Educational Development Corporation
Educational Development Corporation is a publicly traded US children's publishing and educational products company that owns Kane Miller Books, Learning Wrap-Ups, and SmartLab Toys, and exclusively distributes Usborne Publishing in the US, selling through MLM Brand Partners and a retail division to bookstores, schools, and families nationwide.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersTulsa, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Educational Development Corporation does
Educational Development Corporation (NASDAQ: EDUC) is a US-domiciled, Oklahoma-incorporated publicly traded children's publishing and educational products company headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company builds its business around a portfolio of wholly-owned and exclusively distributed content and product brands — Kane Miller Books (international, award-winning children's literature, owned since 1984), Learning Wrap-Ups (educational manipulatives with patented self-correcting features, since 1982), and SmartLab Toys (STEAM-based toys and games for ages 6-14, since 2004) — plus an exclusive US multi-level marketing distribution license for Usborne Publishing Limited's children's books, a two-time industry-recognized Children's Publisher of the Year.
EDC operates two reporting segments that define its go-to-market and revenue mechanics. The PaperPie home-business division sells direct-to-consumer through a distributed network of Independent Brand Partners who transact via in-home parties, social media, book fairs, schools, and public libraries, supported by a PaperPie.com e-commerce storefront and a Faire Direct wholesale marketplace listing for independent retailers. The retail division markets wholesale to bookstores (including major national chains), toy stores, specialty stores, and museums across the United States, with supplemental digital channels including an online retail catalog.
The company's underlying technology stack is primarily physical-product and publishing-focused rather than software-focused: proprietary content libraries, patented self-correcting manipulative designs in the Learning Wrap-Ups line, and relationship/commission-driven MLM channel infrastructure. There is no disclosed AI/ML, software platform, or API offering. Revenue is generated through two distinct mechanics — recurring/commission-driven D2C sales via Independent Brand Partners and transactional wholesale sales to retail accounts — though no specific pricing, unit economics, or revenue figures are publicly disclosed in the available source data.
Educational Development Corporation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Educational Development Corporation
- Legal name
- EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, INC.
- Website
- https://edcpub.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Educational Development Corporation is a publicly traded US children's publishing and educational products company that owns Kane Miller Books, Learning Wrap-Ups, and SmartLab Toys, and exclusively distributes Usborne Publishing in the US, selling through MLM Brand Partners and a retail division to bookstores, schools, and families nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Educational Development Corporation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Other Publishers (51319), Book Retailers and News Dealers (459210)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944), Blankbooks, Looseleaf Binders & Bookbindg & Relatd Work (2780)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing (MPAJAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing (MPAJAFAG), Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO), Children’s Books & Educational Readers Retail (CRALAAAD)
Keywords
Where Educational Development Corporation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tulsa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Educational Development Corporation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- PaperPie (Home Business Division): Direct-to-consumer sales of children's books and educational materials through Independent Brand Partners who sell via parties, social media, book fairs, schools, and public libraries.
- Retail Division: B2B sales of books and educational products to bookstores, toy stores, specialty stores, and museums throughout the country.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Educational Development Corporation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Educational Development Corporation publishes and distributes children's books and educational products. The company owns and exclusively publishes Kane Miller Books (international children's literature), Learning Wrap-Ups (educational manipulatives), and SmartLab Toys (STEAM-based toys), and holds exclusive U.S. distribution rights for Usborne Publishing Limited children's books. Products are sold through two segments: PaperPie (D2C via Independent Brand Partners) and a retail division serving bookstores, toy stores, specialty stores, and museums.
Product overview
Educational Development Corporation (EDC) operates as a children's publishing company with a portfolio of owned and distributed brands. The company owns Kane Miller Books (award-winning international children's books since 1984), Learning Wrap-Ups (hands-on educational manipulatives since 1982), and SmartLab Toys (STEAM-based educational toys since 2004). EDC also serves as the exclusive United States MLM distributor of Usborne Publishing Limited children's books. The company sells through two business segments: PaperPie (direct-to-consumer home business division) and a retail division serving bookstores, toy stores, and specialty stores nationwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PaperPie: Home business division selling direct to consumer through Independent Brand Partners, offering books and educational materials through parties, social media, book fairs, schools, and public libraries
- Kane Miller Books
- Learning Wrap-Ups
- SmartLab Toys
- Usborne Books
Products and services
- Kane Miller Books Award-winning international children's books published by EDC since 1984, covering fiction, fantasy, science, and educational content for children.
- Learning Wrap-Ups Hands-on educational manipulatives for mastering math and reading skills, featuring patented self-correcting designs that engage multiple learning senses; popular in schools and with homeschooling families.
- SmartLab Toys STEAM-based educational toys and games for children ages 6-14, featuring hands-on experiments, interactive activities, and science content packaged with kid-friendly illustrated booklets.
