Gibbs Smith Education
Gibbs Smith Education is an employee-owned B Corp publisher of K-12 social studies curriculum, including state, U.S., and world history, diversity studies, and civics, delivered via print textbooks and the GSE Bookshelf+ digital platform to 4,087+ schools across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersLayton, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Gibbs Smith Education does
Gibbs Smith Education, legally Gibbs M. Smith, Inc. d.b.a. Gibbs Smith Education, is a privately held, 100% employee-owned (70% women-owned) Certified B Corporation educational publisher headquartered in Layton, Utah. Founded in 1969, the company publishes K-12 social studies curriculum spanning Social Studies Foundations K-3, State History, US History, World History & Geography (the Beyond Borders and Eras series), Diversity Studies (Asian American, Black & African American, Ethnic, and Latino Studies), and Civics. The product portfolio includes more than 1,000 resources, including award-winning textbooks, and is complemented by the GSE Bookshelf+ digital platform, which provides online access with personalized annotations, embedded content links, and text-to-speech for student and teacher materials. Professional Learning services are offered as an add-on for educator development.
Gibbs Smith Education firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gibbs Smith Education
- Legal name
- Gibbs M. Smith, Inc.
- Website
- https://gibbssmitheducation.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Gibbs Smith Education is an employee-owned B Corp publisher of K-12 social studies curriculum, including state, U.S., and world history, diversity studies, and civics, delivered via print textbooks and the GSE Bookshelf+ digital platform to 4,087+ schools across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gibbs Smith Education industry classification
Industry- Product category
- K-12 Educational Curriculum Publishing
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies) (EDAGAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- K–12 Textbook Publishing (Core Curriculum) (MPAJABAA), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD), Online Learning Content & Course Publishing Platforms (BPAMAJAL)
Keywords
Where Gibbs Smith Education is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Layton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gibbs Smith Education business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Educational Content Sales: Revenue generated through sale of textbooks, digital content subscriptions, and educational materials to K-12 schools and districts. Includes both one-time textbook purchases and ongoing digital platform access.
- Professional Learning Services: Professional development programs for educators, potentially offered as paid training sessions or included with curriculum adoption.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Custom school/district pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Gibbs Smith Education product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gibbs Smith Education publishes standards-aligned social studies textbooks, curriculum, and digital learning content for K-12 schools and districts across the United States. Its portfolio spans Social Studies Foundations (K-3), State History, US History, World History & Geography, Diversity Studies, and Civics, delivered via print and the proprietary GSE Bookshelf+ digital platform. The company also offers Professional Learning programs to support educator implementation.
Product overview
Gibbs Smith Education is an independent, employee-owned B Corp publisher specializing in social studies curriculum for K-12 education. The portfolio includes foundational programs (Social Studies Foundations K-3, State History, US History, World History & Geography), diversity studies (Asian American Studies, Black & African American Studies, Ethnic Studies, Latino Studies), and Civics. The core print curriculum is complemented by the GSE Bookshelf+ digital platform providing online access with annotation and text-to-speech features. Professional Learning services offer educator development programs. The company serves 4,087+ schools nationwide with 1,000+ resources including award-winning textbooks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Social Studies Foundations (K-3) Foundational social studies curriculum for kindergarten through third grade, introducing students to basic historical concepts, geography, and community understanding appropriate for early elementary learners.
- State History Comprehensive state-specific history programs aligned with state learning standards, providing detailed study of individual states' historical development, geography, and civic institutions.
- US History Full-scale US History programs aligned with state and national social studies learning standards, covering the comprehensive study of United States history with integrated geography, civics, economics, and culture.
- World History & Geography (Beyond Borders and Eras series) World history and geography textbooks covering global historical events and geographical concepts through the Beyond Borders and Eras series, featuring maps, charts, and engaging visuals.
- Diversity Studies Comprehensive diversity studies programs including Asian American Studies, Black & African American Studies, Ethnic Studies, and Latino Studies, designed to present historically marginalized communities' contributions and perspectives.
- Asian American Studies Focused curriculum examining Asian American history, culture, and contributions to American society.
- Black & African American Studies Dedicated program exploring Black and African American history, culture, and societal contributions.
- Ethnic Studies Curriculum focused on ethnic studies enabling students to analyze multiple narratives and perspectives of diverse communities.
