DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS, BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

12 Months Ended

May 31, 2011

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure and Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

1. DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESS, BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of the business

Scholastic Corporation (the “Corporation” and together with its subsidiaries, “Scholastic” or the “Company”) is a global children’s publishing, education and media company. Since its founding in 1920, Scholastic has emphasized quality products and a dedication to reading and learning. The Company is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leading developer of educational technology products. Scholastic also creates quality educational and entertainment materials and products for use in school and at home, including magazines, children’s reference and non-fiction materials, teacher materials, television programming, film, ebooks and toys. The Company is a leading operator of school-based book clubs and book fairs in the United States. It distributes its products and services through these proprietary channels, as well as directly to schools and libraries, through retail stores and through the internet. The Company’s website, scholastic.com, is a leading site for teachers, classrooms and parents and an award-winning destination for children. In addition to its operations in the United States, Scholastic has operations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, India, China, Singapore and other parts of Asia, and, through its export business, sells products in over 140 countries.

Basis of presentation

Principles of consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Corporation and all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Discontinued Operations

The Company closed or sold several operations during fiscal 2008, 2009 and 2010 and presently holds for sale one operation. All of these businesses are classified as discontinued operations in the Company’s financial statements.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2011, the Company determined that its distribution facility in Danbury, Connecticut (the “Danbury Facility”) was no longer “held for sale.” Accordingly, the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the Danbury Facility are included in continuing operations for all periods presented.

Use of estimates

The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements involves the use of estimates and assumptions by management, which affects the amounts reported in the 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.

The Company’s significant estimates include those developed for:

• Accounts receivable, returns and allowances

• Pension and post-retirement obligations

• Uncertain tax positions

• Inventory reserves

• Sales taxes

• Royalty advance reserves

• Customer reward programs

• Impairment testing for goodwill, intangibles and other long-lived assets

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Revenue recognition

The Company’s revenue recognition policies for its principal businesses are as follows:

School-Based Book Clubs – Revenue from school-based book clubs is recognized upon shipment of the products.

School-Based Book Fairs – Revenues associated with school-based book fairs are related to sales of product. Book fairs are typically run by schools and/or parent teacher organizations over a five business-day period. At the end of reporting periods, the Company defers revenue for those fairs that have not been completed as of the period end based on the number of fair days occurring after period end on a straight-line calculation of the full fair’s revenue.

Trade – Revenue from the sale of children’s books for distribution in the retail channel is primarily recognized when risks and benefits transfer to the customer, which generally is at the time of shipment, or when the product is on sale and available to the public. For newly published titles, the Company, on occasion, contractually agrees with its customers when the publication may be first offered for sale to the public, or an agreed upon “Strict Laydown Date.” For such titles, the risks and benefits of the publication are not deemed to be transferred to the customer until such time that the publication can contractually be sold to the public, and the Company defers revenue on sales of such titles until such time as the customer is permitted to sell the product to the public.

A reserve for estimated returns is established at the time of sale and recorded as a reduction to revenue. Actual returns are charged to the reserve as received. The calculation of the reserve for estimated returns is based on historical return rates and sales patterns. Actual returns could differ from the Company’s estimate. A reserve for estimated bad debts is established at the time of sale and is based on the aging of accounts receivable held by the Company’s third party administrator. While the Company uses a third party to invoice and collect for the majority of shipments made, the Company bears the majority of the responsibility in the case of uncollectible accounts.

Educational Publishing – For shipments to schools, revenue is recognized when risks and benefits transfer to the customer. Shipments to depositories are on consignment and revenue is recognized based on actual shipments from the depositories to the schools. For certain software-based products, the Company offers new customers installation and training with the products and, in such cases, revenue is deferred and recognized as services are delivered over the life of the contract.

Toy Catalog – Revenue from the sale of children’s toys to the home through catalogs is recognized when risks and benefits transfer to the customer, which generally is at the time of shipment. A reserve for estimated returns is established at the time of sale and recorded as a reduction to revenue. Actual returns are charged to the reserve as received. The calculation of the reserve for estimated returns is based on historical return rates and sales patterns over the allowable return period.

Film Production and Licensing – Revenue from the sale of film rights, principally for the home video and domestic and foreign television markets, is recognized when the film has been delivered and is available for showing or exploitation. Licensing revenue is recorded in accordance with royalty agreements at the time the licensed materials are available to the licensee and collections are reasonably assured.

