SCHOLASTIC CORP
DEF 14A, 1996-08-26
BOOKS: PUBLISHING OR PUBLISHING & PRINTING
Previous: PARNASSUS INCOME FUND, N-30D, 1996-08-26
Next: AMERICAN NATIONAL INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS INC, NSAR-A, 1996-08-26




<PAGE>

                           SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

               PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Filed by the Registrant                     /X/

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  / /

Check the appropriate box:
/ / Preliminary Proxy Statement
/ / Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
    14a-6(e)(2))
/X/ Definitive Proxy Statement
/X/ Definitive Additional Materials
/ / Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12

                           SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                         [NAME OF FILER IF APPLICABLE]
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
/X/ $125 per Exchange Act Rules 0-11(c)(1)(ii), 14a-6(i)(1), 14a-6(i)(2) or Item
    22(a)(2) of Schedule 14A
/ / $500 per each party to the controversy pursuant to Exchange Act Rule
    14a-6(i)(3)
/ / Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11

(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
    Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
    calculated and state how it was determined):

(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
 
(5) Total fee paid:

/ / Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

/ / Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
    0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
    previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
    or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

    (1) Amount Previously Paid:

    (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

    (3) Filing Party:

    (4) Date Filed:

<PAGE>
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
                                  555 BROADWAY
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10012
                            ------------------------
 
                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                               SEPTEMBER 17, 1996
                            ------------------------
 
     The Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the 'Meeting') of Scholastic
Corporation, a Delaware corporation ('Scholastic'), will be held at 555
Broadway, New York, New York, on Tuesday, September 17, 1996 at 9:00 A.M., 
local time.
 
     At the Meeting, the stockholders will consider and act upon the following
proposals:
 
     To be voted upon by holders of Class A Stock
 
          1. Fixing fifteen as the number of persons to constitute the Board of
             Directors until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
 
          2. The election of twelve directors to hold office until the next
             Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
 
          3. The election of Ernst & Young as independent auditors for the
             fiscal year ending May 31, 1997.
 
          4. Such other matters as may properly come before the Meeting.
 
     To be voted upon by holders of Common Stock
 
          1. The election of three directors to hold office until the next
             Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
 
          2. Such other matters as may properly come before the Meeting and as
             may properly be voted upon by the holders of Common Stock.
 
     The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on August 2, 1996 as
the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and
to vote at, the Meeting and at any adjournment thereof.
 
     WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE MEETING. WHETHER OR NOT YOU
EXPECT TO BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING, YOU ARE URGED TO COMPLETE, DATE, SIGN AND
PROMPTLY RETURN THE PROXY CARD IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.
 
                                          By order of the Board of Directors,


                                          Lynette E. Allison
                                          Vice President and Secretary
 
August 26, 1996

<PAGE>
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
                                  555 BROADWAY
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10012
                            ------------------------ 
                                PROXY STATEMENT
                            ------------------------
 
                         ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
                               SEPTEMBER 17, 1996
 
GENERAL INFORMATION
 
     This Proxy Statement is furnished to holders of shares of Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share ('Common Stock'), and shares of Class A Stock, par value
$.01 per share ('Class A Stock'), of Scholastic Corporation, a Delaware
corporation ('Scholastic' or the 'Company'), in connection with the solicitation
by the Board of Directors of proxies to be voted at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders (the 'Meeting'). This Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy are
being mailed to stockholders on or about August 23, 1996.
 
     The Common Stock of Scholastic is registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 'Exchange Act'). Scholastic
is subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act and, in
accordance therewith, files reports and other information with the Securities
and Exchange Commission ('SEC').
 
VOTING RIGHTS
 
     Stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 2, 1996 are
entitled to notice of the Meeting and to vote at the Meeting as hereinafter set
forth. Any proxy given by a stockholder may be revoked at any time prior to its
exercise by giving written notice of the revocation to the Secretary of
Scholastic, by executing and delivering a proxy with a later date or by voting
in person at the Meeting. If a proxy in the accompanying form is duly executed
and returned, the shares represented thereby will be voted at the Meeting and,
where a choice is specified, the proxy will be voted in accordance with such
specification. Directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the
holders of the Class of Stock entitled to elect such directors. The affirmative
vote of a majority of the votes cast by the holders of the Class A Stock is
required for each of the other proposals to be considered at the annual meeting.
With respect to the election of directors and the other proposals, abstentions
will not be considered as votes cast and will have no effect. Because none of
the shares of Class A Stock are held by brokers, the effect of broker non-votes
is not applicable.
 
     The Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Scholastic (the
'Certificate') provides that the holders of shares of Class A Stock, voting as a
class, have the right (i) to fix the size of the Board of Directors so long as
it does not consist of less than three nor more than 15 directors, (ii) to elect
all the directors, subject to the right of the holders of shares of Common
Stock, voting as a class, to elect such minimum number of the members of the
Board of Directors as shall equal at least one-fifth of the members of the Board
of Directors, and (iii) to exercise, exclusive of the holders of shares of

Common Stock, all other voting rights of stockholders of Scholastic. The
Certificate also provides that, except as otherwise provided by statute, the
voting rights of the holders of shares of Common Stock are limited to the right,
voting as a class, to elect such minimum number of the members of the Board of
Directors as shall equal at least one-fifth of the members of the Board of
Directors. Holders of outstanding Class A Stock and Common Stock are entitled to
one vote per share, exercisable in person or by proxy at all meetings of
stockholders. No holders of either class of stock have cumulative voting rights.
 
     On August 2, 1996, the record date for the Meeting, Scholastic had
outstanding 828,100 shares of Class A Stock and 15,071,040 shares of Common
Stock.

<PAGE>

PRINCIPAL SECURITY HOLDERS
 
     Under the rules and regulations of the SEC, a person who directly or
indirectly has, or shares, voting power or investment power with respect to a
security is considered a beneficial owner of such security. Voting power is the
power to vote or direct the voting of shares, and investment power is the power
to dispose of or direct the disposition of shares. The following are the only
persons known to Scholastic to have owned beneficially more than 5% of its
outstanding Class A Stock or Common Stock on August 2, 1996:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     CLASS A STOCK                  COMMON STOCK
                                                               -------------------------    ----------------------------
                                                                AMOUNT AND                    AMOUNT AND
                                                                NATURE OF                      NATURE OF        PERCENT
                    NAME AND ADDRESS OF                         BENEFICIAL      PERCENT       BENEFICIAL           OF
                      BENEFICIAL OWNER                         OWNERSHIP(1)     OF CLASS    OWNERSHIP(1)(2)     CLASS(2)
- ------------------------------------------------------------   ------------     --------    ---------------     --------
<S>                                                            <C>              <C>         <C>                 <C>
Richard Robinson ...........................................      445,452(3)      53.8%         763,639(4)         5.1%
  c/o Scholastic Corporation
  555 Broadway
  New York, NY 10012
Trust under the Will of Maurice R. Robinson(5) .............      324,310         39.2          841,546            5.6
  c/o Scholastic Corporation
  555 Broadway
  New York, NY 10012
Trust Under the Will of Florence L. Robinson(6) ............       58,338          7.0          175,000            1.2
  c/o Scholastic Corporation
  555 Broadway
  New York, NY 10012
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------
(1) Except in the case of the Trust under the Will of Maurice R. Robinson (the
    'Maurice R. Robinson Trust') (see Note (5) below) and the Trust under the
    Will of Florence L. Robinson (the 'Florence L. Robinson Trust') (see Note
    (6) below), each person named has sole voting and investment power with

    respect to the shares shown opposite his or her name.
 
(2) The shares of Class A Stock are convertible at the option of the holder into
    shares of Common Stock at any time on a share-for-share basis. The
    additional shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Class A Stock
    are not included in the table as beneficially owned. If Richard Robinson,
    the trustees of the Maurice R. Robinson Trust or the trustees of the
    Florence L. Robinson Trust would elect to convert all of the shares of Class
    A Stock owned beneficially by such holder into shares of Common Stock, the
    percentage of the outstanding shares of Common Stock owned beneficially by
    such holders then would increase to 7.8%, 7.6% and 1.5%, respectively.
 
(3) Excludes 324,310 shares of Class A Stock owned by the Maurice R. Robinson
    Trust, as to which Mr. Robinson disclaims beneficial ownership, and 58,338
    shares of Class A Stock owned by the Florence L. Robinson Trust, as to which
    Mr. Robinson disclaims beneficial ownership.
 
(4) Includes 3,797 shares of Common Stock for which Mr. Robinson is custodian
    under a separate custodial account for his son and 1,717 shares of Common
    Stock with respect to which Mr. Robinson had voting rights at May 31, 1996
    under the Scholastic Inc. 401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan (the '401(k)
    Plan'). Does not include 144,283 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned
    by Helen V. Benham, an employee and director of Scholastic and the wife of
    Richard Robinson, as to which Mr. Robinson disclaims beneficial ownership,
    and 841,546 shares of Common Stock owned by the Maurice R. Robinson Trust,
    175,000 shares of Common Stock owned by the Florence L. Robinson Trust and
    74,547 shares of Common Stock owned by the Richard Robinson and Helen Benham
    Charitable Fund, as to which Mr. Robinson also disclaims beneficial
    ownership.
 
(5) Richard Robinson, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive
    Officer of Scholastic, Barbara Robinson Buckland, Mary Sue Robinson Morrill
    and William W. Robinson, all of whom are siblings of Richard Robinson, are
    trustees of the Maurice R. Robinson Trust, with shared voting and investment
    power with respect to the shares owned by the Maurice R. Robinson Trust.
    Under the terms of the Maurice R. Robinson Trust, the vote of a majority of
    the trustees is required to vote or direct the disposition of the shares
 
                                              (Footnotes continued on next page)
 
                                       2
<PAGE>

(Footnotes continued from previous page)

    held by the Maurice R. Robinson Trust. Barbara Robinson Buckland, Mary Sue
    Robinson Morrill and William W. Robinson directly own 263,189, 249,304 and
    195,599 shares of Common Stock, respectively. For information with respect
    to Richard Robinson, see Note (4) above.
 
(6) Richard Robinson and Mary Sue Robinson Morrill are the co-trustees of the
    Florence L. Robinson Trust, with shared voting and investment power with
    respect to the shares owned by the Florence L. Robinson Trust. Any acts by
    the Florence L. Robinson Trust require the approval of each Trustee.

 
     Pursuant to an agreement dated July 23, 1990 between the Maurice R.
Robinson Trust and Richard Robinson, the Maurice R. Robinson Trust has agreed
that if it receives an offer from any person to purchase any or all of the
shares of Class A Stock owned by the Maurice R. Robinson Trust and it desires to
accept such offer, Richard Robinson shall have the right of first refusal to
purchase all, but not less than all, of the shares of Class A Stock that such
person has offered to purchase for the same price and on the same terms and
conditions offered by such person. In the event Richard Robinson does not elect
to exercise such option, the Maurice R. Robinson Trust shall be free to sell
such shares of Class A Stock in accordance with the offer it has received. In
addition, if Richard Robinson receives an offer from any person to purchase any
or all of his shares of Class A Stock and the result of that sale would be to
transfer to any person other than Richard Robinson or his heirs voting power
sufficient to enable such other person to elect the majority of the Board of
Directors, either alone or in concert with any person other than Richard
Robinson, his heirs or the Maurice R. Robinson Trust (a 'Control Offer'), and
Mr. Robinson desires to accept the Control Offer, the Maurice R. Robinson Trust
shall have the option to sell any or all of its shares of Class A Stock to the
person making the Control Offer at the price and on the terms and conditions set
forth in the Control Offer. If the Maurice R. Robinson Trust does not exercise
its option, Mr. Robinson shall be free to accept the Control Offer and to sell
the shares of Class A Stock in accordance with the terms of the Control Offer.
If the Maurice R. Robinson Trust exercises its option, Mr. Robinson cannot
accept the Control Offer unless the person making the Control Offer purchases
the shares of Class A Stock that the Maurice R. Robinson Trust has elected to
sell.
 
SHARE OWNERSHIP OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
     On August 2, 1996 each director and nominee for director of Scholastic, the
five most highly compensated employees of Scholastic and all directors and
officers of Scholastic as a group, owned beneficially shares of Class A Stock
and Common Stock as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     CLASS A STOCK                  COMMON STOCK
                                                               -------------------------    ----------------------------
                                                                AMOUNT AND                    AMOUNT AND
                                                                NATURE OF                      NATURE OF        PERCENT
                    NAME AND ADDRESS OF                         BENEFICIAL      PERCENT       BENEFICIAL           OF
                      BENEFICIAL OWNER                         OWNERSHIP(1)     OF CLASS    OWNERSHIP(1)(2)     CLASS(2)
- ------------------------------------------------------------   ------------     --------    ---------------     --------
<S>                                                            <C>              <C>         <C>                 <C>
DIRECTORS
Richard Robinson............................................      445,452(3)      53.8%          763,639(4)        5.1%
Rebeca M. Barrera...........................................           --           --             3,134(5)         --
Helen V. Benham.............................................           --           --           144,283(7)        1.0
Frederic J. Bischoff........................................           --           --            66,603(8)          *
John Brademas...............................................           --           --             3,349(5)          *
John C. Burton..............................................           --           --             3,349(5)          *
Alonzo A. Crim..............................................           --           --             3,349(5)          *
Ramon C. Cortines...........................................           --           --               134             *

Andrew S. Hedden............................................           --           --                --            --
Mae C. Jemison..............................................           --           --             3,349(5)          *
Richard A. Krinsley.........................................           --           --             8,492             *
Joan D. Manley..............................................           --           --             3,449(5)          *
John G. McDonald............................................           --           --             3,349(5)          *
Augustus K. Oliver..........................................           --           --             1,134(6)          *
Richard M. Spaulding........................................           --           --           142,667(9)        1.0
</TABLE>
 
                                       3
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     CLASS A STOCK                  COMMON STOCK
                                                               -------------------------    ----------------------------
                                                                AMOUNT AND                    AMOUNT AND
                                                                NATURE OF                      NATURE OF        PERCENT
                    NAME AND ADDRESS OF                         BENEFICIAL      PERCENT       BENEFICIAL           OF
                      BENEFICIAL OWNER                         OWNERSHIP(1)     OF CLASS    OWNERSHIP(1)(2)     CLASS(2)
- ------------------------------------------------------------   ------------     --------    ---------------     --------
<S>                                                            <C>              <C>         <C>                 <C>
NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Barbara Marcus..............................................           --           --            87,145(10)         *
Deborah Forte...............................................           --           --            21,285(11)         *
Jean Feiwel.................................................           --           --            11,938(12)         *
Kevin McEnery...............................................           --           --            27,763(13)         *
All directors and officers as a group (33 persons including
  those named above)........................................      445,452(3)      53.8         1,632,242(14)      10.5%
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------
  * Less than 1.0%
 
 (1) Each person named has sole voting and investment power with respect to the
     shares shown opposite his or her name.
 
 (2) The shares of Class A Stock are convertible at the option of the holder
     into shares of Common Stock at any time on a share-for-share basis. The
     additional shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of Class A Stock
     are not included in the table as beneficially owned. See the information
     with respect to Richard Robinson under 'Principal Security Holders' above.
 
 (3) Excludes 324,310 shares of Class A Stock owned by the Maurice R. Robinson
     Trust, as to which Mr. Robinson disclaims beneficial ownership, and 58,338
     shares of Class A Stock owned by the Florence L. Robinson Trust, as to
     which Mr. Robinson disclaims beneficial ownership.
 
 (4) Includes 3,797 shares of Common Stock for which Mr. Robinson is custodian
     under a separate custodial account for his son and 1,717 shares of Common
     Stock with respect to which Mr. Robinson had voting rights at May 31, 1996
     under the 401(k) Plan. Does not include 144,283 shares of Common Stock
     beneficially owned by Helen V. Benham, an employee and director of
     Scholastic and the wife of Richard Robinson, as to which Mr. Robinson

     disclaims beneficial ownership, and 841,546 shares of Common Stock owned by
     the Maurice R. Robinson Trust, 175,000 shares of Common Stock owned by the
     Florence L. Robinson Trust and 74,547 shares of Common Stock owned by the
     Richard Robinson and Helen Benham Charitable Fund, as to which Mr. Robinson
     also disclaims beneficial ownership.
 
 (5) Includes 3,000 shares of Common Stock as to which such director holds
     options under Scholastic's Outside Directors' Stock Option Plan.
 
 (6) Does not include 600 shares of Common Stock owned by Mr. Oliver's daughter,
     as to which Mr. Oliver disclaims beneficial ownership.
 
 (7) Includes 3,797 shares of Common Stock for which Ms. Benham is custodian
     under a separate custodial account for her son. Excludes 763,639 shares of
     Common Stock owned by Richard Robinson as to which Ms. Benham disclaims
     beneficial ownership and 74,547 shares of Common Stock owned by the Richard
     Robinson and Helen Benham Charitable Fund.
 
 (8) Does not include 4,200 shares of Common Stock owned by Mr. Bischoff's wife
     and 50 shares of Common Stock owned by Mr. Bischoff's daughter, as to which
     Mr. Bischoff disclaims beneficial ownership.
 
 (9) Includes 31,188 shares of Common Stock for which Mr. Spaulding is custodian
     under separate custodial accounts for his children.
 
(10) Includes 895 shares of Common Stock with respect to which Ms. Marcus had
     voting rights at May 31, 1996 under the 401(k) Plan and 86,250 shares of
     Common Stock as to which Ms. Marcus holds options under the 1992 Stock
     Option Plan.
 