- Latino Studies Program dedicated to the study of Latino history, culture, and contributions to the United States.
- Civics Civics education program teaching students about government, civic responsibility, and democratic participation.
- GSE Bookshelf+ Digital Platform Digital content platform offering seamless access to Gibbs Smith Education programs with advanced study features including personalized annotations, embedded content links, text-to-speech, and digital access to student and teacher-facing materials.
- Professional Learning Professional development program empowering educators with knowledge, skills, and resources to build strong school cultures and communities that foster academic achievement, character development, and community stewardship.
Quantifiable outcome
- Student engagement increases - Teacher testimonial: 'My kids are so excited about Nebraska History that they didn't want to STOP working the other day! That rarely happens!'
Companies that use Gibbs Smith Education
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gibbs Smith Education technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature1 record
Gibbs Smith Education partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Gibbs Smith Education competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Studies Weekly: Studies Weekly publishes weekly newspaper-format social studies curriculum for K-6 classrooms, directly competing with Gibbs Smith Education in the same subject area and customer segment with a similar standards-aligned, classroom-delivered model.
- Social Studies School Service: Social Studies School Service supplies supplementary social studies classroom materials, maps, and curriculum resources to K-12 schools, overlapping with GSE's supplementary and core social studies offerings.
- Teacher Created Materials: Teacher Created Materials publishes K-12 classroom resources across multiple subjects including social studies, targeting the same K-12 school and district buyers with standards-aligned, teacher-friendly curriculum.
- Gallopade International: Gallopade specializes in state-specific history curriculum and social studies materials for K-12 schools, making it one of the closest direct competitors to Gibbs Smith Education's state history niche.
Broad incumbents
- McGraw-Hill Education: McGraw-Hill is a major incumbent K-12 publisher offering comprehensive social studies programs alongside ELA, math, and science, competing with GSE on large district RFPs but with much broader portfolio scale.
- Savvas Learning Company: Savvas (formerly Pearson K-12) is a large K-12 curriculum publisher offering social studies programs among many other subjects, frequently competing head-to-head with GSE in district adoptions.
- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: HMH is a long-standing K-12 textbook publisher with established social studies programs that compete against GSE in state-level adoptions and large district sales.
- National Geographic Learning: National Geographic Learning, a Cengage brand, publishes world history and geography textbooks that directly overlap with GSE's World History & Geography and US History lines, often competing in the same visual, standards-aligned category.
- Cengage: Cengage is a large educational publisher with K-12 social studies offerings through National Geographic Learning, competing with GSE on broader district deals and digital platforms.
- Curriculum Associates: Curriculum Associates, best known for i-Ready, sells K-12 instructional materials including social studies supplements and competes with GSE for district-level curriculum and digital platform budgets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gibbs Smith Education social profiles
Digital presenceGibbs Smith Education compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Gibbs Smith Education financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gibbs Smith Education leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Gibbs Smith Education funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gibbs Smith Education M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gibbs Smith Education
What does Gibbs Smith Education do?
Gibbs Smith Education publishes standards-aligned social studies textbooks, curriculum, and digital learning content for K-12 schools and districts across the United States. Its portfolio spans Social Studies Foundations (K-3), State History, US History, World History & Geography, Diversity Studies, and Civics, delivered via print and the proprietary GSE Bookshelf+ digital platform. The company also offers Professional Learning programs to support educator implementation.
Is Gibbs Smith Education a public or private company?
Gibbs Smith Education is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Gibbs Smith Education founded?
Gibbs Smith Education was founded in 1969. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Gibbs Smith Education based?
Gibbs Smith Education is headquartered in Layton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gibbs Smith Education make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Educational Content Sales are the primary driver. The others are professional Learning Services.
Who are Gibbs Smith Education's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Studies Weekly, Social Studies School Service, Teacher Created Materials and Gallopade International. Broad incumbents are McGraw-Hill Education, Savvas Learning Company, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, National Geographic Learning, Cengage and Curriculum Associates.
Does Gibbs Smith Education have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gibbs Smith Education.
What industry is Gibbs Smith Education in?
Gibbs Smith Education's product category is K-12 Educational Curriculum Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAAAA, Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies), with a secondary code of MPAJABAA, K–12 Textbook Publishing (Core Curriculum). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 2731.