Magazines – Revenue is deferred and recognized ratably over the subscription period, as the magazines are delivered.

Magazine Advertising - Advertising revenue is recognized when the magazine is for sale and available to the subscribers.

Scholastic In-School Marketing – Revenue is recognized when the Company has satisfied its obligations under the program and the customer has acknowledged acceptance of the product or service. Certain revenues may be deferred pending future deliverables.

Cash equivalents

Cash equivalents consist of short-term investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Accounts receivable

Accounts receivable are recorded net of allowances for doubtful accounts and reserves for returns. In the normal course of business, the Company extends credit to customers that satisfy predefined credit criteria. The Company is required to estimate the collectability of its receivables. Allowances for doubtful accounts are established through the evaluation of accounts receivable aging and prior collection experience to estimate the ultimate collectability of these receivables. At the time the Company determines that a receivable balance, or any portion thereof, is deemed to be permanently uncollectable, the balance is then written off.

Inventories

Inventories, consisting principally of books, are stated at the lower of cost, using the first-in, first-out method, or market. The Company records a reserve for excess and obsolete inventory based upon a calculation using the historical usage rates, and sales patterns of its products and specifically identified obsolete inventory.

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation and amortization are recorded on a straight-line basis, over estimated useful lives. Buildings have an estimated useful life, for purposes of depreciation, of forty years. Capitalized software, net of accumulated amortization, was $59.2 and $61.2 at May 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Capitalized software is depreciated over a period of three to seven years. Amortization expense for capitalized software was $25.8, $25.0 and $25.2 for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Furniture, fixtures and equipment are depreciated over periods not exceeding ten years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the life of the lease or the life of the assets, whichever is shorter. Included in Depreciation and amortization is $1.2 related to capitalized leases for the year ended May 31, 2011. The Company evaluates the depreciation periods of property, plant and equipment to determine whether events or circumstances warrant revised estimates of useful lives.

Leases

Lease agreements are evaluated to determine whether they are capital or operating leases. When substantially all of the risks and benefits of property ownership have been transferred to the Company, as determined by the test criteria in the current authoritative guidance, the lease is recognized as a capital lease.

Capital leases are capitalized at the lower of the net present value of the total amount of rent payable under the leasing agreement (excluding finance charges) or the fair market value of the leased asset. Capital lease assets are depreciated on a straight-line basis, over a period consistent with the Company’s normal depreciation policy for tangible fixed assets, but not exceeding the lease term. Interest charges are expensed over the period of the lease in relation to the carrying value of the capital lease obligation.

Rent expense for operating leases, which may include free rent or fixed escalation amounts in addition to minimum lease payments, is recognized on a straight-line basis over the duration of each lease term.

Prepublication costs

The Company capitalizes the art, prepress, editorial, digital conversion and other costs incurred in the creation of the master copy of a book or other media (the “prepublication costs”). Prepublication costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over a three- to seven-year period based on expected future revenues. The Company regularly reviews the recoverability of the capitalized costs based on expected future revenues.

Royalty advances

Royalty advances are initially capitalized and subsequently expensed as related revenues are earned or when the Company determines future recovery is not probable. The Company has a long history of providing authors with royalty advances, and it tracks each advance earned with respect to the sale of the related publication. The royalties earned are applied first against the remaining unearned portion of the advance. Historically, the longer the unearned portion of the advance remains outstanding, the less likely it is that the Company will recover the advance through the sale of the publication. The Company applies this historical experience to its existing outstanding royalty advances to estimate the likelihood of recovery. Additionally, the Company’s editorial staff regularly reviews its portfolio of royalty advances to determine if individual royalty advances are not recoverable for discrete reasons, such as the death of an author prior to completion of a title or titles, a Company decision to not publish a title, poor market demand or other relevant factors that could impact recoverability.