(11) Includes 16,825 shares of Common Stock as to which Ms. Forte holds options
     under the 1992 Stock Option Plan.
 
(12) Includes 11,938 shares of Common Stock as to which Ms. Feiwel holds options
     under the 1992 Stock Option Plan.
 
                                              (Footnotes continued on next page)
 
                                       4
<PAGE>

(Footnotes continued from previous page)

(13) Includes 263 shares of Common Stock with respect to which Mr. McEnery had
     voting rights at May 31, 1996 under the 401(k) Plan and 27,500 shares of
     Common Stock as to which Mr. McEnery holds options under the 1992 Stock
     Option Plan.
 
(14) Includes 34,985 shares of Common Stock beneficially owned with respect to
     which all directors and officers as a group and 418,263 shares of Common
     Stock held as a group in stock options. Also includes that all directors
     and officers as a group had voting rights at May 31, 1996 under the 401(k)
     Plan in 12,152 shares of Common Stock. If Richard Robinson elected to
     convert all of his Class A Stock into shares of Common Stock the percentage

     of outstanding shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by all directors
     and officers as a group would be 13.0%.
 
COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(A) OF THE EXCHANGE ACT OF THE COMMON STOCK OF THE
COMPANY
 
     Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires directors, executive officers
and persons who hold more than 10% to file reports of ownership and changes in
ownership of such Common Stock with the SEC and the NASDAQ Stock Exchange and
furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. Based
solely on a review of the copies of such forms furnished to the Company, the
Company believes that all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to its
executive officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were
complied with, with the exception of Margery Mayer and David Walsh, both
executive officers of the Company, each of whom did not timely file one Form 4
report regarding the sale of their shares involving one transaction for each.
These transactions were reported on Ms. Mayer's and Mr. Walsh's Form 5 which
were timely filed.
 
                             ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
     The proxies for the Class A Stock, unless otherwise directed, will be voted
for the number of directors constituting the Board of Directors to be fixed at
fifteen until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The favorable vote of a
majority of the shares of Class A Stock represented at the Meeting is necessary
for this purpose. The proxies for the Class A Stock and the proxies for the
Common Stock, unless otherwise directed, will be voted, respectively, for the
twelve and three nominees listed below to serve as directors until the 1997
Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Board of Directors expects that each of the
nominees will be available for election; however, if any of them should be
unable to serve for any reason, such proxies will be voted for the election of
the other nominees named and may be voted for substituted nominees in the
discretion of the persons named as proxies. Information as to the nominees being
presented at the Meeting is as follows:
 
NOMINEES FOR ELECTION BY HOLDERS OF CLASS A STOCK
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                           DIRECTOR
                                                      PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OR EMPLOYMENT            AGE     SINCE*
                                              ---------------------------------------------------   ----   --------
<S>                                           <C>                                                   <C>    <C>
Richard Robinson............................  Chairman of the Board, President and Chief
                                                Executive Officer of Scholastic                      59      1971
Rebeca M. Barrera...........................  Executive Director, Corporate Fund for Children,
                                                Austin, TX                                           49      1995
Helen V. Benham.............................  Corporate Vice President and Early Childhood
                                                Advisor of Scholastic                                46      1992
Frederic J. Bischoff........................  Retired Executive Vice President of Scholastic         57      1995
John Brademas...............................  President Emeritus, New York University, New York,
                                                NY                                                   69      1982
John C. Burton..............................  Professor of Accounting and Finance, Graduate
                                                School of Business, Columbia University, New

                                                York, NY                                             63      1978
Charles T. Harris III.......................  Partner, Goldman, Sachs & Co., New York, NY            44       --
Andrew S. Hedden............................  Partner, Coudert Brothers, New York, NY                55      1991
</TABLE>
 
                                       5
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                           DIRECTOR
                                                      PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OR EMPLOYMENT            AGE     SINCE*
                                              ---------------------------------------------------   ----   --------
<S>                                           <C>                                                   <C>    <C>
Mae C. Jemison..............................  President, The Jemison Group, Inc., Houston, TX        39      1993
Richard A. Krinsley.........................  Retired Executive Vice President of Scholastic         66      1991
Augustus K. Oliver..........................  Partner, Gollust, Tierney & Oliver,
                                                New York, NY                                         48      1995
Richard M. Spaulding........................  Executive Vice President of Scholastic                 59      1974
</TABLE>
 
NOMINEES FOR ELECTION BY HOLDERS OF COMMON STOCK
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                           DIRECTOR
                                                      PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OR EMPLOYMENT            AGE     SINCE*
                                              ---------------------------------------------------   ----   --------
<S>                                           <C>                                                   <C>    <C>
Ramon C. Cortines...........................  Consultant Professor, Stanford University,
                                                Stanford, CA                                         64      1995
Alonzo A. Crim..............................  Professor, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA       67      1987
John G. McDonald............................  Professor of Finance, Graduate School of Business,
                                                Stanford University, Stanford, CA                    59      1985
</TABLE>
 
- ------------------
* The dates set forth above indicate the date such director was first elected as
  a director of the Company or Scholastic Inc., the Company's principal
  operating subsidiary.
 
     Helen V. Benham is the wife of Richard Robinson. There are no other family
relationships among any of the directors or executive officers of the Company or
its subsidiaries. Each of the directors and executive officers of the Company is
a citizen of the United States.
 
     Richard Robinson has held his position with the Company and Scholastic Inc.
for more than five years.
 
     Rebeca M. Barrera has been the Executive Director of Corporate Fund for
Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to the strengthening of child and
family programs through community resources, since 1990. Prior to heading the
Corporate Fund for Children, Ms. Barrera was president of Ninos Group, Inc., a
private corporation specializing in child care programs, from 1981 to 1992. She
is the current President of the National Latino Children's Agenda.

 
     Helen V. Benham joined Scholastic in 1974, working first in the Book Club
Art Department, then in the Text Division and later as Editorial Director in the
Classroom Magazine Division. In 1990, she was named Vice President and Publisher
of the Early Childhood Division and in 1996 was named Corporate Vice President,
Early Childhood Advisor.
 
     Frederic J. Bischoff became Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of Scholastic Inc. in July 1983 and served in that capacity until his
retirement in July 1995, when he became a consultant to the Company.
 
     John Brademas was President of New York University from July 1981 to
November 1991 when he became President Emeritus. For 22 years (1959-1981), Dr.
Brademas served as a United States Representative in Congress, the last four as
House Majority Whip. He currently serves on the boards of Loews Corporation,
NYNEX, Texaco Inc., The Aspen Institute and the Alexander S. Onassis Public
Benefit Foundation. He is chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy and
is chairman of the Executive Committee of the Center for National Policy.
 
     John C. Burton was Chief Accountant of the Securities and Exchange
Commission from 1972 to 1976 and Deputy Mayor for Finance of the City of New
York from 1976 to 1977. From January 1978 to the present, he has been Professor
of Accounting and Finance, Graduate School of Business, Columbia University, and
from July 1, 1982 to 1988 he was Dean of the Graduate School of Business. Dr.
Burton was a director of Commerce Clearing House, Inc. from 1978 to 1996 and of
Manville Corporation from 1990 to 1996, and is currently a director of CPAC,
Inc. and Salomon Swapco, Inc. From 1991 to 1994 he was also a member of the
Board of Governors of the National Association of Security Dealers, Inc., which
operates the NASDAQ stock market, and he serves on the Consultants Panel to the
Comptroller General of the United States. Dr. Burton was also a director of
Scholastic Inc. from December 1968 to June 1972.
 
     Ramon C. Cortines is an independent consultant in public education and
Consultant Professor, Stanford University. He was Chancellor, Board of Education
of the City of New York from September 1993 until October
 
                                       6
<PAGE>

1995. He was Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs in the United
States Department of Education prior to his acceptance of the Chancellorship.
Before joining the Clinton Administration, Mr. Cortines was Associate Director
of the Pew Charitable Trusts' Forum on School Reform at Stanford University. He
was Superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District from 1986 to
1992.
 
     Alonzo A. Crim was Superintendent of the Atlanta, Georgia Board of
Education from 1973 until 1988. He has been a professor at Georgia State
University since 1988 and at Spelman College since 1991.
 
     Andrew S. Hedden has been a partner of the law firm of Coudert Brothers
since 1975.
 

     Charles T. Harris III has been a partner with the investment firm of
Goldman, Sachs & Co. since 1988 and is currently a Director of the Alumni
Council at Phillips Exeter Academy.
 
     Dr. Mae C. Jemison has been President of The Jemison Group since March
1993. Prior to developing The Jemison Group, Dr. Jemison was an astronaut with
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from 1987 to 1993, and
was a member of the Space Shuttle Endeavor Flight in September 1992.
 
     Richard A. Krinsley was Executive Vice President Children's Book Publishing
from April 1983 until his retirement in September 1991, when he became a
director. He was formerly an Executive Vice President with Random House, Inc.
 
     John G. McDonald joined the faculty of Stanford University Graduate School
of Business, where he is the IBJ Professor of Finance, in 1968. Professor
McDonald serves on the Board of Directors of a number of investment companies:
Investment Co. of America, the New Perspective Fund, the Income Fund of America,
American Balanced Fund, the Growth Fund of America, Inc., EuroPacific Growth
Fund, and the Emerging Markets Growth Fund. He also serves on the Board of
Directors of Varian Associates, Inc. and TriNet Corporate Realty Trust, Inc.
From January 1987 until January 1990, Professor McDonald was a member (and Vice
Chairman in 1989-90) of the Board of Governors of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc., which operates The NASDAQ Stock Market.
 
     Augustus K. Oliver has been a partner at the investment banking and
management firm of Gollust, Tierney and Oliver since 1984. From 1975 through
April 1984 he practiced law with the firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and
Flom, becoming a partner in 1983. Mr. Oliver is the grandson of a former
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Scholastic.
 
     Richard Spaulding has held his position with the Company and Scholastic
Inc. for more than five years.
 
     THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS VOTE 'FOR' THE
NOMINEES. ALL PROXIES WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN. WHEN
NO SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN, PROXIES WILL BE VOTED FOR THE APPROVAL OF
THE NOMINEES.
 
BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
 
     Five meetings of the Board of Directors were held during the 1996 fiscal
year and all incumbent directors attended at least 75% of such meetings and of
the meetings held by all committees of the Board of which they were a member.
 
     The Company has standing Executive, Audit, Human Resources and
Compensation, Stock Option, Nominating, Proxy and Fiduciary Committees of its
Board of Directors.
 
  Executive Committee
 
     Richard Robinson (Chairperson), Frederic J. Bischoff, John C. Burton,
Andrew S. Hedden, Richard A. Krinsley, Augustus K. Oliver and Richard M.
Spaulding are the members of the Executive Committee, which held one meeting
during the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996. In the intervals between meetings of

the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee is authorized to exercise, with
certain exceptions, all of the powers of the Board in the management of the
business and affairs of Scholastic. All action taken by the Executive Committee
is submitted for ratification by the Board of Directors.
 
                                       7

<PAGE>

  Audit Committee
 
     John C. Burton (Chairperson), Rebeca M. Barrera, Frederic J. Bischoff,
Andrew S. Hedden, Joan D. Manley and Augustus K. Oliver are the members of the
Audit Committee, which held three meetings during the fiscal year ended May 31,
1996. The functions performed by the Audit Committee include reviewing with the
independent auditors their audit plan and the results of their audit (including
their recommendations regarding internal controls), recommending to the Board of
Directors the independent auditors who are to be submitted to the holders of
Class A Stock for election, reviewing Scholastic's financial accounting policies
and decisions and reporting thereon to the Board prior to the issuance of annual
financial statements, and exercising general oversight over Scholastic's system
of internal accounting controls. In addition, members of the Audit Committee
review any non-audit services to be performed by the independent auditors and
consider the possible effects of such services on the auditors' independence.
 
  Human Resources and Compensation Committee
 
     Joan D. Manley (Chairperson), Frederic J. Bischoff, Alonzo A. Crim, Mae C.
Jemison, Richard A. Krinsley and John G. McDonald are the members of the Human
Resources and Compensation Committee, which held two meetings during the fiscal
year ended May 31, 1996. The Human Resources and Compensation Committee has the
responsibility for reviewing the recommendations of the Chief Executive Officer
for compensation of corporate officers prior to approval by the Board. The names
of all staff members other than corporate officers whose salaries are $100,000
or more per annum are also made available to the Human Resources and
Compensation Committee, together with such other data on employee compensation
as is appropriate to enable the Human Resources and Compensation Committee to
evaluate Scholastic's overall compensation plans and practices as a separate
company and competitively within the industry. This Committee also reviews the
Company's Human Resource and Diversity Programs.
 
  Stock Option Committee
 
     Joan D. Manley (Chairperson), Alonzo A. Crim and John G. McDonald are the
members of the Stock Option Committee, which held one meeting during the fiscal
year ended May 31, 1996. The Stock Option Committee administers the 1992 Stock
Option Plan and the 1995 Stock Option Plan.
 
  Nominating Committee
 
     Alonzo A. Crim (Chairperson), John Brademas, John C. Burton, Mae C. Jemison
and Joan D. Manley are the members of the Nominating Committee, which held one
meeting during the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996. The functions of the
Nominating Committee are to identify and recommend to the Board of Directors,

through the Proxy Committee, candidates for election as directors, to recommend
to the Board of Directors, through the Proxy Committee, any changes it believes
desirable in the size and composition of the Board, to recommend to the Board of
Directors the committee structure which the Board should adopt and the members
of the Board who should be appointed to each committee and to recommend to the
Board fees to be paid to directors for service on the Board and on Board
committees. The Nominating Committee would be pleased to receive suggestions
from stockholders about persons it should consider recommending as possible
members of the Board of Directors. Any such suggestion should be sent to
Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors, Scholastic Corporation, 555
Broadway, New York, New York 10012.
 
  Proxy Committee
 
     Richard Robinson (Chairperson), Andrew S. Hedden and Joan D. Manley are the
members of the Proxy Committee, which held one meeting during the fiscal year
ended May 31, 1996. The Proxy Committee considers the recommendations of the
aforementioned Nominating Committee and makes recommendations to the Board as to
the number and names of directors to submit as nominees to the stockholders for
election. The Proxy Committee also acts for management on any matters to be
proposed at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>

  Fiduciary Committee
 
     Richard M. Spaulding (Chairperson), John C. Burton, Andrew S. Hedden, John
G. McDonald, Augustus K. Oliver and Richard Robinson (ex-officio) are the
members of the Fiduciary Committee. The Fiduciary Committee, which held one
meeting during the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996, is responsible for
recommending to the Board policies relating to the Retirement Income Plan for
Employees of Scholastic Inc. and the 401(k) Plan and making recommendations
concerning the powers which the Board has reserved to itself under the Plans.
 
COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
 
     For the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996, each director of Scholastic who was
not an employee of Scholastic or any of its subsidiaries was paid an annual sum
of $25,000 as a retainer for his or her services as a director in addition to an
award of stock of the Company valued at the date of grant at $10,000. Each
non-employee director who is the chairperson of a committee also receives a
$1,500 annual chairman fee. Scholastic reimburses its directors for travel,
lodging and related expenses they may incur in attending Board and Committee
meetings.
 
     On May 19, 1992, the Board of Directors adopted the Outside Directors'
Stock Option Plan (the 'Outside Directors' Plan'), which Plan was subsequently
approved by the holders of Class A Stock on June 15, 1992. The purpose of the
Outside Directors' Plan is to assist Scholastic in attracting and retaining
experienced and knowledgeable directors who are neither employees nor
consultants of Scholastic ('Outside Directors') by enabling them to participate
in the success and growth of Scholastic through one-time grants of non-qualified
stock options. Under the Outside Directors' Plan, each Outside Director in

office on May 19, 1992 who did not as of February 24, 1992 beneficially own any
shares of Common Stock was automatically granted a non-qualified stock option to
purchase 3,000 shares of Common Stock at a price equal to the fair market value
of a share of Common Stock on May 19, 1992, and each subsequently elected
Outside Director who does not at the date of election beneficially own any
shares of Common Stock will automatically be granted a non-qualified stock
option to purchase 3,000 shares of Common Stock at a price equal to the fair
market value of a share of Common Stock on the date such Outside Director is
first elected to office. Outside Directors are not entitled to receive any other
options or awards under any other stock plan of Scholastic, including the 1992
Stock Option Plan and the 1995 Stock Option Plan. The Outside Directors' Plan
has a term of 10 years, and 30,000 shares of Common Stock have been reserved for
issuance under this Plan. Andrew Hedden has declined to participate in the
Outside Directors' Plan. As of May 31, 1996, 3000 shares of Common Stock were
available for issuance under the Outside Directors' Plan.
 
     In December, 1994, the Board of Directors approved a Non-Employee Director
Stock-For-Retainer Plan (the 'Directors Plan'). The Directors Plan is designated
to compensate all Outside Directors with Common Stock of the Company in addition
to other Director compensation. The Plan provides for the award of stock equal
to the value of $5,000 in the first month of each year, and 10,000 shares of
Common Stock have been reserved for issuance under this Plan. In September 1995,
the Class A Shareholders approved an amendment to the Directors' Plan to
increase the value of the annual stock grants to $10,000. As of May 31, 1996,
6,725 shares of common Stock are available for issuance under the Directors
Plan. Andrew Hedden has declined to participate in the Directors' Plan.
 
