Our Story

Founded in 1959 with a vision to transform more than classrooms.

In 1959, a school supply company began to distribute educational materials to local districts. Its goal was daunting, yet simple: to give students curriculum products that would enhance their learning experience and ultimately change the trajectory of their educational outcomes. As our company honed its expertise in the education field, it informed and inspired our curriculum solutions, advancing the comprehensive learning environment.

Best-in-class brands, services, and resources to ensure every school and every student has what they need to succeed.

Over the decades, we found success by evolving to meet the needs of not just students, but educators. We stepped forward to meet educators’ needs not only for school supplies, but for a broad range of products: furniture and equipment, educational technology, learning environments, office materials, and world-class core and supplemental curriculum products and services. Products that invite collaboration, engage and help all students achieve, and support teachers as they support the class.
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Today, School Specialty is in classrooms across North America, moving learning forward with everything from crayons to curriculum to complete learning environments.

Discovering the best ways to engage and inspire all students, today and into the future.

Today, School Specialty is the leading provider of educational ecosystems to educators across North America. Over 60 education consultants and in-house subject matter experts converge not only in our offices, but also in educational settings across the country, seeking out and sharing leading-edge ideas to advance modern education.

Much has changed since 1950, including School Specialty and its ever-evolving offerings. But the motive that animates this progress remains unshakable: our resolve to find the best ways to engage students, inspire teachers, and transform classrooms into safe spaces of learning and growth.