (best known for Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, Science Court and Home Movies) from 2001 to 2015 before shutting down.[28]Scholastic has produced audiobooks such as the Caldecott/Newbery Collection;[29] Scholastic has been involved with several television programs and feature films based on its books. In 1985, Scholastic Productions teamed up with Karl-Lorimar Home Video, a home video unit of Lorimar Productions, to form the line Scholastic-Lorimar Home Video, whereas Scholastic would produce made-for-video programming, and became a best-selling video line for kids, and the pact expired for two years, whereas Scholastic would team up with leading independent family video distributor and a label of International Video Entertainment, Family Home Entertainment, to distribute made-for-video programming for the next three years.[30]

Filmography

Series

TitleYear(s)NetworkCo-production with
Voyagers!1982–83NBCJames D. Parriott Productions, Universal Television (owner)
Charles in Charge1984–85
1987–90
CBS
Syndication
Al Burton Productions, Universal Television (owner)
Scholastic's Blue Ribbon Storybook Video1986Direct-to-videoNelvana, Karl-Lorimar Home Video (owner)
Clifford the Big Red Dog1988Direct-to-videoNelvana
My Secret Identity1988–91CTV (Canada)
Syndication (U.S.)
Sunrise Films (owner), MCA TV
Parent Survival Guide1989Lifetime
The Baby-Sitters Club1990–93Direct-to-video
HBO
Amber Films, Ltd.
The Magic School Bus1994–97PBS KidsNelvana, South Carolina ETV
Goosebumps1995–98Fox KidsProtocol Entertainment
Animorphs1998–99Nickelodeon (U.S.)
YTV/Global (Canada)
Protocol Entertainment
Dear America1999–2000HBO Family
Clifford the Big Red Dog2000–03PBS KidsMike Young Productions
Horrible Histories2000–01CITVMike Young Productions, Telegael
I Spy2002–03HBO FamilyThe Ink Tank (season 1), JWL Entertainment Productions (season 2)
Clifford's Puppy Days2003–06PBS KidsMike Young Productions (season 1)
Maya & Miguel2004–07PBS Kids Go!
The Amazing Colossal Adventures of WordGirl (interstitial series)2006–07PBS KidsSoup2Nuts
WordGirl2007–15PBS KidsSoup2Nuts
Turbo Dogs2008–11Kids' CBC (Canada)
Qubo (U.S.)
Smiley Guy Studios, Huhu Studios, CCI Entertainment (owner)
Sammy's Story Shop2008–09Qubo
Astroblast!2014–15PBS Kids SproutSoup2Nuts
The Magic School Bus Rides Again2017–21Netflix9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films
His Dark Materials2019–22BBC One
HBO
BBC Studios, Bad Wolf (owner), New Line Productions
Clifford the Big Red Dog2019–21Prime Video
PBS Kids
9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films, 100 Chickens
Stillwater2020–presentApple TV+Gaumont Animation
Puppy Place2021–22Apple TV+
Eva the Owlet2023–presentApple TV+Brown Bag Films
Goosebumps2023–presentDisney+/HuluOriginal Film, Stoller Global Solutions, Sony Pictures Television Studios (owner)

Specials

TitleAirdateNetworkNotes
Mystery at Fire IslandNovember 27, 1981CBS
The Haunted Mansion MysteryJanuary 8-15, 1983ABC
The Magic of Herself the ElfJuly 30, 1983SyndicationNelvana, Those Characters from Cleveland (owner)
The Great Love ExperimentFebruary 8, 1984ABC
A Different TwistMarch 10, 1984ABC
The Almost Royal FamilyOctober 24, 1984ABC
The Exchange StudentJanuary 22, 1985CBS
The Adventures of a Two-Minute WerewolfFebruary 23-March 2, 1985ABC
High School NarcDecember 4, 1985ABC
Getting Even: A Wimp's RevengeMarch 19, 1986ABC
The Incredible Ida EarlyMay 29, 1987NBC
Read Between the LinesJune 3, 1987ABC
Song City USA
More Song City USA
September 1989Direct-to-video
Floor Time: Tuning In to Each Child1990Direct-to-video
Riding the Magic School Bus with Joanna Cole and Bruce DegenSeptember 1992Direct-to-video
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories1993Direct-to-videoU.S. version of The World of Eric Carle
Stellaluna2003Direct-to-video

Films

Release dateTitleNotes
July 14, 1995The Indian in the Cupboardco-production with Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and The Kennedy/Marshall Company
August 18, 1995The Baby-Sitters Clubco-production with Columbia Pictures and Beacon Pictures
October 9, 1998The Mightyco-production with Miramax Films
October 11, 2002Tuck Everlastingco-production with Walt Disney Pictures and Beacon Pictures
February 20, 2004Clifford's Really Big Movieco-production with Warner Bros. Pictures and Big Red Dog Productions
December 5, 2007The Golden Compassco-production with New Line Cinema and Ingenious Film Partners
October 16, 2015Goosebumpsco-production with Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, LStar Capital, Village Roadshow Pictures, and Original Film
October 12, 2018Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloweenco-production with Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Original Film, and Silvertongue Films
December 6, 2018Mortal Enginesco-production with Universal Pictures, MRC, Silvertongue Films, Perfect World Pictures, and WingNut Films
April 4, 2020You're Bacon Me Crazytelevision movie; co-production with Bar None Productions
November 10, 2021Clifford the Big Red Dogco-production with Paramount Pictures, Entertainment One, New Republic Pictures, and The Kerner Entertainment Company
Upcoming
May 17, 2024Thelma the Unicornco-production with Netflix Animation

Book fairs

Scholastic Book Fairs began in 1981. Scholastic provides book fair products to schools, which then conduct the book fairs. Schools can elect to receive books, supplies and equipment or a portion of the proceeds from the book fair.[31]

In the United States, during fiscal 2023, revenue from the book fairs channel ($553.1 millions) accounted for half of the company's revenue in the "Total Children's Book Publishing and Distribution" segment ($1,038 millions),[32] and schools earned over $210 million in proceeds in cash and incentive program credits.[33]

In October 2023, Scholastic created a separate category for books dealing with "race, LGBTQ and other issues related to diversity", allowing schools to opt out of carrying these types of books. Scholastic defended the move, citing legislation in multiple states seeking to ban books dealing with LGBTQ issues or race.[34] After public backlash from educators, authors, and free speech advocacy groups, Scholastic reversed course, saying the new category will be discontinued, writing: "It is unsettling that the current divisive landscape in the U.S. is creating an environment that could deny any child access to books, or that teachers could be penalized for creating access to all stories for their students".[35][36]

Book clubs

Scholastic book clubs are offered at schools in many countries. Typically, teachers administer the program to the students in their own classes, but in some cases, the program is administered by a central contact for the entire school. Within Scholastic, Reading Clubs is a separate unit (compared to, e.g., Education). Reading clubs are arranged by age/grade.[37] Book club operators receive "Classroom Funds" redeemable only for Scholastic Corporation products.[38][39][40]

See also

References

External links