     In September 1995, the Company adopted the Directors' Deferred Compensation
Plan (the 'Deferred Compensation Plan'). The Deferred Compensation Plan permits
directors to defer 50% or 100% of their cash retainers and meeting fees.
Deferred amounts accrue interest at a rate equal to the 30 year treasury bill
rate, and are paid in cash, upon the later of termination from Board service or
age 62, unless paid earlier due to death, disability, change of control of the
Company, or severe financial hardship. As of May 31, 1996, five (5) directors
had chosen to have 100% of their director compensation deferred for a total
amount deferred of $60,721.50.
 
CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
 
     Under a non-qualified pension agreement with Richard A. Krinsley, the
Company is obligated to provide Mr. Krinsley with pension benefits determined by
reference to the projected benefit for Mr. Krinsley under the pension plan of
his prior employer. As of his retirement on September 30, 1991, Richard A.
Krinsley had earned annual benefits under such agreement in the amount of
$41,974. Andrew S. Hedden is a partner of the law firm of Coudert Brothers,
which has provided legal services to Scholastic in the past and is expected to
continue to do so
 
                                       9
<PAGE>

in the future. No employee director of Scholastic received additional
compensation for his or her services as a director.
 

     The Company entered into a consulting arrangement with Frederic J.
Bischoff, who retired from his position as Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer on July 31, 1995, which provided for Mr. Bischoff to work
one-half of the time he formerly worked at one-half of his former salary, until
December 31, 1995, and one quarter of the time he formerly worked at one quarter
of his former salary until May 31, 1996.
 
     Mae Jemison in serving as a consultant to the Company regarding the
exploration of the possible distribution of the Company's products in the
country of South Africa for which she has received compensation to date of
approximately $40,000.
 
     From time to time, the Company receives investment banking services from
Goldman, Sachs & Co, which employs the director nominee Charles T. Harris, III.
During the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996, Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as
co-manager of the Company's offering of 5% Convertible Debentures due August 15,
2005.
 
                       COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
     The following table sets forth information regarding the compensation paid
or accrued by the Company and its subsidiaries for services of the Chief
Executive Officer and the four most highly compensated employees of the Company
in respect of the fiscal years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994:
 
                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     LONG-TERM
                                                                                    COMPENSATION
                                                                                    ------------
                                                                                       NO. OF
                                                                                     SECURITES
                                                            ANNUAL COMPENSATION      UNDERLYING
                    NAME AND                                --------------------      OPTIONS/         ALL OTHER
               PRINCIPAL POSITION                   YEAR     SALARY      BONUS          SARS        COMPENSATION(1)
- -------------------------------------------------   ----    --------    --------    ------------    ---------------
<S>                                                 <C>     <C>         <C>         <C>             <C>
Richard Robinson ................................   1996    $526,938    $250,000            0            $6,326
  Chairman of the Board, President and Chief        1995     420,000     211,600            0             9,701 
  Executive Officer                                 1994     419,615     201,480                          9,611
Barbara Marcus ..................................   1996     350,000     190,477       25,000             3,126
  Executive Vice President-Children's Book          1995     297,442     175,000            0             5,570
  Publishing                                        1994     282,981     107,160       20,000             5,723
Deborah Forte ...................................   1996     285,000     138,795       42,500             3,757
  Senior Vice President, Division Head-             1995     241,346      63,000            0             1,020
  Scholastic Productions, Inc.                      1994     149,752     152,500(2)    15,000             1,020
Jean Feiwel .....................................   1996     253,084     143,585       17,500             4,127
  Senior Vice President Children's Book             1995     238,219     108,231            0             1,020
  Publishing                                        1994     216,563      72,940       10,000             1,020
Kevin McEnery ...................................   1996     275,000     113,695            0             4,012
  Executive Vice President and Chief                1995     217,692      63,000       50,000             1,740
  Financial Officer                                 1994     142,308      60,000       50,000               348
</TABLE>

 
- ------------------
 
(1) Includes matching contributions made by the Company in favor of each of the
    named executives in connection with their participation in the 401(k) Plan
    and life insurance premiums paid by the Company on behalf of each named
    executive.
 
(2) Includes a $100,000 non-recurring bonus paid with respect to and on
    completion of a multi-year project.
 
     Executives of the Company are covered by an executive life insurance
program. Each executive is insured in an amount equal to three times the
executive's annual earnings up to a maximum coverage of $500,000. Premiums for
such coverage are fully paid by the Company.
 
     The Company has not entered into any employment agreements with the
executive officers named above.
 
                                       10
<PAGE>

STOCK OPTIONS
 
     In 1987, the 1987 Stock Option Plan was adopted by the former Board of
Directors of Scholastic, which at that time consisted of Richard Robinson and
two other officers of Scholastic. Options to purchase shares of Common Stock
were granted to certain officers and executives of Scholastic, most of which
options were granted in exchange for options previously granted to such persons
to acquire shares of common stock of Scholastic Inc. On May 19, 1992, the 1987
Stock Option Plan was amended and restated as the 1992 Stock Option Plan. The
1992 Stock Option Plan provides for the grant to key employees and consultants
of Scholastic, including officers, of incentive stock options and non-qualified
stock options. The purpose of the 1992 Stock Option Plan is to assist Scholastic
in attracting and retaining employees of ability, training and experience by
providing an opportunity for employees to acquire and maintain stock ownership
in the Company. At August 2, 1996, 1,122,200 shares of Common Stock were covered
by existing grants under the 1992 Stock Option Plan and an additional 19,000
shares of Common Stock were reserved for issuance upon the exercise of options
to be granted in the future.
 
     On September 24, 1991, the Board of Directors approved the 1992 Stock
Option Plan to be administered by the Stock Option Committee which consists of
non-employee directors of Scholastic. Prior to September 24, 1991, Richard
Robinson had been the sole member of the Stock Option Committee. Non-employee
directors of the Company are not entitled to receive any options or awards under
the 1992 Stock Option Plan.
 
     The exercise price for options granted prior to May 19, 1992, under the
1987 Stock Option Plan, was the greater of $3.18 or a formula value price based
on a computation designed to reflect the fair value of a share of Common Stock,
except that the exercise price for options issued in exchange for options
previously granted to acquire shares of common stock of Scholastic Inc. is equal

to the average exercise price of the options exchanged. The exercise price for
options granted under the 1992 Stock Option Plan may not be less than the
average of the high and low selling prices of a share of Common Stock as
reported by the Automated Quotation System of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. as of the date of grant, except that the Stock Option
Committee is authorized to grant non-qualified options to employees with an
exercise price that is not less than 85% of such average price.
 
     Incentive stock options granted under the 1992 Stock Option Plan will
expire not more than ten years from the date of grant and non-qualified options
will expire not more than ten years and one day from the date of grant, except
that, if an employee owns or is deemed to own more than 10% of the combined
voting power of all classes of stock of Scholastic or any parent or subsidiary
of Scholastic and incentive stock options are granted to such employee, the term
of such incentive stock options shall be not more than five years from the date
of grant. Options granted under the 1992 Stock Option Plan are not exercisable
for a one-year period after the date of grant, except in the case of the death
of the optionee during such one-year period. The exercise price of each share
purchased pursuant to each option must be paid in full at the time of exercise
in cash, in shares of Common Stock owned by the optionee having a fair market
value on the date of exercise of an amount at least equal to the exercise price,
or a combination of cash and such stock. With the consent of the Stock Option
Committee, the exercise price may be paid by means of a full recourse promissory
note.
 
     No option granted under the 1992 Stock Option Plan is transferable other
than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. An option is exercisable
by the optionee only if, at the time of exercise, the optionee is an employee or
consultant of Scholastic (or a subsidiary or affiliate), except that, upon
termination of the optionee's employment or consulting arrangement with
Scholastic (or a subsidiary or affiliate), the optionee may exercise an option
(i) within twelve months thereafter in the event of termination due to
disability or to retirement on or after age 55 or (ii) within three months
thereafter in the event of involuntary termination at the request of Scholastic
(other than for cause or by reason of disability or retirement on or after age
55), but, in each case, only to the extent of the accrued right to exercise at
the date of such termination and in no event later than the respective
expiration dates of such options. In the event of the death of an optionee while
an employee or consultant of Scholastic (or a subsidiary or affiliate) or if the
optionee dies within the applicable twelve-month or three-month period during
which options may be exercised following a termination of employment or
consulting arrangement as described above, such optionee's estate or beneficiary
may exercise such optionee's option within a period not greater than the earlier
of (i) twelve months from the date of the optionee's death and (ii) the
expiration of the term of the option, without regard to whether the one-year
restriction on exercise had expired as of the date of
 
                                       11
<PAGE>

death. If the optionee ceased to be an employee or consultant for any other
reason, his or her options terminate immediately.
 

     On September 21, 1995, the stockholders adopted the 1995 Stock Option Plan
(the '1995 Plan') to supplement the 1992 Stock Option Plan. The Board of
Directors recommended the adoption of the 1995 Plan because (i) it continues to
believe that stock based incentives are important factors in attracting,
retaining and rewarding officers, key employees and consultants and closely
aligning their interests with those of shareholders and (ii) the 1992 Stock
Option Plan expires on July 16, 1997 and had insufficient options available for
grant to meet Scholastic's needs. Under the 1995 Plan, 2,000,000 shares of
Common Stock were reserved for issuance on exercise of options to be granted
and, as of August 2, 1996, no grants had been made.
 
     Participants in the 1995 Plan will be selected by the Stock Option
Committee, in accordance with the terms of the 1995 Plan, from officers, key
employees and consultants of Scholastic, its subsidiaries and affiliates, who
are expected to make a significant contribution to Scholastic, its subsidiaries
and affiliates. The Stock Option Committee has exclusive power to select the
individuals who shall receive stock option awards under the 1995 Plan and to
determine the amount of shares of Common Stock to be covered and the terms,
including any vesting schedule, of the awards. Participants may be selected and
stock options may be granted at any time during the period that awards may be
made under the 1995 Plan. The number of shares of Common Stock available at any
time for awards under the 1995 Plan shall be determined in a manner which
reflects the number of shares of Common Stock then subject to outstanding awards
and the number of shares of Common Stock previously acquired under the 1995
Plan.
 
     Under the 1995 Plan, the Stock Option Committee may award non-qualified
stock options or incentive stock options which qualify for specified tax
benefits under Section 422 of the 1987 Tax Code, as amended (the 'Code').
Non-qualified stock options shall have a term of not more than ten years and one
day from the grant date. Incentive stock options generally shall have a term of
not more than ten years from the grant date. Stock options will be granted with
an exercise price per share of Common Stock of not less than 100% of the fair
market value of a share of Common Stock, determined as the average of the high
and low market price per share of Common Stock as reported by the Automated
Quotation System of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., on the
date of grant. The aggregate fair market value, determined as of the grant date,
of the Common Stock for which any employee may be awarded incentive stock
options which are first exercisable by such person during any calendar year
under the 1995 Plan or any other stock option plan mantained by Scholastic, its
subsidiaries or affiliates may not exceed $100,000. The maximum number of shares
of Common Stock which may be awarded as options under the 1995 Plan during any
calendar year to any person is 500,000 shares. Stock options may not be
exercisable for at least one year from the date of grant, except in the event of
the death or disability of the recipient. A stock option granted under the 1995
Plan may be exercised by paying the exercise price in cash or Common Stock of
Scholastic or any combination of cash and Common Stock having a value equal to
the exercise price.
 
     No option granted under the 1995 Plan is transferable other than by will or
the laws of descent and distribution. An option is exercisable by the optionee
only if, at the time of exercise, the optionee is an employee or consultant of
Scholastic, its subsidiary or affiliate, except that, upon termination of the
optionee's employment or consulting arrangement, the optionee may exercise an
option (i) within one year thereafter in the event of termination due to

disability or death, without regard as to whether the one-year restriction on
exercise has expired as of the date of disability or death, (ii) within three
years thereafter in the event of termination due to retirement on or after age
55, to the extent exercisable on the date of retirement, or (iii) within three
months thereafter in the event of involuntary termination at the request of
Scholastic (other than for cause or by reason of disability, death or retirement
on or after age 55), but only to the extent exercisable on the date of such
termination. If the optionee ceases to be an employee or consultant for any
other reasons, his or her options terminate immediately to the extent not
previously exercised. The Stock Option Committee may accelerate the
exercisability of an option in its discretion.
 
     The Board of Directors may amend or terminate the 1995 Plan at any time,
provided, that, in general, it may not, without shareholder approval, increase
the number of shares of Common Stock which may be acquired under the 1995 Plan,
extend the term during which stock options may be granted under the 1995 Plan or
reduce the exercise price of an option below the fair market value of the Common
Stock on the date on which the option is
 
                                       12
<PAGE>

granted. The 1995 Plan shall terminate as of, and no award may be made after
September 21, 2005, unless extended by shareholder vote.
 
     The following table shows the options granted under the 1992 Stock Option
Plan during the last fiscal year by the five most highly compensated executive
officers together with the number and grant date present value at May 31, 1996:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                             POTENTIAL           POTENTIAL
                                                                                          REALIZABLE VALUE    REALIZABLE VALUE
                                                                                             AT ASSUMED          AT ASSUMED
                                  NUMBER OF                    EXERCISE                   ANNUAL RATES OF     ANNUAL RATES OF
                                  SECURITIES    % OF TOTAL        OR                        STOCK PRICE         STOCK PRICE
                                  UNDERLYING      OPTIONS        BASE                     APPRECIATION FOR    APPRECIATION FOR
                                   OPTIONS      GRANTED IN       PRICE      EXPIRATION      OPTION TERM         OPTION TERM
NAME                               GRANTED      FISCAL YEAR    ($/SHARE)       DATE              5%                 10%
- -------------------------------   ----------    -----------    ---------    ----------    ----------------    ----------------
<S>                               <C>           <C>            <C>          <C>           <C>                 <C>
Richard Robinson...............          0             0              0             0                 0                   0
Kevin McEnery..................          0             0              0             0                 0                   0
Barbara Marcus.................     25,000           8.9%       $ 57.56       7/19/05        $  793,361          $1,954,087
Deborah Forte..................     42,500          15.0          57.56       7/19/05         1,348,714           3,321,947
Jean Feiwel....................     17,750           6.8          57.56       7/19/05           563,287           1,387,402
</TABLE>
 
     The following table shows the options exercised during the fiscal year
ended May 31, 1996 by the five most highly compensated executive officers
together with the number and value of exercisable/unexercised options at May 31,
1996:
 
AGGREGATED OPTION/SAR EXERCISES IN FISCAL 1996 AND MAY 31, 1996 OPTION/SAR
VALUES

 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                           VALUE OF
                                                                        NUMBER OF SECURITIES              UNEXERCISED
                                                                       UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED            IN-THE-MONEY
                                                                               OPTIONS                    OPTIONS AT
                                 SHARES ACQUIRED                           AT MAY 31, 1996               MAY 31, 1996
NAME                               ON EXERCISE      VALUE REALIZED    EXERCISABLE/UNEXERCISABLE    EXERCISABLE/UNEXERCISABLE
- ------------------------------   ---------------    --------------    -------------------------    -------------------------
<S>                              <C>                <C>               <C>                          <C>
Richard Robinson..............             0                  0                       0/0                             0/0
Kevin McEnery.................        10,000           $336,938             27,500/62,500             $ 624,500/1,308,500
Barbara Marcus................         6,000            367,320             80,000/35,000               4,042,900/412,250
Deborah Forte.................         7,500            286,750             19,700/50,000               1,210,447/432,450
Jean Feiwel...................             0                  0              7,500/22,750                 275,550/233,373
</TABLE>
 
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
  Retirement Income Plan for Employees of Scholastic Inc.
 
     The Retirement Income Plan for Employees of Scholastic Inc. (the
'Retirement Plan') is a contributory defined benefit pension plan covering all
domestic salaried and hourly employees of Scholastic who have attained age 21
and have completed one year of service. The Retirement Plan is administered by
an employee committee (the 'Administrative Committee'), consisting of six
members of management of Scholastic, which is appointed by the Board of
Directors. Each participant is required to contribute 3% of his or her basic
annual compensation (excluding overtime pay, bonuses and other special
compensation) in excess of $20,000. For periods after July 1, 1990, the benefit
formula under the Retirement Plan provides for an annual benefit payable at
retirement equal to, for each year of credited service, 1 1/2% of that portion
of the participant's basic annual compensation up to $13,650, plus 2% of that
portion of the participant's basic annual compensation in excess of $13,650.
Participants in the Retirement Plan become fully vested in their accrued
benefits upon the earlier of the completion of five years of service or
attainment of age 65. Death benefits are payable to the surviving spouse of a
vested participant unless waived by such spouse. Scholastic is required to make
annual contributions to the Retirement Plan in such amounts as are actuarially
required to fund the benefits of participants thereunder. At May 31, 1996,
Richard Robinson, Barbara A. Marcus and Kevin McEnery had earned estimated
annual benefits under the Retirement Plan, payable upon retirement at age 65, in
the approximate amounts of $52,897, $33,684 and $4,398, respectively. Deborah
Forte and Jean Feiwel have elected not to participate in the Retirement Plan.
The aggregate amounts paid by the Company to the trustee of the Retirement Plan
in respect of fiscal 1996, 1995, and 1994 were, respectively, $230,360,
$2,894,884, and $475,373.
 
                                       13

<PAGE>

     The Retirement Plan does not provide for Social Security or other
deductions from the monthly pension benefit payable thereunder.
 