Goodwill and intangible assets

Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized and are reviewed for impairment annually or more frequently if impairment indicators arise. With regard to goodwill, the Company compares the estimated fair value of its identified reporting units to the carrying value of the net assets. For each of the reporting units, the estimated fair value is determined utilizing the expected present value of the projected future cash flows of the units, in addition to comparisons to similar companies. The Company reviews its definition of reporting units annually or more frequently if conditions indicate that the reporting units may change. The Company evaluates its operating segments to determine if there are components one level below the operating segment. A component is present if discrete financial information is available, and segment management regularly reviews the operating results of the business. If an operating segment only contains a single component, that component is determined to be a reporting unit for goodwill impairment testing purposes. If an operating segment contains multiple components, the Company evaluates the economic characteristics of these components. Any components within an operating segment that share similar economic characteristics are aggregated and deemed to be a reporting unit for goodwill impairment testing purposes. Components within the same operating segment that do not share similar economic characteristics are deemed to be individual reporting units for goodwill impairment testing purposes. The Company has identified twelve separate reporting units for goodwill impairment testing purposes. For each reporting unit with a goodwill asset, impairment testing is conducted at the reporting unit level.

With regard to other intangibles with indefinite lives, the Company determines the fair value by asset, which is then compared to its carrying value. The estimated fair value is determined utilizing the expected present value of the projected future cash flows of the asset. Intangible assets with definite lives consist principally of customer lists, covenants not to compete, and certain other intellectual property assets and are amortized over their expected useful lives. Customer lists are amortized on a straight-line basis over a five-year period, while covenants not to compete are amortized on a straight-line basis over their contractual term. Other intellectual property assets are amortized over their remaining useful lives which range primarily from three to five years.

Income taxes

The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to enter into the determination of taxable income.

The Company believes that its taxable earnings, during the periods when the temporary differences giving rise to deferred tax assets become deductible or when tax benefit carryforwards may be utilized, should be sufficient to realize the related future income tax benefits. For those jurisdictions where the expiration date of the tax benefit carryforwards or the projected taxable earnings indicates that realization is not likely, the Company establishes a valuation allowance.

In assessing the need for a valuation allowance, the Company estimates future taxable earnings, with consideration for the feasibility of on-going tax planning strategies and the realizability of tax benefit carryforwards, to determine which deferred tax assets are more likely than not to be realized in the future. Valuation allowances related to deferred tax assets can be impacted by changes to tax laws, changes to statutory tax rates and future taxable earnings. In the event that actual results differ from these estimates in future periods, the Company may need to adjust the valuation allowance.

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions using a two step method. Recognition occurs when an entity concludes that a tax position, based solely on technical merits, is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. If a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, the amount recognized is the largest amount of benefit, determined on a cumulative probability basis, which is more likely than not to be realized upon settlement. The Company assesses all income tax positions and adjusts its reserves against these positions periodically based upon these criteria. The Company also assesses potential penalties and interest associated with these tax positions, and includes these amounts as a component of income tax expense.

In calculating the provision for income taxes on an interim basis, the Company uses an estimate of the annual effective tax rate based upon the facts and circumstances known. The Company’s effective tax rate is based on expected income and statutory tax rates and permanent differences between financial statement and tax return income applicable to the Company in the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates.

The Company assesses foreign investment levels periodically to determine if all or a portion of the Company’s investments in foreign subsidiaries are indefinitely invested.

Unredeemed incentive credits

The Company employs incentive programs to encourage sponsor participation in its book clubs and book fairs. These programs allow the sponsors to accumulate credits which can then be redeemed for Company products or other items offered by the Company. The Company recognizes a liability for these credits at the time of the recognition of revenue for the underlying purchases of Company product that resulted in the granting of the credits, based on the estimated cost to provide the free products. As the credits are redeemed, such liability is reduced.

Other noncurrent liabilities

All of the rate assumptions discussed below impact the Company’s calculations of its pension and post-retirement obligations. The rates applied by the Company are based on the portfolios’ past average rates of return, discount rates and actuarial information. Any change in market performance, interest rate performance, assumed health care costs trend rate or compensation rates could result in significant changes in the Company’s pension and post-retirement obligations.

Pension obligations – Scholastic Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries have defined benefit pension plans covering the majority of their employees who meet certain eligibility requirements. The Company’s pension plans and other post-retirement benefits are accounted for using actuarial valuations.

