Kendall Hunt Publishing Company

What Kendall Hunt Publishing Company does

Kendall Hunt Publishing Company is a privately held U.S. educational publisher founded in 1944 and headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa, operating as a subsidiary of the William C. Brown Companies conglomerate. The company operates four business units: PreK-12 Education (mathematics, science, social studies, social-emotional learning, and supplemental programs), Higher Education (custom textbook publishing and study-abroad content), RCL Benziger (Catholic and Seventh-Day Adventist faith formation), and Paradigm (career and technical education). The portfolio includes the EdReports-aligned Illustrative Mathematics K-12 curriculum, the NGSS-aligned Anchored Science by Mi-STAR middle school program, the Blest Are We Faith in Action religion series, and the Apprentices in Faith digital OCIA resource.

The company's technology stack centers on proprietary courseware and access management: KHP Content and KHQ (KH Engagement) deliver digital curriculum; Flourish manages access for Seventh-Day Adventist content; and the Kiddom integration provides progress visualization, pacing tracking, and customizable curriculum presentation for Illustrative Mathematics. Distribution spans Redshelf, VitalSource, and PESCirrus for ebooks, the company's own e-commerce storefronts, and a bookstore support portal — all WCAG 2.0 compliant with ADA accommodations on request.

Kendall Hunt monetizes through a mix of one-time/perpetual licenses for K-12 and higher-ed curriculum (quote-based, multi-year district contracts; non-returnable for customized products, Illustrative Math, SDA, OpenSciEd, Inquiry Hub, and kits), recurring ebook access (e.g., 180-day ebook licenses), professional development services tied to curriculum implementation, and custom publishing fees for higher-ed institutions. The go-to-market is sales-led: state-organized direct sales consultants and a centralized Customer Solutions team for inside sales, supplemented by e-commerce self-serve. Growth has come through both organic product launches (e.g., Anchored Science, 2023) and acquisitions (RCL Benziger in 2016, Paradigm Education Solutions in 2020).

Name

Kendall Hunt Publishing Company

Legal name

Kendall Hunt Publishing Company

Website

https://kendallhunt.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kendall Hunt Publishing Company is a privately held U.S. educational publisher founded in 1944 and headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. It serves K-12 schools and districts, higher-education institutions, Catholic parishes, and Seventh-Day Adventist schools with standards-aligned print and digital curricula across mathematics, science, social studies, faith formation, and career-technical education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

K–12 Textbook Publishing (Core Curriculum) (MPAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies) (EDAGAAAA), Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing (MPAJAFAF), Children’s Nonfiction Educational (Science, History, Nature) (EDAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Educational publishing
• K-12 curriculum
• Custom textbook publishing
• Digital learning platforms
• Faith-based education

Headquarters

HQ city

Dubuque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Custom Textbook Publishing (Higher Education): Custom publishing services for higher education institutions allowing instructors to create personalized textbooks combining existing content with custom materials. Revenue generated through per-unit sales and customization fees.
2. K-12 Curriculum Sales: Sale of printed and digital curriculum materials including math, science, social studies, and faith-based programs to K-12 schools and districts.
3. Ebook and Digital Access: Electronic delivery of textbook content through Redshelf and VitalSource platforms with time-limited access (180 days for some products).
4. Professional Services: Professional development and training services for educators implementing Kendall Hunt curriculum programs.
5. Faith-Based Curriculum (RCL Benziger): Specialized religious education materials including faith formation resources for parishes, Catholic schools, and Seventh-Day Adventist institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kendall Hunt Publishing Company is an educational publisher that develops, produces, and distributes print and digital textbooks, curriculum materials, and custom educational content for K-12 schools, higher education institutions, faith-based organizations, and career/technical education programs. The company operates across four divisions—PreK-12 Education, Higher Education, RCL Benziger (faith formation), and Paradigm (career/technical)—offering standards-aligned curricula, custom publishing services, and digital delivery platforms.