  401(k) Plan
 
     All domestic salaried and hourly employees of Scholastic aged 21 or over,
with at least 500 hours of service, are eligible to participate in the 401(k)
Plan. The 401(k) Plan is also administered by the Administrative Committee. A
participant may elect, under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, to
reduce his or her compensation and to have such amount contributed to the 401(k)
Plan by Scholastic on a pre-tax basis up to the amount permitted by law
('Pre-tax Contributions') or as may be further restricted by the Administrative
Committee. The Plan permits Pre-tax Contributions by highly-compensated
employees of 10% of compensation and permits Pre-tax Contributions by other
employees of 15% of compensation. Currently, the Administrative Committee has
limited Pre-tax Contributions of highly-compensated employees to 6% of
compensation. A participant may also elect to make additional after-tax
contributions, which when aggregated with such participant's Pre-tax
Contributions, may not exceed 15% of his or her aggregate compensation
('After-tax Contributions'). Scholastic, in its sole discretion, may make
matching contributions for the benefit of participants who elect to make Pre-tax
Contributions, the amount of such matching contributions to be determined in
advance of each plan year by the Board of Directors, not to exceed 6% of a
participant's compensation. Scholastic, in its sole discretion, may also make
discretionary contributions for the benefit of all participants regardless of
whether they elected to make Pre-tax Contributions to the 401(k) Plan, the
amount of such discretionary contributions to be determined by the Board of
Directors. No discretionary contributions were made by Scholastic to the 401(k)
Plan in the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996. Amounts contributed to a
participant's account are invested by the trustee in one or more investment
funds chosen by the participant from the various investment funds recommended by
the Administrative Committee and approved by the Fiduciary Committee. The 401(k)
Plan was amended as of June 1, 1992 to provide that cash amounts contributed to
the 401(k) Plan may also be invested in shares of Common Stock. The aggregate
amount of matching contributions made by Scholastic to the accounts of the
executive officers named in the Executive Compensation Table through the fiscal
year ended May 31, 1996 are as follows: Richard Robinson, $44,371; Barbara A.
Marcus, $41,517; Deborah Forte, $36,768; Jean Feiwel, $30,082 and Kevin McEnery,
$6,822.
 
     A participant is fully vested at all times in the portion of his or her
account attributable to Pre-tax and After-tax Contributions. That portion of his
or her account attributable to matching and discretionary contributions made by
Scholastic becomes vested at the rate of 20% for each year of service. A
participant's vested account may be distributed in full upon termination of
employment for any reason, including death, disability or retirement. During
employment, but only once in any plan quarter, a participant may withdraw all or
a portion of his or her account which is attributable to After-tax
Contributions. In the event of financial hardship or upon the attainment of age
59 1/2, a participant may also withdraw during employment his or her vested
account balance, provided that in the case of financial hardship the participant
may only withdraw such amount as the Administrative Committee may determine is
necessary to meet such financial hardship. A participant may also borrow up to
50% of his or her vested account balance for financial hardship, not to exceed
the lesser of $50,000 or the portion of the participant's account attributable

to Pre-tax Contributions, repayable with interest over a period not to exceed 5
years, except that in the event that the proceeds of such loan are used to
acquire a primary residence such amount may be repayable over a period of up to
10 years. A participant may not otherwise withdraw any portion of his or her
account during employment.
 
REPORT OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES AND COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
 
     The Human Resources and Compensation Committee (hereinafter referred to as
the 'Compensation Committee'), consists of five outside directors who review
recommendations for compensation of corporate officers and recommend guiding
principles and compensation programs to the Board of Directors.
 
     The Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee believe that the
Company's continued success requires a highly motivated and professional staff.
The compensation policies, therefore, are designed to attract and retain persons
of ability, training and experience in the employ of the Company and its
subsidiaries and affiliates. Prior to the Company's going public in February,
1992, as a private company for the five years from 1987 to 1992, the Company
provided significant incentives in the form of stock options to the officers of
the private company. In fiscal 1995-96 officers of the Company held
approximately 10.0% of Scholastic Corporation's outstanding stock, which
provides motivation to improve the performance of the Company.
 
                                       14
<PAGE>

     The Company's executive compensation program combines base salary, annual
bonus and the stock ownership program to attract, retain and motivate
executives. Base salary increases are determined after review of both the
individual performance of each executive and the consolidated financial
performance of the Company. All base salary increases reflect market and
cost-of-living increases. In addition, executive compensation is determined
based on such factors as: the need for highly qualified professionals,
specialized areas of expertise, retention of executives critical to company
growth and success and creation of a barrier of recruitment for industry
competitors.
 
     The base salary for Mr. Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of the Company,
for the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996 was $526,938. In addition to the factors
previously cited for executive officers above, Mr. Robinson's compensation is
determined based on the evaluation of his individual contribution to the growth
of the Company. These factors include involvement in recruitment and retention
of highly motivated executive and creative staff members; maintaining and
enhancing Scholastic's reputation and products in the educational community;
leadership and guidance in maintaining and developing educational products to
expand Scholastic's market share, profitability and the market value of
shareholders' equity; and the overall economic performance of the Company and
its subsidiaries and affiliates.
 
     The annual bonus plan provides for the payment of bonuses in August based
on individual and corporate performance for the prior fiscal year. Target bonus
levels are established annually by the Compensation Committee in conjunction
with Richard Robinson. The bonus paid to Mr. Robinson in fiscal 1996 was 48% of

the fiscal 1996 base salary based on corporate financial performance and the
attainment of certain objectives.
 
     Since February 1992, the date on which the Company's Common Stock was first
listed on NASDAQ, the Company has experienced significant growth as compared to
industry indexes.
 
     The Company experienced a 12.7% return on equity for fiscal 1996. Fiscal
1996 results include a non-cash charge related to the impairment of certain
assets of $24.3 million ($14.9 million after tax). A significant portion of this
charge was determined in connection with the Company's early adoption of
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 121. The charge consisted of the
unamortized prepublication and inventory costs of the Company's K-2 math
program, several older supplemental instructional publishing programs and other
selected titles. Excluding the effect of such charge, the return on equity for
fiscal 1996 would have been 18.7%.
 
     The 1992 Stock Option Plan provides for annual grants of non-qualified
stock options and incentive stock options intended to enable executives and
managers to participate in the long-term growth of the Company and motivate
executives to improve total return to shareholders. The number of options
granted to executive officers as a group for fiscal 1996 was 282,750.
 
                                      Human Resources and Compensation Committee
 
                                                    Joan D. Manley (Chairperson)
                                                                  Alonzo A. Crim
                                                                  Mae C. Jemison
                                                             Richard A. Krinsley
                                                                John G. McDonald
 
                                       15

<PAGE>

                               PERFORMANCE GRAPH
 
TOTAL RETURN
 
     The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholders return of an
investment of $100 on May 31, 1992 in (i) the Company's Common Stock, (ii) the
NASDAQ Composite Index and (iii) the Company's peer group, for the four fiscal
years ended May 31, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996. Scholastic's Initial Public
Offering occurred on February 24, 1992. The year-end values of each investment
are based on the share price appreciation plus monthly reinvestment of
dividends, if any. The Company's peer group consists of Harcourt General, Inc.,
Houghton Mifflin Co., McGraw Hill Inc., Western Publishing Group Inc. and
Reader's Digest.

                     COMPARISON OF CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN
        Scholastic Corporation, NASDAQ Composite Index, and Peer Group

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  Measurement Period
(Fiscal Year Covered)   Scholastic        Nasdaq      Peer Group
<S>                     <C>               <C>         <C>  
5/31/92                   100.00          100.00        100.00
5/31/93                   125.64          119.69        113.92
5/31/94                   122.22          125.61        120.33
5/31/95                   188.89          147.71        132.34
5/31/96                   212.82          212.44        151.36
</TABLE> 
                                       16

<PAGE>

                              ELECTION OF AUDITORS
 
     Action is to be taken at the Meeting with respect to the election of
auditors to audit the financial statements of Scholastic for the fiscal year
ending May 31, 1997. The Audit Committee has recommended the election of Ernst &
Young as independent auditors and, unless otherwise directed, proxies for the
Class A Stock will be voted in favor of the election of Ernst & Young.
Representatives of Ernst & Young will be available at the Meeting to respond to
questions and to make a statement if they so desire. If the holders of Class A
Stock do not elect Ernst & Young, the selection of independent auditors will be
reconsidered by the Audit Committee.
 
     During the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996, Ernst & Young served as
Scholastic's independent auditors. It is the belief of Scholastic's Audit
Committee that the financial relationship between Scholastic and its independent
auditors should be fully disclosed to the stockholders. The fees and expenses
for audit services provided by Ernst & Young to Scholastic and its foreign
subsidiaries with respect to the fiscal year ended May 31, 1996 were $516,554.
This fee includes certain non-audit services provided by Ernst & Young to
Scholastic for which they were paid $116,843 (22.6% of total fees and expenses)
which were related primarily to tax and financial accounting advice on various
proposed transactions and to general accounting assistance.
 
     THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE 'FOR' THE PROPOSAL TO APPROVE
ERNST & YOUNG AS INDEPENDENT AUDITORS OF THE COMPANY. ALL PROXIES WILL BE VOTED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN. WHEN NO SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS ARE GIVEN,
PROXIES WILL BE VOTED FOR THE APPROVAL OF ERNST & YOUNG AS INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
FOR THE COMPANY.
 
                                 OTHER MATTERS
 
     The Board of Directors is not aware of any matters to be presented for
action at the Meeting other than the matters mentioned above, and the Board does
not intend to bring any other matters before the Meeting. However, if any other
matters should properly come before the Meeting for stockholder action, it is
intended that the holders of the proxies will vote thereon at their discretion.
 
                             STOCKHOLDERS PROPOSALS
 
     Proposals of stockholders for inclusion in the Proxy Statement to be issued
in connection with the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Scholastic to be held
in September 1997 must be received by the President of Scholastic by April 26,
1997.
 
                            EXPENSES OF SOLICITATION
 
     The cost of soliciting proxies for the Meeting will be borne by Scholastic.
Solicitation of proxies may be made through personal calls upon, or telephone or
telegraph communications with, stockholders or their representatives by officers
and other employees of Scholastic who will receive no additional compensation
therefor.
 

                                          By Order of the Board of Directors


                                          LYNETTE E. ALLISON
                                          Vice President and Secretary
 
August 26, 1996

                                       17
 
<PAGE>

PROXY                                                               COMMON STOCK
 
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
          PROXY FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, SEPTEMBER 17, 1996
  (THE SOLICITATION OF THIS PROXY IS MADE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS)
 
     The undersigned hereby appoints RICHARD ROBINSON, JOAN D. MANLEY, and
ANDREW S. HEDDEN, or a majority of them, with full power of substitution and
revocation, as proxies to represent the undersigned at the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of Scholastic Corporation to be held at 555 Broadway, New York, New
York, on Tuesday, September 17, 1996, at 9:00 A.M. local time, and at any
adjournment thereof, and to vote the shares of Common Stock the undersigned
would be entitled to vote if personally present.
 
                  THIS PROXY IS CONTINUED ON THE REVERSE SIDE
                  PLEASE DATE, SIGN AND MAIL THIS PROXY TODAY

<PAGE>
                                                          Please mark   [X]
                                                          your vote as
                                                          indicated in
                                                          the example

In the absence of specific directions noted below, it is understood that the
undersigned's shares of Common Stock will be voted in favor of proposal No. 1.
Receipt of a copy of the 1996 Annual Report, Notice of Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, and Proxy Statement dated August 26, 1996 is hereby acknowledged.

Item 1 - Proposal to elect Ramon C. Cortines, John G. McDonald, and 
Alonzo A. Crim as directors.

           If you wish to vote for the election of directors
           and withhold authority to vote for any of the
           individual nominees, enter the name(s) of such
           nominee(s) below.

           ...................................................

                       FOR     WITHHOLD
                       [ ]        [ ] 

Item 2 - Proposal for the appointees of the undersigned to act, in their
discretion, upon such matters as may properly come before the meeting and 
as may properly be voted upon by the holders of Common Stock.

 
                                              Signature(s): ___________________

                                              Date: ___________________________

                                              Note: Please sign as name appears
                                                    hereon. Joint owners should
                                                    each sign. When signing as
                                                    attorney, executor,
                                                    administrator, trustee or
                                                    guardian, please give full
                                                    title as such.

<PAGE>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
PROXY
 
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
               SCHOLASTIC INC. 401(K) SAVINGS AND RETIREMENT PLAN
                                   IMPORTANT
                           PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN
        (THIS SOLICITATION IS MADE ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS)
 
     The enclosed Notice of the 1996 Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement and the
1996 Annual Report are being provided to you as a participant in the Scholastic
Inc. 401(k) Savings and Retirement Plan. Participants who had funds invested in
the Scholastic Corporation Common Stock fund on August 2, 1996, the record date
for the 1996 Annual Meeting, may instruct the plan Trustee how to vote all full
and fractional shares attributable to their account by completing the reverse
side of this card and returning it by September 10, 1996.
 
     Scholastic Corporation urges you to complete, date, sign, and return this
confidential voting instruction card TODAY.


<PAGE>
                                                          Please mark   [X]
                                                          your vote as
                                                          indicated in
                                                          the example

In the absence of specific directions noted below, it is understood that the
undersigned's shares of Common Stock will be voted in favor of proposal No. 1.
Receipt of a copy of the 1996 Annual Report, Notice of Annual Meeting of
Stockholders, and Proxy Statement dated August 26, 1996 is hereby acknowledged.

Item 1 - Proposal to elect Ramon C. Cortines, John G. McDonald, and 
Alonzo A. Crim as directors.

           If you wish to vote for the election of directors
           and withhold authority to vote for any of the
           individual nominees, enter the name(s) of such
           nominee(s) below.

           ...................................................

                           FOR     WITHHOLD 
                           [ ]        [ ]
 
Item 2 - Proposal for the appointees of the undersigned to act, in their
discretion, upon such matters as may properly come before the meeting and as may
properly be voted upon by the holders of Common Stock.


                                               Signature: ______________________

                                               Date: ___________________________

                                               Note: Please sign as name appears
                                                     hereon. Joint owners should
                                                     each sign. When signing as
                                                     attorney, executor,
                                                     administrator, trustee or
                                                     guardian, please give full
                                                     title as such.

<PAGE>
________________________________________________________________________________
 
                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------
 
                                   FORM 10-K
 
             [X]   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                      THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
                     FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 1996
                                       OR
          [  ]   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                      THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                          COMMISSION FILE NO. 0-19860
                            ------------------------
 
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
 
                            ------------------------
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                       <C>
                        DELAWARE                                                 13-3385513
            (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF                          (IRS EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
             INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)
 
            555 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, NEW YORK                                       10012
        (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)                                 (ZIP CODE)
</TABLE>
 
       REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE (212) 343-6100
                            ------------------------
 
          SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OF THE ACT:
 
                                      NONE
 
          SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                 TITLE OF CLASS                         NAME OF EXCHANGE ON WHICH REGISTERED
- ------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------------
<S>                                               <C>
Common Stock, $.01 Par Value                      The NASDAQ Stock Market'sm' --
                                                  NASDAQ National Market'r'
</TABLE>
 
     Indicate  by check  mark whether the  Registrant (1) has  filed all reports

required to be filed by  Section 13 or 15(d) of  the Securities Exchange Act  of
1934  during  the preceding  12  months (or  for  such shorter  period  that the
Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to  such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes  X      No 
                                               ---       ---
 
     Indicate  by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item
405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of Registrant's  knowledge, in definitive  proxy or information  statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. [  ]
 
     The  aggregate  market  value  of the  Registrant's  Voting  Stock  held by
non-affiliates was approximately $748,797,732 based on the average bid and asked
prices of the Common  Stock on the National  Association of Securities  Dealers,
Inc., Automated Quotations -- National Market System on July 31, 1996.
 
     On  June 28,  1996, 828,100 shares  of Class  A Stock, par  value $.01, and
15,048,540 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01, were outstanding exclusive of
treasury shares. The Class A Stock is  convertible at the option of the  holders
into shares of Common Stock at any time on a share-for-share basis.
 
                      DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
 
     Part   III  incorporates   certain  information   by  reference   from  the
Registrant's definitive proxy statement for  the Annual Meeting of  Stockholders
to be held September 17, 1996.
 
________________________________________________________________________________




<PAGE>
                                     PART I
 
ITEM I. BUSINESS
 
     Scholastic  Corporation,  together  with  its  subsidiaries  and affiliates
(collectively hereinafter  referred to  as 'Scholastic'  or the  'Company'),  is
among the leading publishers and distributors of children's books, classroom and
professional  magazines, and other educational materials, with operations in the
United States, Canada, the  United Kingdom, Australia,  New Zealand, France  and
Mexico.  Scholastic distributes  most of its  products directly  to children and
teachers in elementary and  secondary schools. During  its seventy-six years  of
serving  schools, Scholastic  has developed  strong name  recognition associated
with quality  and dedication  to  learning and  has  achieved a  leading  market
position in the school-based distribution of children's books and magazines.
 
