Corporate Social Responsibility & Impact

The Scholastic Philanthropic Impact Report, 2023-24

Scholastic’s commitment to enriching the lives of all children with the joy and power of reading remains steadfast.

During the 2023-2024 school year,* Scholastic partnered with classroom teachers and education administrators; families, librarians, and community groups; governments and nonprofit organizations; bookstore chains and independent booksellers; private philanthropists and individual literacy activists to provide access, choice, and diversity of books to every child regardless of their literacy experience or economic background.

Scholastic’s network of partners understands that every child must have the opportunity to read confidently and develop their full potential. We are pleased to share the 2023-2024 Scholastic Philanthropic Impact Report.

*Scholastic reports philanthropic efforts based on its fiscal year calendar, which began June 1, 2023 and ended May 31, 2024. For expanded information on Scholastic Canada’s philanthropic impact, click here (ENG) or here (FRE).

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Much has changed since Scholastic was founded in 1920, including new businesses that revolutionized access to books and global expansion that has expanded our ability to engage children around the world, but through it all our mission and promise have remained the same: to positively impact the children we serve. We are committed to empowering families, educators and communities to build a better future for the next generation.

This commitment is what informs and inspires our approach to corporate sustainability. We tap into our core strengths of publishing and distribution to improve the lives of underserved children through literacy partnerships, innovative outreach programs, and strategic in-kind giving. We address the reality that many children do not grow up in literacy-rich environments or have access to quality books, and that families need information, resources and assistance as they encourage and support their children’s development as strong readers.

Scholastic is proud to work side-by-side with nonprofit organizations at both the corporate and divisional levels in this effort. This includes our 30-year corporate partnership with Save the Children through which we provide millions of children access to quality books through literacy and early education programs, and ongoing partnerships with organizations such as Reach Out and Read, Book Harvest, Book Trust, The National Book Foundation, and Marine Toys for Tots.

Scholastic is also committed to being a good citizen in the local communities where we do business, including Jefferson City, MO, the home of our national distribution center. Our Jefferson city staff are dedicated to helping make the community a better place to live by partnering with the United Way of Central Missouri, the Food Bank of Central Missouri, Partners in Education and other nonprofit organizations in the area.

As a company committed to providing quality books and educational materials for children, we believe it is our responsibility to help protect the planet they will inherit. We are proud to be a leader in responsible environmental stewardship through all of our paper procurement practices, striving to produce quality products in a responsible manner from design to material specification to finished goods.

Engaging with impact and integrity is a meaningful reflection of Scholastic both as a global corporate citizen and a good neighbor in the many communities we serve.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are the longest-running, most prestigious recognition program and the largest source of scholarship funds in the nation for creative teens. Every year, the Awards receive approximately 300,000 entries in 28 different categories of art and writing from students in grades 7–12 in all 50 states and Canada. The Awards give creative teens opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships.

The Awards were established in 1923 by the visionary founder of Scholastic Inc., Maurice R. Robinson, as a small writing contest with just six winning applications. Over the course of the next seven decades, they were run as a division of Scholastic Inc., growing to become a national program administered by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, in partnership with Affiliates across the country. These Affiliate Partners manage regional art and writing awards programs in their communities, conducting outreach, overseeing adjudication, and hosting exhibitions and awards ceremonies.

Over the course of their history, the Awards have established a significant track record for identifying the early promise of our nation’s most accomplished and prolific creative leaders. An impressive roster of notable alumni includes Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, Kay WalkingStick, José Parlá, Amanda Gorman, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oates, and Andy Warhol. Outside the arts, Awards alumni employ their creativity in any number of ways—becoming leaders in fields including journalism, medicine, finance, government and public service, law, science, design, and more.

As they move into their second century, the Awards continue to encourage, inspire, and celebrate millions of young artists and writers and empower teens to share their voices and visions with the world. For many teens, receiving a Scholastic Award is life-changing and sets them on the path to becoming passionate creators and supporters of the arts. Richard Avedon described receiving his Scholastic Award as “the defining moment of my life.”

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Scholastic Book Donations

Scholastic donates quality children's books to charitable partners who share our mission to improve global literacy and put books into the hands of children everywhere. Through book donations, Scholastic seeks to improve access to books in underserved communities and to provide relief in communities recovering from crises or natural disasters. The nonprofit partners receiving donations have demonstrated the ability to effectively educate children and families in diverse communities about the importance of books and reading from birth through adulthood. Through dedicated partners, children around the world have received millions of Scholastic books.

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Scholastic Family and Community Engagement (FACE)

Scholastic Family and Community Engagement (FACE) collaborates with schools and districts to enhance literacy development for every child. Our goal is to establish an environment where both the school and home play integral roles in a student's learning and development. We aim to boost educational outcomes by fostering a strong connection and collaboration between the school and the student's families. Our FACE programs and initiatives focus on strengthening relationships with families, connecting the community with student learning, and increasing access to books at home. With a commitment to five key priorities—early literacy, family engagement, access to books, expanding learning, and mentoring partnerships—FACE integrates research-based programs and strategies. By doing so, educators, parents, and communities are equipped with the necessary resources to enhance the literacy skills of all children beyond the classroom.

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For information on Scholastic’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, click here