Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2015

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Scholastic Corporation (the “Corporation”) and all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively, “Scholastic” or the “Company”). Intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation. These financial statements have not been audited but reflect those adjustments consisting of normal recurring items that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2015 (the “Annual Report”).

The Company’s fiscal year is not a calendar year. Accordingly, references in this document to fiscal 2015 relate to the twelve-month period ended May 31, 2015.

Seasonality

The Company’s Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution school-based book fair and book club channels and most of its Education businesses operate on a school-year basis; therefore, the Company’s business is highly seasonal. As a result, the Company’s revenues in the first and third quarters of the fiscal year generally are lower than its revenues in the other two fiscal quarters. Typically, school-based channel and magazine revenues are minimal in the first quarter of the fiscal year as schools are not in session. Trade sales can vary through the year due to varying release dates of published titles. The Company generally experiences a loss from operations in the first and third quarters of each fiscal year.

Use of estimates

The Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. The preparation of these financial statements involves the use of estimates and assumptions by management, which affects the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, current business factors, and various other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, all of which are necessary in order to form a basis for determining the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions. On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates the adequacy of its reserves and the estimates used in calculations, including, but not limited to:


•	Accounts receivable reserves for returns


•	Accounts receivable allowance for doubtful accounts


•	Pension and other post-retirement obligations


•	Uncertain tax positions


•	Inventory reserves


•	Cost of goods sold from book fair operations during interim periods determined based on estimated gross profit rates


•	Sales taxes


•	Royalty accruals and related advance reserves


•	Customer reward programs


•	Impairment testing for goodwill for assessment and measurement, intangibles and other long-lived assets and investments.

New Accounting Pronouncements

ASU 2015-11

In July 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory, as part of its Simplification Initiative. The update is designed to reduce the complexity related to the subsequent measurement of inventory. It changes the measurement principle for inventory from the lower of cost or market to the lower of cost and net realizable value. The new update requires entities that measure inventory using any method other than last-in, first-out or the retail inventory method to measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. If net realizable value of inventory is lower than inventory cost, the difference is recognized as a loss in earnings in the period in which it occurs. For public business entities, the amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments should be applied prospectively and earlier application is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company is evaluating the impact of this update on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

ASU 2015-07:

In May 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-07, Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value Per Share (or its Equivalent), to Accounting Standards Codification 820, Fair Value Measurement, which permits a reporting entity, as a practical expedient, to measure the fair value of certain investments using the net asset value per share of the investment. Currently, investments valued using the practical expedient are categorized within the fair value hierarchy on the basis of:


•	whether the investment is redeemable with the investee at net asset value on the measurement date,


•	never redeemable with the investee at net asset value,


•	redeemable with the investee at net asset value at a future date.

For investments that are redeemable with the investee at a future date, a reporting entity must take into account the length of time until those investments become redeemable to determine the classification within the fair value hierarchy. Under the amendments in this update, investments for which fair value is measured at net asset value per share (or its equivalent) using the practical expedient should not be categorized in the fair value hierarchy. Investments that calculate net asset value per share (or its equivalent), but for which the practical expedient is not applied, will continue to be included in the fair value hierarchy. A reporting entity should continue to disclose information on investments for which fair value is measured at net asset value (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient to help users understand the nature and risks of the investments and whether the investments, if sold, are probable of being sold at amounts different from net asset value.

The amendments in this update are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. A reporting entity should apply the amendments retrospectively to all periods presented. The retrospective approach requires that an investment for which fair value is measured using the net asset value per share practical expedient be removed from the fair value hierarchy in all periods presented in an entity’s financial statements. Earlier application is permitted. The Company is not currently utilizing the practical expedient and, as such, the amendments in this update are not applicable to the Company.

ASU 2015-03:

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, to simplify presentation of debt issuance costs. The amendments in this update require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The amendments in this update are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of the amendments is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. When the amendments are adopted, the Company should apply the new guidance on a retrospective basis, wherein the balance sheet of each individual period presented should be adjusted to reflect the period-specific effects of applying the new guidance. Upon transition, an entity is required to comply with the applicable disclosures for a change in an accounting principle. These disclosures include the nature of and reason for the change in accounting principle, the transition method, a description of the prior-period information that has been retrospectively adjusted, and the effect of the change on the financial statement line items (that is, debt issuance cost asset and the debt liability). The Company notes that revolving-debt arrangements are outside the scope of ASU 2015-03 and as such the Company will make a policy election to continue to treat any remaining unamortized debt issuance costs, related to revolving-debt arrangements, as an asset. As the Company's only debt issuance costs related to a revolving-debt arrangement, the Company has concluded that ASU 2015-03 will not have an impact on the consolidated financial position of the Company.

ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2015-14:

In May 2014, the FASB announced that it is amending the FASB Accounting Standards Codification by issuing Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, at the same time as the International Accounting Standards Board (the "IASB") is issuing International Financial Reporting Standards 15, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The issuance of this authoritative guidance completes the joint effort by the FASB and the IASB to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue and improve financial reporting by creating common revenue recognition guidance.

The authoritative guidance provides that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.

To achieve that core principle, an entity should apply the following steps:


•	Step 1: Identify the contract(s) with a customer.


•	Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract.


•	Step 3: Determine the transaction price.


•	Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract.


•	Step 5: Recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.

Additionally, the guidance requires improved disclosures to help users of financial statements better understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized. The update provides guidance for transactions that are not otherwise addressed comprehensively in authoritative guidance (for example, service revenue, contract modifications, and licenses of intellectual property). The amendments in this update are to be applied on a retrospective basis, either to each prior reporting period presented or by presenting the cumulative effect of applying the update recognized at the date of initial application.

In August 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-14-Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effective date established in ASU 2014-09. The amendments in ASU 2014-09 are now effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. Early application is not permitted. The Company is evaluating the adoption methodology and the impact of this update on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

ASU 2014-08:

In April 2014, the FASB issued an update to the authoritative guidance related to the reporting of discontinued operations. The amendments in this update address the criteria for reporting discontinued operations and enhance convergence of the FASB’s and the IASB's reporting requirements for discontinued operations. The amendments revise the definition of discontinued operations by limiting discontinued operations reporting to disposals of components of an entity that represent strategic shifts that have (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. The amendments also require expanded disclosures for discontinued operations. The amendments are to be applied prospectively to all disposals (or classifications as held for sale) of components of an entity that occur within annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted, but only for disposals (or classifications as held for sale) that have not been reported in financial statements previously issued or available for issuance. The amendments became effective for the Company in the current fiscal year.