The Company’s pension calculations are based on three primary actuarial assumptions: the discount rate, the long-term expected rate of return on plan assets, and the anticipated rate of compensation increases. The discount rate is used in the measurement of the projected, accumulated and vested benefit obligations and the interest cost component of net periodic pension costs. The long-term expected return on plan assets is used to calculate the expected earnings from the investment or reinvestment of plan assets. The anticipated rate of compensation increase is used to estimate the increase in compensation for participants of the plan from their current age to their assumed retirement age. The estimated compensation amounts are used to determine the benefit obligations and the service cost. Pension benefits in the cash balance plan for employees located in the United States are based on formulas in which the employees’ balances are credited monthly with interest based on the average rate for one-year United States Treasury Bills plus 1%. Contribution credits are based on employees’ years of service and compensation levels during their employment periods.

Other post-retirement benefits – Scholastic Corporation provides post-retirement benefits, consisting of healthcare and life insurance benefits, to eligible retired United States-based employees. The post-retirement medical plan benefits are funded on a pay-as-you-go basis, with the Company paying a portion of the premium and the employee paying the remainder. The Company follows current authoritative guidance in calculating the existing benefit obligation, which is based on the discount rate and the assumed health care cost trend rate. The discount rate is used in the measurement of the projected and accumulated benefit obligations and the interest cost component of net periodic post-retirement benefit cost. The assumed health care cost trend rate is used in the measurement of the long-term expected increase in medical claims.

Foreign currency translation

The Company’s non-United States dollar-denominated assets and liabilities are translated into United States dollars at prevailing rates at the balance sheet date and the revenues, costs and expenses are translated at the average rates prevailing during each reporting period. Net gains or losses resulting from the translation of the foreign financial statements and the effect of exchange rate changes on long-term intercompany balances are accumulated and charged directly to the foreign currency translation adjustment component of stockholders’ equity until such time as the operations are substantially liquidated or sold. The Company considers its investments in foreign subsidiaries to be indefinitely reinvested, and accordingly, has not provided taxes for the repatriation of these investments. Therefore, the Company has not provided for taxes on cumulative translation adjustments within stockholders’ equity. The Company assesses foreign investment levels periodically to determine if all or a portion of the Company’s investments in foreign subsidiaries are indefinitely invested.

Shipping and handling costs

Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling are classified as revenue. Costs incurred in shipping and handling are recognized in cost of goods sold.

Advertising Costs

The Company incurs costs for both direct-response and non direct-response advertising. The Company capitalizes direct-response advertising costs for expenditures, primarily in its Classroom Magazines division. The asset is amortized on a cost-pool-by-cost-pool basis over the period during which the future benefits are expected to be received. Included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets on the balance sheet is $4.8 of capitalized advertising costs as of May 31, 2011 and 2010. The Company expenses non-direct response advertising costs as incurred.

Discontinued Operations

Long-lived assets classified within discontinued operations are recognized at the estimated fair value less cost to sell those long-lived assets for assets held for sale. The calculation of estimated fair value less cost to sell includes significant estimates and assumptions, including, but not limited to: operating projections; excess working capital levels; real estate values; and the anticipated costs involved in the selling process. The Company recognizes operations as discontinued when the operations have either ceased or are expected to be disposed of in a sale transaction in the near term; the operations and cash flows of all discontinued operations have been eliminated, or will be eliminated upon consummation of the expected sale transaction and the Company will not have any significant continuing involvement in the discontinued operations subsequent to the expected sale transaction.

Stock-based compensation

The Company recognizes the cost of employee and director services received in exchange for any stock-based awards. The Company recognizes compensation expense on a straight-line basis over an award’s requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period, based on the award’s fair value at the date of grant.

The fair values of stock options granted by the Company are estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The Company’s determination of the fair value of stock-based payment awards using this option-pricing model is affected by the price of the Common Stock as well as by assumptions regarding highly complex and subjective variables, including, but not limited to, the expected price volatility of the Common Stock over the terms of the awards, the risk-free interest rate, and actual and projected employee stock option exercise behaviors. Estimates of fair value are not intended to predict actual future events or the value that may ultimately be realized by employees or directors who receive these awards.

Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods, if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates, in order to derive the Company’s best estimate of awards ultimately expected to vest. In determining the estimated forfeiture rates for stock-based awards, the Company periodically conducts an assessment of the actual number of equity awards that have been forfeited previously. When estimating expected forfeitures, the Company considers factors such as the type of award, the employee class and historical experience. The estimate of stock-based awards that will ultimately be forfeited requires significant judgment and, to the extent that actual results or updated estimates differ from current estimates, such amounts will be recorded as a cumulative adjustment in the period such estimates are revised.