     The  Company's domestic book publishing  business consists primarily of the
publication and distribution of children's  books in paperback editions  through
school  book clubs, school  book fairs, trade distribution  in retail stores and
classroom  and  library  sales.  Based  on  its  market  research,   competitive
intelligence  and information obtained through the  conduct of its business, the
Company believes that it operates the  largest school book club program and  the
largest  school  book  fair  business  in the  United  States.  In  fiscal 1996,
Scholastic sold in excess of 200 million children's books in the United  States.
The  Company's  book  publishing  operations  also  include  the  publication of
supplementary texts for classroom  use as well as  professional books and  other
materials  sold  to classroom  teachers. Additionally,  the Company  entered the
market for core-curriculum materials and has been investing heavily in this area
as a source of future growth in sales and profits.
 
     Scholastic's domestic magazine  publishing business  consists primarily  of
the  publication  of  classroom  magazines distributed  to  children  in school,
professional magazines directed  to teachers and  other education  professionals
and  consumer magazines.  In fiscal 1996,  the United States  circulation of the
Company's classroom  magazines was  7.1 million.  The Company's  other  domestic
operations  include  the  distribution  of  educational  computer  software, the
production and distribution  of child and  family-oriented video and  television
programming, and the merchandising and licensing of book properties.
 
     Most  of the Company's  domestic revenues are  generated by targeted direct
mail programs to schools and  by telephone sales representatives.  Additionally,
the  Company has a school sales force of full-time and part-time representatives
calling on schools  to sell  its supplementary texts,  educational software  and
library  book programs, and  its newly developed  core-curriculum materials. For
trade distribution, the Company has a  retail sales force calling on  bookstores
and other retail outlets that include the sale of children's books.
 
     The   Company's   international   business   consists   of   six  operating
subsidiaries, four of which publish and distribute children's books,  magazines,
supplementary  text products,  and educational software  and two  of which serve
primarily as distributors of children's books published by Scholastic as well as
outside publishers.  For the  year  ended May  31,  1996, approximately  80%  of
international revenues were derived from the sale of children's books.

 
     The following table sets forth revenues by product line for the five fiscal
years ended May 31:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          1996        1995        1994        1993        1992
                                                        --------    --------    --------    --------    --------
                                                                         (AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<S>                                                     <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
Domestic
     Book publishing.................................   $657,511    $516,827    $428,283    $361,282    $305,896
     Magazine publishing.............................     81,595      84,027      72,964      66,661      64,037
     Video and New Media.............................     39,795      19,491      17,998      17,550      15,762
International........................................    149,698     129,546     112,345     106,784     103,650
                                                        --------    --------    --------    --------    --------
          Total......................................   $928,599    $749,891    $631,590    $552,277    $489,345
                                                        --------    --------    --------    --------    --------
                                                        --------    --------    --------    --------    --------
</TABLE>
 
     Scholastic's  revenues have grown at an average annual compounded rate (the
'compounded growth rate') of approximately  17% from fiscal 1992 through  fiscal
1996. This growth was driven primarily by
 
                                       1
 


<PAGE>
Scholastic's  domestic book publishing revenues  which have yielded a compounded
growth rate of approximately 21%.
 
DOMESTIC BOOK PUBLISHING (71% OF REVENUES)
 
CHILDREN'S BOOK PUBLISHING
 
     The Company  has published  books since  1948  and is  one of  the  largest
English  language  publishers of  children's books.  The majority  of children's
books  sold  by  the   Company  are  distributed  in   the  United  States   and
internationally directly to children and teachers through its school-based clubs
and book fairs. The Company has created and maintained a long-standing franchise
in  the educational market and in addition, has significantly expanded its trade
presence in recent  years. As  a result, Scholastic's  domestic book  publishing
revenues have more than doubled from fiscal 1992 through fiscal 1996.
 
     The  Company offers a broad range of quality children's literature. Many of
the books  offered  by  the  Company have  received  awards  for  excellence  in
children's  literature,  including the  Caldecott  and the  Newbery  awards. The
Company obtains  titles  for  sale  in  its  distribution  channels  from  three
principal  sources.  First,  the Company  publishes  paperback  and/or hardcover
editions of  books  written  by  outside  authors  under  exclusive  publication
agreements  with  the  Company  or written  by  the  Company's  editorial staff.

Scholastic generally owns rights to sell  these original titles in all  channels
of  distribution  including  school  and trade.  The  second  source  for titles
consists of paperback reprints of books originally published by other publishers
for  which  the  Company  acquires  rights  under  license  agreements  to  sell
exclusively  in  the school  market. The  third  source for  titles is  from the
Company's purchase of  finished books from  other publishers to  be sold in  the
school  market. The  Company currently  maintains a  backlist (a  list of titles
published as new titles in prior years) of over 5,000 titles.
 
     All of the Company's  books are manufactured  by independent printers.  The
printers  generally  are selected  on a  basis of  competitive bidding,  and the
Company when it deems  it to be appropriate,  enters into multi-year  agreements
which  guarantee printers a certain percentage  of Scholastic volume in exchange
for  favorable  pricing  terms.  Scholastic  purchases  its  paper  from   paper
manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and printers.
 
     The  Company  distributes  its children's  books  principally  through four
distribution channels: school book clubs, school book fairs, sales to classrooms
and libraries and trade distribution to retail bookstores. In the school  market
the  Company distributes books directly to  teachers and students through school
book clubs (including continuity  programs) and school  book fairs. The  Company
believes  that it is the  largest operator of school  book clubs and school book
fairs in the  United States. The  Company also distributes  books to the  school
market  through  sales  to  classrooms and  libraries.  The  fourth distribution
channel is sales  to the  trade market. The  Company's trade  channel has  grown
significantly  in recent years,  with sales in  fiscal 1996 up  in excess of 60%
over fiscal 1995 and more than double the fiscal 1994 level. By utilizing  these
distribution   channels  and  distributing  its  products  internationally,  the
Company's volumes  permit  it  to  realize  economies  in  book  production  and
distribution.  The  Company  believes  its  multiple  distribution  channels and
volumes help attract top quality  authors, editors, illustrators and  publishers
seeking  widespread distribution in  both the specialized  school market and the
trade market.
 
     BOOK CLUBS
 
     In  fiscal  1996,  the  Company  operated  ten  school-based  book   clubs:
Firefly'r',  serving  pre-kindergarten  and  kindergarten  students;  SeeSaw'r',
serving kindergarten and  first grade students  ('K-1' grades); two  Carnival'r'
clubs,  one serving students in kindergarten  through second grade and the other
serving third through sixth grade  students; Lucky Book Club'r', serving  second
and third grade students; Arrow Book Club'r', serving fourth through sixth grade
students and TAB Book Club'r', serving sixth, seventh and eighth grade students.
As  of January 23,  1996, the Company  acquired and began  running three Trumpet
clubs, which together serve pre-K through sixth grade students. In addition, the
Company creates  special theme  based  offers targeted  to the  different  grade
levels  during  the year,  e.g. --  holiday  offers, science  offers, curriculum
offers, Spanish offers etc. The  Company also operates Fun-Tastic-At-Home!,  The
Baby-sitters Collector Club, and The Baby-sitters Little Sister Friendship Club,
 
                                       2
 



<PAGE>
Thrills  & Chills, Clifford's Learning Library, Hello Reader, Box Car, Thriller,
The Magic School Bus and Laugh  Attack, which are book club continuity  programs
promoted primarily through schools, which deliver paperback books to children at
home and bill parents at home.
 
     The  Company  founded its  first book  club  in 1948  and believes  that it
currently operates the largest  school book club program  in the United  States.
The  Company estimates that  over 80% of  all elementary school  teachers in the
United States participate in  book clubs, with more  than 75% of these  teachers
using  Scholastic  book  clubs  sometime during  the  year.  Domestic  book club
revenues have grown in recent years, primarily  as a result of the expansion  of
book  club continuity programs, volume increases in its school-based book clubs,
the purchase of additional clubs, increases in special book club offers, and  to
a  lesser degree, because of inflation-related price increases and the selection
by children of higher-priced items.
 
     The Company believes that teachers participate in school book clubs because
they feel  that  quality books  at  affordable prices  will  be of  interest  to
students  and  improve  students'  reading  skills.  The  Company  also believes
teachers are attracted because the book clubs offer easy access to a broad range
of books.  The  Company  mails  promotional pieces  containing  order  forms  to
teachers  in the vast majority  of the pre-K through  eighth grade classrooms in
the United States on a monthly  basis throughout the school year.  Participation
in  any month  does not  create an obligation  to participate  in any subsequent
month, nor does it preclude participation in a competitor's book club.
 
     Teachers who wish to participate in a book club distribute the order  forms
to  their students,  who may  choose from approximately  40 to  50 selections at
substantial  reductions  from  retail  prices.  The  teacher  consolidates   the
students'  orders and payments  and mails or  phones them to  the Company, which
then delivers  the  books to  the  teacher  for distribution  to  the  students.
Teachers  who  participate in  the  book clubs  may  accumulate credits  for the
purchase of  additional  books  and  other items  primarily  for  use  in  their
classrooms.
 
     The  sources  of books  for the  Company's school  book clubs  are reprints
licensed from other  publishers for school  distribution, original  publications
and  finished  books  purchased  from other  publishers.  The  Company generally
re-offers titles from  its backlist through  the book clubs  every two or  three
years.
 
     The  Company processes and fulfills most orders for its book clubs, as well
as for its other school sales  (except book fairs) and trade distribution,  from
its  warehouse and distribution facility in Jefferson City, Missouri. Orders for
the book clubs are shipped to customers by Roadway Package System, United Parcel
Service and U.S. Mail and generally are  delivered within 14 days from when  the
teacher places the order in the mail.
 
     The  Jefferson City facility  has an automated  inventory picking and order
processing system which allows the Company  to provide a high level of  customer
service  and timely delivery to  its customers. Customer service representatives
are also available to handle customer inquiries and expedite shipments.
 

     In its  book club  business, the  Company  competes on  the basis  of  book
selection,  price, promotion and customer service. The Company believes that its
broad selection  of  titles, many  of  which  are distributed  in  this  channel
exclusively  by Scholastic, combined  with low unit  manufacturing costs and its
large number of promotion mailings, enable the Company to compete effectively.
 
     BOOK FAIRS
 
     The Company believes it operates the  largest school book fair business  in
the United States. The Company entered the book fair business in 1981 through an
acquisition  in California.  In 1983,  the Company  became a  national book fair
operator as a result of its  acquisition of Great American Book Fairs'r'.  Since
that  time,  the Company  has  grown its  book  fair business  primarily through
geographic expansion,  selected acquisitions  and increased  penetration of  its
existing  markets. The Company  operates book fairs  in all 50  states under the
name Scholastic Book Fairs.
 
     Book fairs are generally one week-long events conducted on school  premises
and  sponsored by  school librarians  and/or parent-teacher  organizations. Book
fair events expose children to hundreds of
 
                                       3
 


<PAGE>
new books and allow children the opportunity to purchase books of their  choice.
Although  the Company provides the school with the books and book display cases,
the school  actually conducts  the  book fair.  The  Company believes  that  the
primary  motivation of  the schools  is to  provide their  students with quality
books at  reasonable prices  in order  to help  them become  more interested  in
reading. In addition, the schools retain a portion of book fair sale proceeds to
be used to purchase books, supplies and equipment for the school.
 
     In fiscal 1994, the Company launched a new class of fairs called Scholastic
Books  on Tour'r'. This program features an expanded list of titles supported by
exciting merchandise displays and book  character costumes designed to create  a
dynamic Book Fair event open to the entire family.
 
     Over  two-thirds  of all  titles offered  in the  Company's book  fairs are
licensed reprints or are purchased directly from other publishers.
 
     The Company operates  its book  fairs in the  United States  on a  regional
basis through 15 sales offices and 73 warehouse locations. The marketing of book
fairs  is performed from  the sales offices  by telephone sales representatives.
The Company's  books  and  display  cases are  delivered  to  schools  from  the
Company's  warehouses  by a  fleet of  leased  vehicles. The  Company's customer
service function is performed from the regional and branch offices, supported by
field service representatives.
 
     The Company  believes that  its  competitive advantages  in the  book  fair
business   includes  the  strength   of  the  relationship   between  its  sales
representatives and schools, broad geographic coverage, a high level of customer
service and breadth of product selection. Approximately 90% of the schools  that

sponsored a Scholastic Book Fair in fiscal 1995 sponsored a Scholastic Book Fair
again in fiscal 1996.
 
     TRADE
 
     The  Company  distributes  its  original  publications  through  the  trade
distribution channel. Almost all of the  titles distributed to the trade  market
are  also offered  in the  Company's school  book clubs  and book  fairs. In the
Company's publishing  program,  over  2,000  titles  are  maintained  for  trade
distribution, including the popular Goosebumps'r', The Baby-sitters Club'r', The
Magic  School  Bus'r',  and Clifford  The  Big  Red Dog'r'  series.  The Company
believes that  its  increased presence  in  the  trade market  is  important  in
attracting  outside  authors  for  publication  and  complements  the  Company's
school-based book distribution businesses.
 
     The Company has  a field sales  organization which focuses  on selling  the
broad  range of  Scholastic books to  book store accounts.  Penguin USA performs
invoicing, billing  and  collections for  Scholastic  in connection  with  trade
distribution.
 
     The  Company's sales in the  trade market are led  by the highly successful
Goosebumps'r' series, with 68  titles and 150 million  copies in print, and  The
Baby-sitters Club'r' series, with 245 titles published and 149 million copies in
print.  Another  Scholastic-developed property  that also  generates significant
sales is The Magic School Bus'r' series with 23 titles published and 24  million
copies in print. Series such as I Spy'tm', Clifford The Big Red Dog'r' and Hello
Reader'r'  continue  to anchor  the successful  Cartwheel Books'r'  imprint. The
Scholastic Children's Dictionary is  being published in the  Summer of 1996  and
will greatly enhance the reference line which already includes successful series
such  as First  Discovery and  Voyages of Discovery.  The Blue  Sky Press'r' and
Scholastic Press'r'  imprints  have  attracted  some  of  the  best  talents  in
children's  publishing, including  Eve Bunting,  Leo and  Diane Dillon, Virginia
Hamilton, Barry  Moser, Walter  Dean  Myers, Dav  Pilkey, Cynthia  Rylant,  Mark
Teague, Nancy Willard and Ed Young.
 
     CLASSROOM AND LIBRARY SALES
 
     Many  elementary school  teachers use  paperback books  in conjunction with
basal textbooks to  teach reading and  other subjects. In  addition to  offering
book  clubs and book  fairs, Scholastic serves this  need by offering individual
titles and collections of paperback  books for classrooms and school  libraries.
In  fiscal 1996, approximately two-thirds of  the school districts in the United
States ordered  books and  collections from  the Company.  The majority  of  the
titles  sold directly to school  classrooms and libraries are  the same as those
offered through the Company's book clubs and book fairs.
 
                                       4
 


<PAGE>
     The purchase of individual titles and book collections are generally funded
by school budgets. Classrooms and libraries may order directly through  catalogs
mailed  to the schools and through  the Company's school sales force. Processing

and fulfillment of these orders are  handled in the Jefferson City  distribution
center.
 
INSTRUCTIONAL PUBLISHING
 
     The  Instructional Publishing group  develops and distributes instructional
materials (both supplemental and  core-curriculum programs) directly to  schools
in  addition to managing classroom and library sales of children's books through
the Company's  school  sales force.  Based  on industry  research,  the  Company
believes that the K-6 market for instuctional material in such areas as language
arts,  math, science, social studies, health, etc.  is in excess of $2.0 billion
annually.
 
     Publishing for the  K-6 market is  being affected by  a number of  factors,
including  the shift toward skill-based instruction balanced with the philosophy
of literature-based  instruction (the  teaching of  reading and  other  subjects
utilizing  whole books such as trade or paperback books) and the increasing role
of teachers in selecting materials for use in the classroom. Additionally, there
is increasing flexibility in  'adoption' states, where  state boards approve  or
'list'  instructional materials that local school boards, individual schools and
teachers can purchase. In these states,  the state boards are listing a  greater
number  of  instructional materials,  thereby  giving the  local  school boards,
individual schools and teachers  a wider range  of instructional materials  from
which to select.
 
     The   Company  believes  that  these  changes  provide  an  opportunity  to
substantially expand  its presence  in the  instructional materials  market.  To
capitalize  on  this opportunity,  the Company's  strategies are  the following:
publish multimedia programs which  provide schools with innovative  alternatives
to  programs offered by other publishers;  concentrate its publishing in the K-6
grade market, which is the largest part  of the market; focus its publishing  in
language  arts and  science where the  Company has successful  book and magazine
publishing programs;  use existing  books and  magazines from  other  Scholastic
publishing  groups;  and cross-market  its  new programs  to  the more  than one
million teachers who currently  participate in Scholastic's  book clubs and  use
its  magazines.  To implement  these strategies,  the  Company has  expanded its
marketing and editorial  staff and is  investing in training  and expanding  its
school sales force.
 
     Pursuant  to  this  strategy,  the  Company  completed  the  publication of
Scholastic Literacy Place'r' its K-6 reading program, and Solares'tm', a Spanish
elementary reading program. The Company is  pleased with the market reaction  to
Scholastic  Literacy  Place'r',  especially in  Florida  and  certain midwestern
states. The program  is also  being submitted  for adoption  in California,  the
single  largest  adoption  market,  and several  other  states.  The  Company is
confident the program meets the curriculum requirements for California and those
other states.
 
     In fiscal 1996,  the Company also  completed a revision  and update of  its
popular  K-6  grade  science  program,  Scholastic  Science  Place'r'.  Sales of
Scholastic Science Place in Kentucky, Alabama and other states were strong.  The
Company  expects continued  success in open  terrritory states  with the updated
program as it plans the publication of the second edition of Scholastic  Science
Place.

