What Action Magazine does

Action Magazine (Scholastic Action) is a reading intervention magazine published by Scholastic Inc. (NYSE: SCHL) for striving teen readers in grades 6-12 reading below grade level. The product is delivered in print and through Action Digital, a web-based platform that mirrors magazine content with interactive and multimodal features. Its defining technical component is three-level differentiated texts published at 400-600L, 600-800L, and 800-1000L Lexile bands within every issue, enabling teachers to meet students at their individual reading level while supporting growth. Supporting features include Vocabulary Slideshows, Background Builder Slideshows, text-to-speech read-alouds with word highlighting, Presentation View, scaffolded Skill Builder activities, comprehension quizzes, lesson plans, Evergreen Skills Sheets, and a Digital Video Library. The product integrates with the five major K-12 LMS and identity platforms — Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, ClassLink, and Clever — via rostered SSO and external URL linking.

Action Magazine is sold primarily through direct school and teacher subscriptions, with annual billing tied to the school year and a Continuous Service Plan that auto-renews subscriptions with a 5% loyalty discount starting in the 2027/28 school year. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; an illustrative example shows a class of 25 first-grade students receiving a year of Scholastic News for under $150, suggesting comparable low-ticket classroom pricing for Action Magazine. Distribution is augmented by channel partners including PTA/PTO organizations, government funding channels (ESSA Titles I-IV, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Head Start), and crowdfunding platforms (DonorsChoose, Adopt-a-Classroom, GoFundMe). The product is documented as aligned to Common Core, TEKS, Florida B.E.S.T., and Virginia Standards, and is positioned as Science of Reading-aligned, combining background knowledge and vocabulary with decoding skill development.

The primary customer segment is middle and high school ELA teachers and reading specialists serving striving readers, with secondary segments including English Language Learners (supported via True Teens en Español and Spanish Family Letters) and school administrators and district officials who approve and fund classroom magazine subscriptions. Marketing is content-led and community-driven, relying on webinars, a teacher Facebook community, and standards-aligned content marketing rather than direct promotion. Action Magazine operates as a product line within Scholastic Inc., not as a separately incorporated entity, and is serviced by a small dedicated team while leveraging the parent company's century-old school distribution infrastructure.

Name

Action Magazine

Legal name

Scholastic Inc.

Website

https://action.scholastic.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Action Magazine (Scholastic Action) is a print and digital reading intervention magazine from Scholastic Inc. for striving teen readers in grades 6-12, featuring three-level Lexile-differentiated texts, multimedia support tools, and integrations with major K-12 LMS platforms, sold via annual school subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Reading Content & eBooks (Leveled Readers, Libraries) (EDAFACAH), Children’s Activity & Workbook Publishing (MPAJAFAG), Children’s Reference & Informational Series Publishing (MPAJAFAN)

Keywords

• Classroom magazine subscriptions
• Reading intervention materials
• Differentiated literacy content
• Middle school education
• Striving reader resources

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Classroom Magazine Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from print and digital magazine subscriptions purchased by teachers for classroom use. Subscriptions are typically annual (school-year based) with a Continuous Service Plan that auto-renews each year with a 5% discount on renewals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Action Magazine is a print and digital reading intervention magazine for striving teen readers in grades 6-12, offered through annual subscriptions. Each issue features three-level differentiated texts at 400-600L, 600-800L, and 800-1000L Lexile ranges, paired with vocabulary slideshows, text-to-speech audio, comprehension quizzes, and lesson plans aligned to Common Core, TEKS, Florida B.E.S.T., and Virginia Standards. The offering is delivered through the Action Digital platform with single sign-on via major LMS systems, and includes Spanish-language content (True Teens en Español) for multilingual learners.