- Usborne Publishing Books Children's books from Usborne Publishing Limited, exclusively distributed in the United States through EDC's PaperPie MLM channel; includes activity books, science and history encyclopedias, and bedtime stories.
Companies that use Educational Development Corporation
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Educational Development Corporation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Educational Development Corporation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Usborne Publishing LimitedcoreEDC is the exclusive United States MLM distributor of Usborne Publishing Limited children's books. Usborne has been named Children's Publisher of the Year twice and has been making compelling books for children for over 50 years.
- Kane Miller BookscoreEDC owns and is the exclusive publisher of Kane Miller Books since 1984. Kane Miller specializes in award-winning children's books from around the world.
- Learning Wrap-UpscoreEDC owns Learning Wrap-Ups, maker of educational manipulatives since 1982. Products feature patented self-correcting features and are popular in schools worldwide and with homeschooling families.
- SmartLab ToyscoreEDC owns SmartLab Toys, maker of STEAM-based toys and games since 2004. Products inspire imagination through hands-on experiments and creative learning.
- Faire DirectminorEDC maintains a presence on Faire Direct, a wholesale marketplace where independent retailers can purchase EDC publishing products directly.
- PaperPie Brand PartnerscoreIndependent Brand Partners who sell EDC products (books and educational materials) through parties, social media, book fairs, schools, and public libraries nationwide.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Educational Development Corporation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Usborne Publishing: EDC's exclusive US content partner; comparable as a globally-recognized children's book publisher with multi-decade catalog history and multiple Children's Publisher of the Year awards, though operating internationally rather than through a US MLM channel.
- HarperCollins Children's Books: Broad incumbent with a major children's imprint competing across the same educational, picture book, and middle grade categories as EDC, with materially greater marketing and author-acquisition resources.
- Penguin Random House Children's: Broad incumbent publisher of children's books including picture books, middle grade, and YA. Operates at much larger scale but directly competes for shelf space, educator attention, and consumer mindshare across the same children's categories as EDC.
Direct peers
- Highlights for Children: Direct peer as a long-tenured children's books and educational products publisher selling through subscription, retail, and direct channels—comparable to EDC in audience, content type (children's activity/educational books), and multi-channel go-to-market.
- Scholastic Corporation: Direct peer as a children's book publisher and distributor that operates book fairs, school-based channels, and direct-to-consumer sales—closely mirroring EDC's PaperPie schools-and-libraries go-to-market and retail bookstore presence.
- School Specialty: Distributor of educational supplies, curriculum products, and classroom learning materials to schools—directly comparable to EDC's school and library channels, especially for Learning Wrap-Ups and SmartLab classroom placements.
- Candlewick Press: Independent children's book publisher with similar trade and educational positioning, comparable to EDC in catalog focus on illustrated and educational children's titles distributed through retail and direct channels.
- Barefoot Books: Direct peer as an independent children's book publisher that historically combined illustrated children's titles with consultant-style direct sales channels—closely comparable to EDC's mix of educational book publishing and home-party/consultant distribution.
Emerging players
- LeapFrog (VTech): Comparable as a designer and marketer of educational learning products for children focused on literacy and numeracy skills—overlapping with EDC's Learning Wrap-Ups and SmartLab categories in the educational learning-toys space.
- Melissa & Doug: Comparable in the children's educational toys and manipulatives category; overlaps with SmartLab Toys' STEAM and hands-on learning positioning and shares EDC's toy-store and specialty retail distribution footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Educational Development Corporation social profiles
Digital presenceEducational Development Corporation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Educational Development Corporation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Educational Development Corporation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Educational Development Corporation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Educational Development Corporation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Educational Development Corporation
What does Educational Development Corporation do?
Educational Development Corporation publishes and distributes children's books and educational products. The company owns and exclusively publishes Kane Miller Books (international children's literature), Learning Wrap-Ups (educational manipulatives), and SmartLab Toys (STEAM-based toys), and holds exclusive U.S. distribution rights for Usborne Publishing Limited children's books. Products are sold through two segments: PaperPie (D2C via Independent Brand Partners) and a retail division serving bookstores, toy stores, specialty stores, and museums.
Is Educational Development Corporation a public or private company?
Educational Development Corporation is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Educational Development Corporation founded?
Educational Development Corporation was founded in 1965. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Educational Development Corporation based?
Educational Development Corporation is headquartered in Tulsa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Educational Development Corporation make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. PaperPie (Home Business Division) is the primary driver. The others are retail Division.
Who are Educational Development Corporation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Usborne Publishing, HarperCollins Children's Books and Penguin Random House Children's. Direct peers are Highlights for Children, Scholastic Corporation, School Specialty, Candlewick Press and Barefoot Books. Emerging players are LeapFrog (VTech) and Melissa & Doug.
Does Educational Development Corporation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Educational Development Corporation.
What industry is Educational Development Corporation in?
Educational Development Corporation's product category is Children's Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAFAF, Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAFAG, Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing. Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.