 
     The  Company  expanded  Wiggleworks'r', its  standard-setting  CD-ROM based
beginning literacy program, to include a Windows'r' version, in addition to  the
popular  Macintosh-based  product. Also,  a network  version  will be  ready for
shipment in fiscal 1997.
 
     The  Early   Childhood   publishing   division's,   The   Early   Childhood
Workshop'tm',  a pre-kindergarten and  kindergarten core-curriculum program, was
successfully sold in Texas  primarily in the Company's  first quarter of  fiscal
1996,  garnering approximately two-thirds  of the market.  The total spending on
prepublication  costs  relating  to  these  core-curriculum  programs  in  early
childhood,  reading,  language  arts,  science,  technology  and  math  has been
approximately $100.0 million from fiscal 1991 to fiscal 1996.
 
     In the fourth  quarter of fiscal  1996, the Company  recorded a charge  for
programs  that did not meet market needs  or are being deemphasized. This charge
consisted of the unamortized prepublication and inventory costs of the Company's
K-2 math program and several older supplemental instructional programs.
 
                                       5
 


<PAGE>
MAGAZINE PUBLISHING (9% OF REVENUES)
 
GENERAL
 
     Scholastic complements its school-based  book publishing business with  the
publication  of classroom magazines, which are used as supplementary educational
materials, and  professional  magazines,  directed  at  teachers  and  education
professionals.  Most of the Company's classroom and professional magazines carry
the  Scholastic  name,   which  reinforces  the   Company's  widely   recognized
educational  reputation with  students, teachers and  school administrators. The
Company's reputation for publishing quality magazines, maintaining an  extensive
magazine  mailing  list  and having  a  large  customer base  of  teachers helps
generate customers for its book clubs  and other Scholastic products as well  as
its magazines. At the same time, the Company uses its book club mailings to help
secure  additional circulation for its classroom and professional magazines. The
Company also publishes two consumer magazines for small business and home office
professionals and a magazine for parents  of children in pre-K and  Kindergarten
classes.
 
CLASSROOM MAGAZINES
 
     The  Company's 34 classroom magazines are designed to encourage students to
read and  to supplement  the formal  learning program  by bringing  subjects  of
current  interest  into the  classroom.  The subjects  covered  include English,
reading, literature, math, science, current  events, social studies and  foreign
languages.  The most well  known of the Company's  U.S. magazines are Scholastic
News'r' and Junior Scholastic'r'.
 
     The Company's  classroom  magazine circulation  in  the United  States  for
fiscal  1996 was 7.1 million. Approximately  two-thirds of the circulation is in

the K-6 grades, with the balance in grades seven through twelve. In fiscal 1996,
teachers in approximately  60% of  the elementary schools  and 70%  of the  high
schools in the United States used the Company's classroom magazines.
 
     The  various classroom magazines are distributed  on a weekly, bi-weekly or
monthly basis during the school year. A majority of circulation revenue is  paid
for  by the schools and the remainder by students. Circulation revenue accounted
for approximately two-thirds  of the  Company's classroom  magazine revenues  in
fiscal  1996. Several  of the magazines  distributed in  secondary schools carry
advertising.
 
     The Company  markets its  classroom magazines  largely by  direct mail  and
telephone  sales representatives. The Company maintains an extensive database of
teachers and  schools  which it  utilizes  for promotional  efforts.  The  order
processing  for classroom magazines is conducted at the Company's Jefferson City
facility.
 
     Additionally, the  Company develops  and distributes  customized  marketing
programs   sponsored  by  major  corporations,  government  agencies  and  other
organizations which  want  to  reach  young  people  and  educators.  Customized
programs   may  include  single-sponsor  magazines,  posters,  teaching  guides,
integrated teaching kits,  educational videos  and other  promotional media.  In
fiscal  1996, the Company developed programs for the United States Department of
Agriculture,  Discover  Card  Services,  Inc.,   Fuji  Photo  Film  USA,   NYNEX
Corporation, the Michael Jordan Foundation, Paramount Pictures Inc. and AT&T.
 
PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHING AND EARLY CHILDHOOD PUBLISHING
 
     The  Company publishes four magazines  directed at teachers and educational
professionals: Instructor'tm', Early Childhood Today'tm', Electronic Learning'r'
and Scholastic Coach. Total circulation for  these magazines in fiscal 1996  was
in  excess of  400,000. The  magazines are  distributed throughout  the academic
year. Subscriptions are solicited by  direct mail to teachers and  subscriptions
are  cross-marketed  to  teachers  through  the  book  clubs.  The  Company also
publishes Scholastic Parent and Child 'r' magazine, which is directed at parents
and distributed through  schools and  day care programs.  Scholastic Parent  and
Child's  circulation is approximately  1.0 million. The  magazines carry outside
advertising, advertising for  the Company's other  products and advertising  for
clients  that  sponsor customized  programs.  Sponsors include  Microsoft Corp.,
Apple Computer, Viacom International Inc.,  General Mills, Inc., Disney and  the
Chrysler  Corporation.  In  fiscal  1996,  advertising  revenue  represented the
majority of the professional publishing and early childhood magazine revenues.
 
                                       6
 


<PAGE>
     The professional publishing division also publishes professional books  and
continuity  programs  consisting  of instructional  materials  designed  for and
generally  purchased  by  teachers.  Professional  books  are  marketed  through
Scholastic  book clubs, catalogs, direct mail solicitations and by the Company's
trade sales  force  to teacher  stores  and  book stores.  The  early  childhood
division also publishes children's books and a pre-K and kindergarten curriculum

program,  The  Early Childhood  Workshop.  In fiscal  1996,  sales of  The Early
Childhood Workshop represented approximately two-thirds  of the market share  in
the  Texas state  adoption, producing  revenues of  approximately $20.0 million.
Revenues from these items are included in domestic book publishing revenues.
 
SCHOLASTIC SOHO GROUP
 
     In 1983, the Company  introduced a national  consumer magazine, now  called
Home  Office Computing'r'. In its 13th year,  Home Office Computing is a leading
magazine for technology reliant home office professionals. In recognition of the
magazine's rapidly expanding franchise  as the leading  publisher for the  small
office and home office ('SOHO') market, the Company reorganized this business as
the SOHO group. In fiscal 1996, the group launched a sister publication entitled
Small  Business Computing'tm'.  This new offering,  combined with  the growth of
custom publishing, is expected to result  in higher revenues for the SOHO  group
in  fiscal 1997.  With combined circulation  of 560,000,  both magazines attract
companies such  as  America Online,  Epson,  IBM, Microsoft  Corp.  and  Hewlett
Packard,  among others, as  its principal advertisers. In  fiscal 1996, the SOHO
group carried  890 pages  of advertising.  The group  also provides  specialized
newsletters  and books. It also  has a presence on  America Online and the World
Wide Web and sells sponsorships for both sites.
 
VIDEO AND NEW MEDIA (4% OF REVENUES)
 
FILMED ENTERTAINMENT AND MARKETING AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS
 
     Scholastic Productions,  Inc. ('SPI'),  a  wholly-owned subsidiary  of  the
Company,  extends the Company's franchises worldwide by developing and producing
quality children's  programming  for  distribution  in  multimedia  formats.  In
addition,  SPI licenses and  develops products originated  by third parties. SPI
orchestrates consumer marketing campaigns and manages the licensing of  consumer
products  and promotions  for each  franchise. SPI  is also  responsible for the
selection of video cassettes sold through the book clubs and for sales of  books
and other products through non-traditional channels.
 
     In   fiscal  1996,  the  SPI-produced  The  Magic  School  Bus'tm'  ('MSB')
television series aired its second season on PBS and completed production of  an
additional  13 episodes for the third  season. Thirteen additional episodes will
be produced in fiscal 1997, bringing the series total to 52. The series will air
daily in fall 1996.  MSB, which has  won numerous awards  including an Emmy  for
Lily  Tomlin, is  the most  popular series for  school-aged children  on PBS. In
November 1995, SPI launched the Traveling Magic School Bus, an actual recreation
of the bus  from the  book and  animated series,  which through  April 1996  has
traveled  around the country visiting over  50 schools, libraries, retail stores
and book fairs, reaching nearly 250,000 fans. In addition to the continuation of
the domestic marketing and consumer products  program for MSB, SPI initiated  an
international   licensing  program  during  fiscal   1996  in  conjunction  with
independent licensing agents in the  United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and  France.
The  series' television  rights have  been licensed  in all  major international
territories by Nelvana Ltd., Scholastic's international distributor. Warner Home
Video successfully continued to  release the episodes of  the first two  seasons
domestically on video cassette. SPI co-produced its third and fourth in a series
of  MSB  CD-ROM's with  Microsoft  Corporation on  Oceans  and Geology.  All MSB
CD-ROM's are in the top 20 best-selling titles for children.

 
     In October 1995, the SPI-produced Goosebumps'r' TV series premiered with  a
one-hour special on the Fox Children's Network ('FCN'). The first 13 episodes of
Goosebumps  aired this  fiscal year  and was rated  the #1  children's series on
television. The inaugural  video cassette released  by Fox Home  Video in  March
1996,  the premiere one-hour prime time special,  'The Haunted Mask', was on the
list of top-selling videos  when initially released.  An additional 17  episodes
and  four one hour specials have been ordered  by FCN; two of the specials aired
in fiscal 1996, with the balance to air during the 1996/1997 broadcast year. The
success of  the  TV  series  has helped  launch  a  very  successful  Goosebumps
marketing  and  consumer products  program.  There are  currently  33 Goosebumps
licensees producing
 
                                       7
 


<PAGE>
over 1,000 different products. In addition, during fiscal 1996, SPI was able  to
secure  major domestic promotional campaigns with General Mills and Kraft. Major
domestic consumer promotions planned for  fiscal 1997 include four divisions  of
PepsiCo  (Taco Bell,  Frito Lay, Pepsi  and Pizza  Hut), as well  as the Hershey
Corporation. Saban  International,  on behalf  of  FCN, is  currently  licensing
Goosebumps  TV rights internationally. During  fiscal 1997, Goosebumps marketing
and consumer products  programs will  launch internationally  in Australia,  New
Zealand,  the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada. The first Goosebumps CD-ROM is
expected to be  released by DreamWorks  SKG, in conjunction  with their  partner
Microsoft Corporation, during fiscal 1997.
 
     Other   Scholastic  franchises  in  development  for  potential  multimedia
exploitation include Animorphs'tm',  one of  the Company's  new children's  book
series.  SPI  also has  a  variety of  original  children's and  family oriented
projects in development as the basis of future programming opportunities.
 
     During fiscal 1996, SPI-produced properties, including The Magic School Bus
and Goosebumps TV series episodes,  as well as the  feature films Indian in  the
Cupboard  and  The  Baby-sitters  Club, generated  strong  video  cassette sales
through Scholastic's  Book Clubs.  Book sales  through non-traditional  channels
increased  as  a  result of  strong  merchandising placement  for  the Company's
franchises in retail accounts as well as promotional premium book  opportunities
working  cooperatively  with  SPI's  marketing group.  These  book  revenues are
included in domestic book publishing revenues.
 
TECHNOLOGY AND NEW MEDIA
 
     In fiscal 1994, the  Company created a technology  and new media  division.
The  mission of  this division  is threefold:  (1) publish  and sell educational
software and  multimedia  products  to  schools and  homes;  (2)  support  other
Scholastic divisions' technology efforts (including the creation and integration
of   technology   components   into   the   Instructional   Publishing   group's
core-curriculum  materials);  and  (3)  explore  and  develop  opportunities  in
telecommunications   and   interactive   networks,   including   the  Scholastic
Network'tm', which  is  available  to  educators  via  America  Online  and  the
Internet,  as  well as  Internet-based applications  for delivery  of Scholastic

products and services.
 
     The Company has published educational  computer software since 1982,  which
is  sold to schools by sales representatives, catalog and other direct marketing
methods and educational distributors serving the school market. The Company also
sells consumer  software through  book  clubs and,  since  1991, has  also  sold
software  through a  classroom software  club modeled  after its  classroom book
clubs. In fiscal 1997, the Company will  launch a second software club aimed  at
younger children. The Company acquires software for distribution in all of these
channels  through a combination of  licensing, internal development, contracting
with independent software developers and third-party distribution arrangements.
 
     In fiscal 1994, the  Company launched, through  a special arrangement  with
America  Online, the Scholastic Network'tm',  the first online service developed
especially for educators and students. It offers compelling in-class experiences
for the kindergarten through twelfth grade  market and will be available on  the
Internet  in fiscal 1997. Also in fiscal 1994, the Company initiated a corporate
presence on the Internet with a home page on the World Wide Web.  Scholastic.com
provides  users  of  the  World  Wide Web  with  an  overview  of  the Company's
activities, resource libraries  for educators,  an education  store and  special
programming tied to Scholastic Network's content. In fiscal 1997, the Scholastic
Network'tm' will be part of Scholastic.com as a paid service.
 
     Scholastic increased its video presence with the acquisition in fiscal 1996
of  Weston Woods Studios,  Inc., a producer of  award-winning videos of animated
versions of children's books.
 
     Revenues from video and new media group in the aggregate have  historically
been less than 5% of the Company's revenues and profitability has been marginal.
The Scholastic Network'tm' has generated a loss since its launch in fiscal 1994.
 
INTERNATIONAL (16% OF REVENUES)
 
     Scholastic  conducts its international  operations through six wholly-owned
subsidiaries located  in Canada,  Australia, the  United Kingdom,  New  Zealand,
France and Mexico. The operations in France and Mexico are tests of school-based
distribution in these countries while the Company's other
 
                                       8
 


<PAGE>
subsidiaries  publish and distribute  children's books, magazines, supplementary
text products and  educational software.  In fiscal 1996,  approximately 80%  of
international revenues were derived from the sale of children's books.
 
     The  Company markets its products internationally  in the same manner as in
the United  States and,  therefore, markets  primarily to  schools through  book
clubs  and book  fairs. Although  book clubs  account for  the largest  share of
international revenues, book fairs  and the trade market  have grown rapidly  in
recent years.
 
     Each subsidiary is responsible for its own editorial, production, sales and

fulfillment  operations.  The  Canadian  subsidiary  distributes  a  substantial
percentage of  United States  originated Scholastic  books, whereas  the  United
Kingdom   subsidiary  distributes  very  few.   Scholastic  products  that  were
originated in the United States account for approximately 40% of Australia's and
New Zealand's lines of children's books.
 
     In fiscal 1996, the Company acquired  School Book Fairs Ltd. ('School  Book
Fairs'),  the United  Kingdom subsidiary  of Pages  Inc. The  Company is  in the
process of integrating School Book Fairs with its own school book fair business,
Scholastic Book  Fairs, to  form a  single operating  unit while  continuing  to
market the two separate and competitive book fair brands.
 
     In fiscal 1994, the Company purchased the United Kingdom based Mary Glasgow
Publications,  a  publisher of  foreign  language and  English  language reading
magazines  which   are  distributed   throughout  Europe   and  North   America.
Scholastic's  domestic  classroom  magazine division  distributes  these foreign
language magazines in  the United  States and  Scholastic's Canadian  subsidiary
markets these in Canada.
 
COMPETITION
 
     The  domestic  market  for  educational  materials  is  highly competitive.
Competition is based  on the  quality and  range of  educational materials  made
available,  price, promotion and customer service. There are many competitors in
the domestic educational materials market,  including one other national  school
book club operator, two other national school book fair operators (together with
smaller   regional  operators,  including   local  bookstores),  numerous  other
paperback book, textbook and supplementary text publishers, national  publishers
of  classroom,  professional and  personal  computer magazines  with substantial
circulation, producers  of programming,  and  publishers of  computer  software.
Competition  may increase  further to the  extent that other  entities enter the
market and to the extent that current competitors or new competitors develop and
introduce new educational materials that  compete directly with the  educational
materials distributed by the Company.
 
     The  Company also has numerous competitors in each of the foreign countries
in which it conducts business.
 
EMPLOYEES
 
     As of  May 31,  1996, Scholastic  employed approximately  3,800 persons  in
full-time  jobs and  650 in hourly  or part-time  jobs in the  United States and
approximately 1,000 persons  in its  international subsidiaries.  The number  of
part-time employees fluctuates during the year because the Company's business is
closely correlated with the school year. The Company believes that its relations
with employees are good.
 
COPYRIGHT AND TRADEMARKS
 
     The name 'Scholastic' is a registered trademark in the United States and in
countries where the Company has international subsidiaries. The Company has also
registered  in the United  States the names  of each of  its major domestic book
clubs, the  titles  of  its  major  magazines  and  the  names  of  all  of  its
core-curriculum  programs.  The Company's  international subsidiaries  have also

registered some names  of their  respective book clubs  and magazines.  Although
individual  book titles are not subject to trademark protection, the Company has
registered the names of certain series, such as The Baby-sitters Club'r' and The
Magic School Bus'r'.
 
     All of the Company's publications, including books, magazines and software,
are subject to  copyright protection.  Copyright and  trademark infringement  is
vigorously  defended by  the Company and,  as necessary, outside  counsel may be
retained to assist in such protection.
 