The table set forth below provides the estimated fair value of options granted during fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009 and the significant weighted average assumptions used in determining the fair value for options granted by the Company under the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The expected life represents an estimate of the period of time stock options are expected to remain outstanding based on the historical exercise behavior of the option grantees. The risk-free interest rate was based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve corresponding to the expected life in effect at the time of the grant. The volatility was estimated based on historical volatility corresponding to the expected life.

	2011			2010			2009
Estimated fair value of stock options granted	$	8.15		$	8.34		$	9.51
Assumptions:
Expected dividend yield		1.3	%		1.4	%		0.7	%
Expected stock price volatility		37.3	%		37.6	%		34.3	%
Risk-free interest rate		2.0	%		3.3	%		3.4	%
Expected life of options		6 years			7 years			6 years

RECENTLY ADOPTED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In June 2009, the FASB issued authoritative accounting guidance that changes the consolidation model for variable interest entities (“VIE”s). The guidance requires companies to qualitatively assess the determination of the primary beneficiary of a VIE based on whether the company (1) has the power to direct matters that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance, and (2) has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2009. The adoption of this standard had no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In October 2009, the FASB issued an update to authoritative guidance on the revenue recognition related to multiple deliverable revenue arrangements. The guidance addresses the accounting for multiple deliverable arrangements to enable vendors to account for products or services (deliverables) separately rather than as a combined unit. Vendors often provide multiple products or services to their customers. Those deliverables often are provided at different points in time or over different time periods. The current authoritative guidance establishes the accounting and reporting guidance for arrangements under which the vendor will perform multiple revenue-generating activities. Specifically, this guidance addresses how to separate deliverables and how to measure and allocate arrangement consideration to one or more units of accounting. This guidance will be effective prospectively for revenue arrangements entered into or materially modified in fiscal years beginning on or after June 15, 2010. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not chosen early adoption and is evaluating the impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In October 2009, the FASB issued an update to authoritative guidance related to certain revenue arrangements that include software elements. The accounting guidance update addresses the accounting revenue arrangements that contain tangible products and software and it affects vendors that sell or lease tangible products in an arrangement that contains software that is more than incidental to the tangible product as a whole. The update clarifies what guidance should be used in allocating and measuring revenue. Tangible products containing software components and non-software components that function together to deliver the tangible product’s essential functionality are no longer within the scope of the software recognition guidance “Software – Revenue Recognition.” The amendment requires that hardware components of a tangible product containing software components always be excluded from the software revenue guidance. This guidance will be effective prospectively for revenue arrangements entered into or materially modified in fiscal years beginning on or after June 15, 2010. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not chosen early adoption and is evaluating the impact on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In December 2010, the FASB issued an update to the authoritative guidance on the two-step testing required for impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets. When a goodwill impairment test is performed (either on an annual or interim basis), an entity must assess whether the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. If it does, an entity must perform an additional test to determine whether goodwill has been impaired and to calculate the amount of that impairment. The amendments in this update modify Step 1 of the goodwill impairment test for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts. For those reporting units, an entity is required to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test if it is more likely than not that a goodwill impairment exists. In determining whether it is more likely than not that an impairment of goodwill exists, an entity should consider whether there are any adverse qualitative factors indicating that impairment may exist. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning on or after December 15, 2010. Early adoption is not permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In December 2010, the FASB issued an update to the authoritative guidance related to business combinations. The amendments in this update specify that, for material business combinations, on an individual or aggregate basis, when comparative financial statements are presented, revenue and earnings of the combined entity should be disclosed as though the business combination had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The amendments in this update also expand the supplemental pro forma disclosures to include a description of the nature and amount of material, nonrecurring pro forma adjustments directly attributable to the business combination included in the reported pro forma revenue and earnings. The amendments in this update are effective prospectively for business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after the beginning of the first annual reporting period beginning on or after December 15, 2010. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has not chosen early adoption and is evaluating the impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In May 2011, the FASB issued an update to the authoritative guidance related to fair value measurements as a result of the FASB and the IASB working together to develop common requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The amendments will add new disclosures, with a particular focus on Level 3 measurements. The objective of these amendments is to improve the comparability of fair value measurements presented and disclosed in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and IFRS. The amendments in this update are to be applied prospectively. The amendments are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Early application is not permitted. The Company is evaluating the impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.