Product overview

Kendall Hunt Publishing Company is an educational publisher operating across three primary divisions — PreK-12 Education, Higher Education, and faith formation through RCL Benziger and Paradigm Education — offering a multi-brand, multi-format portfolio spanning print textbooks, digital platforms, and custom publishing services. The PreK-12 division distributes the Illustrative Mathematics K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 Math curricula (all EdReports-approved), the Anchored Science by Mi-STAR middle school science program, Social Emotional Learning programs, Mental Health/Pathways to Empower, and SDA Curriculum. The faith-based subdivision RCL Benziger publishes Blest Are We Faith in Action and the Apprentices in Faith digital OCIA resource. The Higher Education division provides custom textbook creation, study abroad guides (e.g., Leave Home Just for a Little While), and operates platforms including KHQ, KHP Content, and Flourish. Products are delivered through multiple digital platforms (Kiddom, VitalSource, RedShelf, PESCirrus) and the company's own portals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RCL Benziger: Faith formation and religious education resources for parishes and schools.
• Paradigm

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illustrative MathematicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to publish and distribute the Illustrative Mathematics K-12 Math curriculum in the United States. Kendall Hunt offers the IM Certified version of grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 curriculum, all of which have received EdReports approval for meeting Common Core standards.
• Mi-STARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMi-STAR (originally Michigan-based program created in 2015) partnered with Kendall Hunt to expand Anchored Science curriculum nationally. Kendall Hunt now distributes the middle school science program covering seven 21st-century societal challenges aligned to NGSS.
• RCL BenzigercoreOthersFaith-based publishing division of Kendall Hunt Publishing Company serving Catholic parishes, schools, and Seventh-Day Adventist institutions with religious education materials including OCIA resources and Blest Are We Faith in Action programs.
• Paradigm EducationcoreOthersCareer and technical education division of Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, operating under Paradigm and Jist brands, providing workforce training and vocational education materials.
• Seventh-Day Adventist EducationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContent partnership for Seventh-Day Adventist curriculum including By Design Science, Pathways, and Kindergarten Stepping Stones programs distributed through Adventist Education network.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Imagine Learning: K-12 digital curriculum provider spanning core subjects, supplemental, and intervention programs. Comparable to Kendall Hunt in K-12 distribution scale and digital platform strategy.
• Cengage Group: Higher education-focused publisher with custom publishing and digital courseware offerings. Directly comparable to Kendall Hunt's Higher Education division's custom textbook services and digital platform approach.
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH): Established K-12 publisher with comprehensive core curriculum and digital learning platforms (HMH Into Reading, HMH Into Math). Competes with Kendall Hunt for district adoptions and has greater integrated assessment and adaptive technology.
• McGraw-Hill Education: Major U.S. K-12 and higher education publisher offering core curriculum across math, science, and social studies. Competes head-to-head with Kendall Hunt's Illustrative Mathematics and Anchored Science in district adoptions.
• Pearson Education: Global education publisher with K-12 and higher education textbook portfolios. Directly competes with Kendall Hunt in U.S. K-12 core curriculum and custom publishing for higher education, with substantially greater scale and digital platform investment.

Others

• RCL Benziger (sibling brand comparison): Faith formation publisher serving Catholic parishes and schools (owned by Kendall Hunt). Adjacent peer organizations include William H. Sadlier and Loyola Press, which offer directly comparable Catholic school religion and OCIA programs.

Direct peers

• Savvas Learning Company: Spun off from Pearson in 2019 as a focused K-12 curriculum publisher. Savvas offers EnVision Math and elevate Science as direct competitors to Kendall Hunt's Illustrative Mathematics and Anchored Science in K-12 core adoptions.
• Accelerate Learning (STEMscopes): STEM-focused K-12 publisher with STEMscopes Science curriculum aligned to NGSS. Directly comparable to Kendall Hunt's Anchored Science by Mi-STAR in the middle school science adoption market.
• Carnegie Learning: K-12 math curriculum and adaptive learning platform provider with MATHia and Texas Instruments collaborations. Competes with Kendall Hunt's Illustrative Mathematics line and shares the EdReports-validated math curriculum positioning.

Emerging players

• OpenSciEd: Open educational resource (OER) provider of NGSS-aligned middle and high school science curricula. Referenced alongside Kendall Hunt's K-12 products as a non-returnable category, representing a free substitute to paid curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCikZo8NQdKbnu_UuJS9wA4w
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kendall-hunt-publishing-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/KendallHuntPublishing
• Xx.com/kendallhuntpub
• Facebookfacebook.com/internationalliteracyassociation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kendall Hunt Publishing Company