                                       9
 


<PAGE>
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
 
     The principal facilities of the Company are as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             LOCATION                                USE                         SIZE             OWNED/LEASED
<S>                                  <C>                                   <C>                 <C>
UNITED STATES
 
New York, New York                   Offices                                 418,924 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Jefferson City, Missouri             Office and warehouses                 1,257,262 sq. ft.          Owned
 
Des Plaines, Illinois                Warehouse                               127,800 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Anaheim, California                  Office and warehouse                     64,570 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Monroe, Connecticut                  Office and warehouse                     50,000 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Lake Mary, Florida                   Office and warehouse                     45,000 sq. ft.          Owned
                                     Land only                                     4.2 acres          Owned
 
Longwood, Florida                    Office and warehouse                     42,000 sq. ft.          Owned
 
Elk Grove, Illinois                  Office and warehouse                     39,416 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Lyndhurst, New Jersey                Accounting and information               30,510 sq. ft.         Leased
                                     processing center
 
Boone County, Missouri               Office and warehouse                     15,000 sq. ft.          Owned
 
San Diego, California                Office and warehouse                     10,104 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Tempe, Arizona                       Office and warehouse                      8,584 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Norwalk, Connecticut                 Warehouse                                 6,385 sq. ft.         Leased
 

Weston, Connecticut                  Office                                    5,882 sq. ft.          Owned
 
Bartlett, Tennessee                  Office and warehouse                      5,550 sq. ft.         Leased
 
INTERNATIONAL
 
Gosford, N.S.W., Australia           Office and warehouses                   119,007 sq. ft.          Owned
                                     Land only                                      10 acres          Owned
 
Victoria, Australia                  Land and residence                             24 acres          Owned
 
Somersby, N.S.W., Australia          Land only                                      17 acres          Owned
 
Lindfield, Australia                 Office                                   12,411 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Richmond Hill, Ontario,
  Canada                             Office and warehouse                     85,364 sq. ft.          Owned
                                     Office and warehouse                    108,302 sq. ft.         Leased
                                     Land only                                       5 acres          Owned
 
Southam, England                     Office and warehouse                     51,500 sq. ft.          Owned
                                     Warehouse                                48,851 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Christchurch, England                Office and Warehouse                     33,792 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Leamington Spa, England              Office                                   23,358 sq. ft.         Leased
 
London, England                      Office                                    9,230 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Sussex, England                      Warehouse                                 7,420 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Somerset, England                    Warehouse                                 6,630 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Paris, France                        Warehouse                                 4,779 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Mexico City, Mexico                  Office and warehouse                      6,466 sq. ft.         Leased
 
Auckland, New Zealand                Office and warehouse                     39,197 sq. ft.         Leased
</TABLE>
 
                                       10
 


<PAGE>
     In addition  to  the facilities  listed,  the Company's  book  fairs  lease
various  regional warehouse  locations in  the United  States comprising 715,314
square feet in total. The Company  also owns or leases other smaller  facilities
and  property in the  United States, Canada, Australia,  the United Kingdom, New
Zealand and France. Management believes  that these facilities are adequate  and
suitable for the Company's current needs.
 
     See  Note  5  --  'Commitments'  in  the  Notes  to  Consolidated Financial
Statements for  information  concerning  the  Company's  obligations  under  all

leases.
 
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
     A  number of lawsuits  and administrative proceedings  which have arisen in
the ordinary course of business are  pending or threatened against the  Company.
The  Company believes there  are meritorious defenses  to substantially all such
claims.
 
     From time  to time  the  Company is  involved  in proceedings  with  states
seeking  to collect sales and use taxes, for which the Company accrues a reserve
it believes to be adequate.
 
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
 
     No matters were submitted to a vote of the holders of the Company's  Common
Stock during the last quarter of its fiscal year ended May 31, 1996.
 
                                       11




<PAGE>
                                    PART II
 
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER
MATTERS
 
     The  Company's  Common Stock  is traded  on  the Nasdaq  National Market'r'
system under the symbol SCHL. Class A Stock is convertible into Common Stock  on
a  share-for-share basis. The table below sets forth, for the periods indicated,
the quarterly and one year high  and low selling prices on the  Nasdaq'r'-Nasdaq
National Market'r' system for the Company's Common Stock.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                   YEAR ENDED MAY 31,
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         1996                              1995
                                                             -----------------------------     -----------------------------
                                                                 HIGH             LOW              HIGH             LOW
                                                             ------------     ------------     ------------     ------------
 
<S>                                                          <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>
First Quarter.............................................   66 3/4            52 1/4           46 1/2           35 1/2
 
Second Quarter............................................   71                58 3/4           50               45
 
Third Quarter.............................................   78 3/4            65 3/4           53 3/4           45 3/4
 
Fourth Quarter............................................   73 3/4            60               57               49 3/4
 
Year......................................................   78 3/4            52 1/4           57               35 1/2
</TABLE>
 
     The  Company has not  paid any dividends since  its initial public offering
and has no current plans  to pay any dividends on  its Common Stock and Class  A
Stock. In addition, certain of the Company's credit facilities restrict payments
of dividends. See Note 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
     The  approximate number of holders  of Class A and  Common Stock as of June
30, 1996 were 3 and 6,000, respectively.
 
     On August 18,  1995, the Company  sold $110.0 million  of 5.0%  Convertible
Subordinated  Debentures due August 15, 2005 (the 'Debentures') under Regulation
S and Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. The Debentures are listed on  the
Luxembourg  Stock Exchange and the Debentures  offered pursuant to Rule 144A are
designated for  trading in  the Portal  system of  the National  Association  of
Securities  Dealers,  Inc. See  Note 4  of the  Notes to  Consolidated Financial
Statements.
 
                                       12
 



<PAGE>
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

Years ended May 31 (Amounts in thousands except per share data)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         1996        1995         1994        1993        1992
<S>                                                    <C>         <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>
STATEMENT OF INCOME DATA:
     Total revenues.................................   $928,599    $749,891     $631,590    $552,277    $489,345
     Cost of goods sold.............................    466,030     355,968      297,069     265,675     236,032
     Selling, general and administrative expenses...    367,376     316,263      271,354     231,736     203,903
     Other operating costs:
          Goodwill, Trademarks, and License
            amortization and depreciation...........     13,054      10,010        7,603       5,808       6,134
          Impairment of assets......................     24,304(1)       --           --          --          --
          Other charges.............................         --          --           --          --      10,291(2)
     Operating income...............................     57,835      67,650       55,564      49,058      32,985
     Interest expense, net..........................     11,170       5,395        2,856       2,259      11,408
     Net income.....................................     31,897(3)   38,578       24,794(4)   28,104      12,953
     Net income per share -- fully diluted..........      $1.97(3)    $2.37        $1.53(4)    $1.75       $1.05
     Weighted average shares outstanding -- fully
       diluted......................................     17,341      16,286       16,155      16,430      13,329
 
BALANCE SHEET DATA (END OF YEAR):
     Working capital................................   $177,082    $136,775     $100,297    $ 62,997    $ 64,513
     Total assets...................................    673,166     505,864      390,040     263,191     226,043
     Long-term debt.................................    186,810      91,518       39,605       3,261      23,387
     Stockholders' equity...........................    288,647     250,213      205,832     153,493     111,707
</TABLE>
 
(1) Fiscal 1996 includes a non-cash charge relating to the impairment of certain
    assets of $24,304. A  significant portion of this  charge was determined  in
    connection  with  the Company's  early  adoption of  Statement  of Financial
    Accounting  Standards  No.  121,  which   requires  an  evaluation  of   the
    realization of long-lived asset carrying values. This charge consists of the
    unamortized  prepublication ($10,809)  and inventory ($13,495)  costs of the
    Company's  K-2  math  program,  several  older  supplemental   instructional
    publishing  programs and other selected titles.  The fully diluted impact of
    the charge is $0.88 per share.
 
(2) Fiscal 1992  includes a  provision for  nonrecurring relocation  charges  of
    $4,100  relating to  the consolidation of  the Company's New  York staff and
    includes a provision for  a nonrecurring charge of  $6,191, relating to  the
    restructuring  of the  Company's financial commitment  for theatrical motion
    picture productions. The combined fully  diluted impact of these  provisions
    is $0.46 per share.
 
(3) Fiscal  1996 net income and net income per share-fully diluted excluding the
    $24,304 non-cash charge would have been $46,801 and $2.85, respectively.
 
(4) Fiscal 1994 includes a provision for a nonrecurring charge of $8,135 (net of

    tax) with  a  fully  diluted impact  of  $0.51  per share  relating  to  the
    cumulative effect of changes in accounting principles due to the adoption of
    financial  accounting  standards  on  postretirement  benefits  (other  than
    pensions), postemployment  benefits and  income taxes.  Also included  is  a
    $1,305  tax  benefit to  reflect  the effect  on  net deferred  income taxes
    resulting from the increase in the federal tax rate from 34% to 35%.
 
                                       13
 


<PAGE>
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
OF OPERATIONS
 
     The following discussion and  analysis should be  read in conjunction  with
the  Consolidated Financial Statements and  related Notes and Selected Financial
Data.
 
FISCAL 1996 COMPARED TO FISCAL 1995
 
     Fiscal 1996 revenues  increased approximately  24% from  $749.9 million  in
fiscal 1995 to $928.6 million in fiscal 1996.
 
     Domestic book publishing revenues accounted for a majority of the Company's
revenues  in both fiscal 1996 and fiscal 1995. Domestic book publishing revenues
increased 27% from  $516.8 million in  fiscal 1995 to  $657.5 million in  fiscal
1996.  Book clubs (including continuity programs)  accounted for 43% of domestic
book publishing sales in fiscal 1996. Book club revenues increased approximately
12% over fiscal 1995 primarily  as a result of the  growth and expansion of  the
book  club continuity programs and the purchase of Trumpet book clubs. The trade
or retail  based  distribution  channel  accounted  for  21%  of  domestic  book
publishing sales in fiscal 1996. It led the increase in domestic book publishing
by  recording more than 60% growth in  fiscal 1996 over fiscal 1995. This growth
reflects the continued success of the Company's series publishing,  particularly
the  Goosebumps  book  series. Book  fairs  accounted for  approximately  19% of
domestic book publishing  sales in  fiscal 1996  and generated  sales growth  in
excess  of 20%, as a result of an increased number of fairs held and an increase
in the  average revenue  generated  per fair.  Also  included in  domestic  book
publishing   revenues  are   sales  of   instructional  materials   to  schools.
Instructional publishing sales accounted for approximately 13% of domestic  book
publishing  revenues in fiscal 1996 and experienced  a growth of 56% due largely
to the  success of  the Early  Childhood Workshop  sales recorded  in the  first
quarter of fiscal 1996 relating to the Texas adoption.
 
     Domestic  magazine publishing  revenue decreased  3% from  $84.0 million in
fiscal 1995  to  $81.6 million  in  fiscal 1996.  Domestic  magazine  publishing
revenues  are  comprised  primarily  of  advertising  revenues  and  circulation
revenues. A decrease in  circulation revenues of $1.9  million from fiscal  1995
contributed  to the  majority of  the decrease  in domestic  magazine publishing
revenue. The Company's SOHO group accounted  for 25% of total domestic  magazine
publishing  revenues and had an increase of 16%  from fiscal 1995 as a result of
increased advertising and custom publishing revenues.
 

     Domestic video and new media revenues more than doubled from $19.5  million
in  fiscal 1995 to $39.8 million in fiscal  1996. This revenue growth was led by
Scholastic Productions, Inc., due in a large part to the increase in  television
programming,  merchandising and licensing  revenue of $13.8  million from fiscal
1995. The success of the Goosebumps and Magic School Bus television series  were
major contributors to this increase.
 
     International  revenues grew by 16% in  U.S. dollars from $129.5 million in
fiscal 1995 to  $149.7 million in  fiscal 1996. Sales  increases in Canada,  the
United  Kingdom  and Australia  were fueled  by strong  trade sales.  The United
Kingdom also showed an  increase in book  fair sales, in part  due to the  March
1996 acquisition of School Book Fairs Ltd.
 
     Cost  of goods  sold increased  31% from $356.0  million in  fiscal 1995 to
$466.0 million in fiscal 1996.  Cost of goods sold  as a percentage of  revenues
increased  from 47.5% in fiscal 1995 to 50%  in fiscal 1996 primarily due to the
Company's sales mix, specifically the impact of trade sales growth, which has  a
higher  cost of sales than the Company's other channels. The major components of
cost of goods sold and their respective approximate percentage of total cost  of
goods  sold in fiscal  1996 were as  follows: printing and  binding (27%), paper
(19%), royalty expense (12%) and editorial expense (10%). The balance of cost of
goods sold includes  amortization of prepublication  costs, shipping and  labor,
delivery charges and other manufacturing costs.
 
     Selling,  general and administrative expenses increased by 16%, from $316.3
million in fiscal 1995 to $367.4 million in fiscal 1996, due to volume increases
in trade and increased costs associated  with the launch of Scholastic  Literacy
Place. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased as a percentage of
revenues  due to sales mix, specifically the impact of trade sales growth, which
has lower selling, general and administrative expenses than the Company's  other
channels  (42% in fiscal 1995  and 40% in fiscal  1996). Marketing and promotion
costs, which include the costs of catalogs, direct mail,
 
                                       14
 


<PAGE>
book club kits, book club credits and advertising, constituted approximately 57%
of selling, general and administrative expenses  in fiscal 1996 compared to  58%
in  fiscal 1995. The balance of  selling, general and administrative expenses is
comprised of facility-related costs, office equipment rentals, salary and salary
related expenses.
 
     Other operating costs increased from $10.0 million in fiscal 1995 to  $37.4
million  in  fiscal 1996.  In the  fourth  quarter of  fiscal 1996,  the Company
incurred a non-cash charge related to the impairment of certain assets of  $24.3
million.  A significant portion of this charge was determined in connection with
the Company's early adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards  No.
121  (SFAS 121),  'Accounting for  the Impairment  of Long-Lived  Assets and for
Long-Lived Assets to  be Disposed of'.  The charge consists  of the  unamortized
prepublication  ($10.8  million)  and  inventory ($13.5  million)  costs  of the
Company's K-2 math program, several older supplemental instructional  publishing
programs and other selected titles.

 
     Operating  income, excluding  the fourth  quarter charge  of $24.3 million,
increased 21% from $67.7 million in fiscal 1995 to $82.1 million in fiscal 1996.
Operating income (excluding the  charge) as a percentage  of sales has  remained
stable  at  approximately  9.0%. Operating  income  and profit  margins  for the
Company's international operations increased in  fiscal 1996 compared to  fiscal
1995  due to growth in the Australian, United Kingdom and Canadian subsidiaries'
businesses.
 
     Net interest expense increased  from $5.4 million in  fiscal 1995 to  $11.2
million  in fiscal 1996. This increase was attributable to higher debt levels in
part resulting  from the  August 18,  1995, issuance  of $110.0  million of  the
Debentures. During fiscal 1996 higher debt levels were necessary to fund working
capital  growth arising from increased sales and changes in mix of sales. Higher
debt levels also helped fund various business acquisitions in fiscal 1996  which
totalled $32.1 million.
 
     Earnings before provision for income taxes decreased 25% from $62.3 million
in  fiscal 1995  to $46.7  million in fiscal  1996. Excluding  the $24.3 million
charge, earnings would have  increased approximately 14%  from $62.3 million  in
fiscal 1995 to $71.0 million in fiscal 1996.
 
     Income  tax expense  decreased from $23.7  million in fiscal  1995 to $14.8
million in fiscal  1996. In fiscal  1996 and 1995,  the Company's effective  tax
rates  were 31.6% and 38.0% of earnings before taxes, respectively. The decrease
in the effective  tax rate is  primarily due  to the tax  benefit realized  from
charitable  contributions, as well  as the Company's  utilization of foreign tax
credit carryforwards in fiscal 1996.
 
     Net income decreased from $38.6 million in fiscal 1995 to $31.9 million  in
fiscal  1996. The primary and  fully diluted net income  per Class A, Common and
Class A Share and Common Share Equivalents was $1.97 in each case in fiscal 1996
and $2.38 and $2.37, respectively, in fiscal 1995.
 
     Excluding  the  effect  of  the  fourth  quarter  charge  relating  to  the
impairment  of assets,  fiscal 1996  net income  and fully  diluted earnings per
share would have been $46.8 million and $2.85, respectively.
 
FISCAL 1995 COMPARED TO FISCAL 1994
 
     Revenues  for  fiscal   1995  totaled  $749.9   million,  an  increase   of
approximately 19% compared to fiscal 1994 revenues of $631.6 million.
 
     Domestic book publishing revenues accounted for a majority of the Company's
revenues  in both fiscal 1995 and 1994  and increased 21% from $428.3 million in
fiscal 1994 to  $516.8 million  in fiscal 1995.  The increase  in domestic  book
publishing revenues resulted from double digit increases in book club, trade and
book  fair  revenues. The  Company experienced  increased volume  in all  of its
distribution channels  for childrens  books. Inflation-related  price  increases
also  contributed,  to a  lesser extent,  to the  revenue increases.  Book clubs
accounted for  49% of  domestic  book publishing  sales.  Growth in  book  clubs
resulted   from  additional  teachers  sponsoring  Scholastic  book  clubs,  the
expansion of book club continuity programs  and, to a lesser degree, because  of
inflation-related price increases and the selection by children of higher priced

items.  Book fairs, the Company's second largest distribution channel, generated
sales growth in excess of 20% as a  result of an increased number of fairs  held
and  an increase in the average revenue generated on a per fair basis. The trade
or retail based distribution channel recorded more than a 60% growth,  primarily
due to the success of the Goosebumps book series. In
 
                                       15
 


<PAGE>
addition,  domestic book publishing revenues  include the sales of instructional
materials to  schools.  Instructional  publishing  revenues  remained  virtually
unchanged from fiscal 1994.
 