Product overview

Scholastic Action Magazine is a print and digital reading intervention magazine for striving teen readers in grades 6-12. The core product is the monthly magazine delivered in print and through Action Digital (the online platform). The offering centers on three-level differentiated texts (400-600L, 600-800L, 800-1000L Lexile) that appear in every issue. Supporting the core magazine are digital features including Vocabulary Slideshows, Background Builder Slideshows, Text-to-Speech Audio (read-alouds and student-accessible TTS), Presentation View, Lesson Plans, Scaffolded Skill Builder Activities, Comprehension Quizzes, and Family Letters in English and Spanish. The Spanish Hub (True Teens en Español) provides bilingual True Teen Stories. Additional resources include a Digital Video Library with article-related videos and skills videos, Evergreen Skills Sheets for flexible skill practice, and curated Themed and Skill Text Sets. All these components work together within Action Digital to provide differentiated, multimodal literacy instruction for striving readers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scholastic Action Magazine (Print and Digital Subscription) A reading intervention magazine for striving teen readers in grades 6-12, delivered in print and through the Action Digital platform. Each issue features captivation stories at three differentiated Lexile levels, with built-in vocabulary, comprehension, and skill-building support. Sold as annual classroom subscriptions to teachers and schools.
• True Teens en Español (Spanish Hub) A standalone collection of True Teen Stories articles available in English and Spanish, providing bilingual content for multilingual learners and Spanish-speaking students in grades 6-12.
• Digital Video Library A collection of videos created for major articles, providing learning extensions and discussion opportunities, including skills videos covering core language arts skills for grades 6-12 ELA instruction.
• Themed and Skill Text Sets Editor-curated collections of Action Magazine content organized around specific themes or skill sets, including packages of videos and activities for targeted ELA instruction in grades 6-12.
• Evergreen Skills Sheets Standalone skill-building activity sheets designed to be used flexibly with any Action Magazine article, providing additional practice opportunities on core ELA skills across issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research shows students whose parents are more involved in their education are more likely to have higher grades and test scores, graduate, and have better behavior and relationships

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Google ClassroomcoreTechnology or IntegrationDirect rostered integration allowing teachers and students to sign into Scholastic Classroom Magazine digital resources using their school's Google accounts. Supports class importing and single sign-on access.
• CanvascoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration allowing teachers and students to launch Action Magazine from within Canvas courses. External URL links can be added to Modules, Announcements, and Assignments.
• SchoologycoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration allowing teachers and students to launch Action Magazine website from their Schoology courses via external link.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CommonLit: A free digital literacy platform serving grades 3-12 with leveled texts, assessments, and data dashboards. It directly substitutes for Action's differentiated reading and assessment value proposition at no cost to schools.
• Newsela: A leading K-12 instructional content platform that provides leveled nonfiction articles for differentiated reading. It is the strongest external competitor to Action, sharing the same use case (striving readers, leveled content, ELA standards) but with a digital-first, district-wide SaaS model.
• ReadWorks: A nonprofit K-12 reading comprehension platform offering leveled nonfiction passages, question sets, and vocabulary supports. It targets the same striving-reader intervention use case as Action, with a freemium model that pressures Action's paid proposition.
• Scholastic News: Scholastic's flagship classroom magazine for elementary grades. It is the most direct internal peer because it shares the same parent distribution, subscription mechanics, LMS integrations, and differentiated content framework, differing only by grade band.
• Scope Magazine: A Scholastic classroom magazine for grades 6-8. It competes for the same middle school ELA budget as Action and uses the same direct-to-teacher subscription and Continuous Service Plan mechanics.
• Smithsonian Tween Tribune: A Smithsonian-affiliated free classroom news and nonfiction platform for grades K-12 with Lexile-leveled articles. It targets the same differentiated reading use case as Action at zero cost, pressuring paid subscriptions.
• Time for Kids: A classroom magazine from TIME that serves K-6 with current-events nonfiction. It competes for the same teacher-driven classroom subscription budget and the same nonfiction reading use case, though aimed at younger grades.

Emerging players

• Reading A-Z (Learning A-Z): A subscription-based K-5 leveled reading and literacy resource platform owned by Cambium Learning. While its primary grade band is younger than Action, it represents a similar differentiated-reading, district-licensed instructional content model.

Broad incumbents

• Achieve3000 / Imagine Learning: A literacy and language learning platform serving K-12 with differentiated nonfiction, assessment, and intervention tools. It directly competes for the same striving-reader intervention budget as Action, especially at the district level.
• National Geographic Kids: A mass-market children's magazine and digital brand from National Geographic Partners. It overlaps with Action's high-interest nonfiction coverage but is not specifically designed as a reading intervention product.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/actionmagazines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/action-magazine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Action Magazine