     Domestic  magazine publishing revenues totaled $84.0 million in fiscal 1995
and were  15% greater  than  fiscal 1994  revenues  of $73.0  million.  Domestic
magazine publishing revenues are comprised primarily of advertising revenues and
circulation  revenues. Advertising  revenues increased  35% from  fiscal 1994 to
$37.3 million in fiscal 1995. Circulation revenues remained virtually  unchanged
from  fiscal 1994. A substantial portion of the domestic magazine revenue growth
came from the Company's Home Office  Computing magazine which experienced a  35%
revenue  increase, in addition to the  launch of the national 'Reading Together'
program created by the Company and sponsored by the Chrysler Corporation.
 
     Domestic video and  new media  revenues increased  8% from  fiscal 1994  to
$19.5 million in fiscal 1995.
 
     International  revenues grew by 15% in  U.S. dollars from $112.3 million in
fiscal 1994 to $129.5  million in fiscal  1995. This revenue  growth was led  by
sales  increases  in  Canada  with  strong trade  sales  in  each  of  the other
subsidiaries combined with favorable currency translation.
 
     Cost of goods  sold increased  20% from $297.1  million in  fiscal 1994  to
$356.0  million in fiscal 1995.  Cost of goods sold  as a percentage of revenues
increased slightly from 47% in fiscal 1994 to 47.5% in fiscal 1995 primarily due
to sales mix, specifically the impact of trade sales growth, which has a  higher
cost of sales than the Company's other channels. The major components of cost of
goods  sold and their  respective approximate percentage of  total cost of goods
sold in fiscal 1995  were as follows: printing  and binding (30%), paper  (18%),
royalty  expense (11%),  and editorial  expenses (12%).  The balance  of cost of
goods sold includes  amortization of prepublication  costs, shipping and  labor,
delivery  charges, and other miscellaneous  manufacturing costs. As a percentage
of  total  cost  of  goods  sold,  each  of  these  components  did  not  change
significantly from fiscal 1994.
 
     Selling,  general and administrative expenses increased by 17%, from $271.4
million in fiscal 1994 to $316.3 million in fiscal 1995 due to volume  increases
in  book  clubs and  trade  and increased  costs  associated with  the continued
expansion of the Company's  instructional publishing business. Selling,  general
and  administrative expenses decreased as a  percentage of revenues due to sales
mix (43% in fiscal 1994 and 42% in fiscal 1995). Marketing and promotion  costs,
which  include the  costs of  catalogs, direct mail,  book club  kits, book club
credits, and advertising, constituted approximately 58% of selling, general  and

administrative  expenses in both fiscal 1995 and  in fiscal 1994. The balance of
selling, general and  administrative expenses is  comprised of  facility-related
costs, office equipment rentals, salary, and salary-related expenses.
 
     Other  operating costs increased from $7.6  million in fiscal 1994 to $10.0
million in  fiscal  1995. Other  operating  costs include  the  amortization  of
intangible assets and depreciation.
 
     Operating  income increased 22% from $55.6  million in fiscal 1994 to $67.7
million in fiscal 1995.  Operating income of  the Company's domestic  operations
improved in fiscal 1995 compared to fiscal 1994. Operating income profit margins
of  domestic  operations also  improved  reflecting significant  growth  in book
publishing margins and  improvements in magazine  publishing margins which  more
than  offset  the  increase in  costs  related to  the  instructional publishing
expansion. Operating income and profit  margins for the Company's  international
operations increased in fiscal 1995 compared to fiscal 1994 due to growth in the
Canadian subsidiary's businesses.
 
     Net  interest expense  increased from $2.9  million in fiscal  1994 to $5.4
million in fiscal  1995. This increase  was mostly attributable  to higher  debt
levels  during fiscal 1995, which resulted  from additional funding provided for
prepublication  costs,  capital  expenditures,  additional  working  capital  to
support sales growth and, to a lesser extent, an increase in rates.
 
     Earnings  before provision  for income taxes  and the  cumulative effect of
accounting changes increased  18% from  $52.7 million  in fiscal  1994 to  $62.3
million in fiscal 1995.
 
     Income  tax expense  increased from $19.8  million in fiscal  1994 to $23.7
million in  fiscal 1995.  Income tax  expense for  fiscal 1994  included a  $1.3
million tax benefit to reflect the effect on net deferred income taxes resulting
from  the  increase  in  the  federal  tax  rate  from  34%  to  35%.  In fiscal
 
                                       16
 


<PAGE>
1995 and fiscal 1994, the Company's effective tax rates were 38.0% and 37.5%  of
earnings  before taxes, excluding  the cumulative effect  of accounting changes,
respectively.
 
     Earnings before  cumulative effect  of  accounting changes  increased  from
$32.9  million in fiscal 1994  to $38.6 million in  fiscal 1995. The primary and
fully diluted net income per Class A, Common, and Class A Share and Common Share
Equivalents (excluding cumulative effects of  accounting changes) was $2.38  and
$2.37,  respectively, and $2.04  in each case  in fiscal 1994.  During the first
quarter of fiscal 1994,  the Company adopted  financial accounting standards  on
postretirement  benefits  (other  than  pensions),  postemployment  benefits and
income taxes. The cumulative  effect of these accounting  changes resulted in  a
nonrecurring charge of $8.1 million, net of tax. Including the cumulative effect
of accounting changes previously mentioned, net income for fiscal 1994 was $24.8
million, or $1.53 per share.
 

SEASONALITY
 
     The Company's book clubs, book fairs and most of its magazines operate on a
school-year basis, and the Company's business is, therefore, highly seasonal. As
a  consequence, the Company's revenues  in the first quarter  of the fiscal year
are lower than its  revenues in the following  fiscal quarters, and the  Company
experiences  a substantial loss from operations in that quarter. Typically, book
club and book fair revenues are  proportionately greatest in the second  quarter
of the fiscal year. See Supplementary Financial Information in Item 8.
 
     In  the months of  June, July and August,  the Company experiences negative
cash flow  due  to  the  seasonality of  the  business.  Historically,  seasonal
borrowings  increase  during  June,  July  and  August,  and  generally  peak in
September each  year as  a  result of  the  Company's business  cycle.  Seasonal
reductions  in debt levels in fiscal 1996  were more than offset by increases in
debt to fund (i) higher working capital levels resulting from revenue growth and
changes in business mix and (ii) business acquisitions.
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
     The Company's cash  and cash equivalents  remained virtually unchanged  for
fiscal  years 1996, 1995 and  1994. In each of these  fiscal years, the net cash
used in investing  activities was  funded from  cash provided  by financing  and
operating activities.
 
     Net cash provided by operating activities in fiscal 1996, 1995 and 1994 was
$50.6  million, $28.5 million and $37.6  million, respectively. In each of these
fiscal years net cash provided by operating activities was derived from the  net
income of the Company adjusted for the addback of non-cash charges offset by the
effect  of  increased  working  capital  requirements  resulting  from  both the
Company's  higher   revenue  base   and  a   change  in   business  mix   toward
receivable-based sales channels.
 
     Cash  outflows for investing activities  were $154.4 million, $95.0 million
and $93.7  million  for fiscal  1996,  1995 and  1994,  respectively.  Investing
activities primarily consist of prepublication and production cost expenditures,
business  and trademark  acquisition-related payments  and payments  for capital
expenditures and royalty  advances. Prepublication cost  expenditures in  fiscal
1996  were $54.9  million, an  increase of  $9.6 million  from $45.3  million in
fiscal 1995. The majority of this increase relates to the Company's expansion of
its instructional publishing activities through investing in the development  of
a literacy program, expansion of the Company's science program and investment in
technology-related  products. In fiscal  1997, the Company  estimates that total
prepublication cost expenditures  will approximate $43.0  million. Business  and
trademark  acquisition-related payments increased  significantly in fiscal 1996.
Acquisition related  expenditures of  $32.1  million are  primarily due  to  the
Company's  acquisition of the assets of Trumpet Book Clubs, Inc., on January 23,
1996, the Company's acquisition of School Book Fairs Ltd., on March 6, 1996  and
the  April 29, 1996 acquisition of all  of the outstanding stock of Weston Woods
Studios, Inc.  The  Company's capital  expenditures  totalled $30.4  million  in
fiscal  1996, $21.7 million in fiscal 1995 and $41.5 million in fiscal 1994. The
$8.7 million increase from  fiscal 1995 to fiscal  1996 resulted primarily  from
the   Company's  continued  expansion  of  warehouse  facilities  and  leasehold
improvements incurred  as the  Company continues  to consolidate  its  corporate

headquarters  in New York City.  The $19.8 million decrease  from fiscal 1994 to
fiscal 1995 was primarily due to  the absence of construction costs incurred  in
fiscal 1994 to complete the new corporate
 
                                       17
 


<PAGE>
headquarters.  The Company estimates that its capital expenditures will increase
approximately $12.0  million  to approximately  $42.0  million in  fiscal  1997,
primarily  due  to the  expansion of  its  corporate headquarters.  Payments for
royalty advances  increased $5.5  million in  fiscal  1996 as  a result  of  the
Company  entering into  more multi-book  agreements and  paying generally higher
advances in order to  remain competitive in the  children's book club and  trade
publishing industry. The Company expects further increases in author advances as
it  extends its series publishing strategy combined with the renewal of existing
series. Preproduction  cost  expenditures increased  significantly  from  fiscal
1995.   The  $11.3  million  increase  resulted  primarily  from  the  Company's
development of The Magic School Bus'r' and Goosebumps'r' television series.
 
     Increases in investing activities were funded by cash flows from operations
and  through  borrowings  under  the  loan  agreement,  which  the  Company  and
Scholastic  Inc., as joint and several borrowers,  entered into on May 27, 1992,
and which was last amended on May  1, 1996 (the 'Loan Agreement') and under  the
revolving loan agreement, which the Company and Scholastic Inc., entered into on
June 19, 1995 with Sun Bank, National Association (the 'Revolver') and which was
last  amended on August 14, 1996  to increase the maximum borrowing availability
by $15.0 million  to $35.0  million. Both the  Loan Agreement  and the  Revolver
expire  May 31, 2000. On August 18, 1995  the Company sold $110.0 million of the
Debentures which bear interest at 5.0% and mature on August 15, 2005. The  funds
received  in connection  with the  issuance of the  Debentures have  also been a
primary source  of  the  Company's  liquidity.  See  Note  4  of  the  Notes  to
Consolidated  Financial  Statements  for  additional  information  on  the  Loan
Agreement, the Revolver and the Debentures.
 
     In fiscal 1996, 1995  and 1994, net cash  provided by financing  activities
was  $104.2 million,  $66.2 million  and $56.1  million, respectively. Financing
activities consisted of borrowings and paydowns under the Loan Agreement and the
Revolver, the sale  of the Debentures  and borrowings and  paydowns on lines  of
credit,  which  resulted  from overdraft  agreements  between  the international
subsidiaries and various banks.
 
     In fiscal 1996,  1995 and  1994, options to  purchase a  total of  165,579,
185,180 and 119,700 shares of Common Stock were exercised at aggregated exercise
prices  of  $2.1  million,  $2.6 million  and  $1.0  million,  respectively. The
exercise of options in fiscal 1996, 1995 and 1994 reduced current taxes  payable
by $3.0 million, $10.0 million and $16.4 million, respectively.
 
     The  Company  believes  its  existing cash  position,  combined  with funds
generated from operations and funds available  under the Loan Agreement and  the
Revolver,   will  be  sufficient   to  finance  its   on-going  working  capital
requirements for the next fiscal year.
 

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
 
     This 10-K includes certain forward looking statements. Such forward looking
statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Actual results  could
differ  materially from those currently anticipated  due to a number of factors,
including (i) the Company's ability  to produce successful educational  products
(ii)  the effect on the Company of volatility in the price of paper and periodic
increases in postage rates, (iii)  the Company's ability to manage  seasonality,
(iv)  the Company's ability to maintain  relationships with its creative talent,
(v) significant changes in the  publishing industry, especially relating to  the
distribution and sale of books, (vi) competition in the publishing industry from
other  educational publishers, and  media and entertainment  companies and (vii)
the general risks attendant to the conduct of business in foreign countries.
 
                                       18
 


<PAGE>
ITEM 8. CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
 
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        PAGE(S)
                                                                                        --------
 
<S>                                                                                     <C>
Consolidated Statement of Income for the three years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and
  1994...............................................................................      21
 
Consolidated Balance Sheet at May 31, 1996 and 1995..................................    22-23
 
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders' Equity for the three years ended
  May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994                                                              24
 
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the three years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and
  1994...............................................................................      25
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements...........................................    26-34
 
Report of Independent Auditors.......................................................      35
 
Supplementary Financial Information -- Summary of Quarterly Results of Operations
  (unaudited)........................................................................      36
</TABLE>
 
     The following  consolidated  financial  statement  schedule  of  Scholastic
Corporation is included in Item 14(d):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                           PAGE

                                                                                           -----
 
<S>           <C>                                                                          <C>
Schedule II   -- Valuation and Qualifying Accounts and Reserves.........................    S-1
</TABLE>
 
     All other schedules have been omitted since the required information is not
present  or is not  present in amounts  sufficient to require  submission of the
schedule, or because the  information required is  included in the  Consolidated
Financial Statements or the Notes thereto.
 
                                       19
 


<PAGE>
                       This page left blank intentionally
 
                                       20




<PAGE>
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME
Years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
(Amounts in thousands except shares and per share data)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                               1996         1995         1994
<S>                                                                          <C>          <C>          <C>
Revenues.................................................................    $928,599     $749,891     $631,590
Operational costs and expenses:
     Cost of goods sold..................................................     466,030      355,968      297,069
     Selling, general and administrative expenses........................     367,376      316,263      271,354
     Other operating costs:
          Goodwill, Trademarks, and License amortization.................       3,085        2,108        1,774
          Depreciation...................................................       9,969        7,902        5,829
          Impairment of assets...........................................      24,304           --           --
                                                                             --------     --------     --------
               Total operating costs and expenses........................     870,764      682,241      576,026
                                                                             --------     --------     --------
Operating income.........................................................      57,835       67,650       55,564
Interest expense, net....................................................      11,170        5,395        2,856
                                                                             --------     --------     --------
Earnings before taxes and cumulative effect of accounting changes........      46,665       62,255       52,708
Provision for income taxes...............................................      14,768       23,677       19,779
                                                                             --------     --------     --------
Earnings before cumulative effect of accounting changes..................      31,897       38,578       32,929
Cumulative effect of accounting changes..................................          --           --        8,135
                                                                             --------     --------     --------
Net income...............................................................    $ 31,897     $ 38,578     $ 24,794

                                                                             --------     --------     --------
                                                                             --------     --------     --------
 
Earnings per Class A Common and Class A Share and Common Share
  Equivalents (excluding cumulative effect of accounting changes):
     Primary.............................................................    $   1.97     $   2.38     $   2.04
     Fully diluted.......................................................    $   1.97     $   2.37     $   2.04
Net income per Class A, Common and Class A Share and Common Share
  Equivalents:
     Primary.............................................................    $   1.97     $   2.38     $   1.53
     Fully diluted.......................................................    $   1.97     $   2.37     $   1.53
Weighted average Class A, Common and Class A Share and Common Share
  Equivalents outstanding:
     Primary.............................................................    16,195,856   16,242,521   16,154,719
     Fully diluted.......................................................    17,341,037   16,285,510   16,154,719
</TABLE>
 
                             See accompanying notes
 
                                       21
 


<PAGE>
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
Balances at May 31, 1996 and 1995 (Amounts in thousands except shares)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

ASSETS
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                               1996        1995
<S>                                                                                          <C>         <C>
CURRENT ASSETS:
     Cash and cash equivalents............................................................   $  4,300    $  3,708
     Accounts receivable (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $11,290 in 1996 and
      $6,989 in 1995).....................................................................    118,390      77,361
     Inventories:
          Paper...........................................................................      9,041      10,281
          Books and other.................................................................    180,937     154,540
     Deferred taxes.......................................................................     22,694      17,697
     Prepaid and other deferred expenses..................................................     15,118      15,866
                                                                                             --------    --------
               Total current assets.......................................................    350,480     279,453
 
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:
     Land.................................................................................      6,310       5,873
     Buildings............................................................................     37,511      32,703
     Furniture, fixtures and equipment....................................................     53,852      40,760
     Leasehold improvements...............................................................     48,482      37,052
                                                                                             --------    --------
                                                                                              146,155     116,388
     Less accumulated depreciation and amortization.......................................     32,018      23,151

                                                                                             --------    --------
          Net property, plant and equipment...............................................    114,137      93,237
 
OTHER ASSETS AND DEFERRED CHARGES:
     Prepublication costs.................................................................    105,016      81,817
     Goodwill and trademarks..............................................................     41,594       9,507
     Royalty advances.....................................................................     24,758      16,829
     Other................................................................................     37,181      25,021
                                                                                             --------    --------
               Total other assets and deferred charges....................................    208,549     133,174
                                                                                             --------    --------
                                                                                             $673,166    $505,864
                                                                                             --------    --------
                                                                                             --------    --------
</TABLE>
 
                             See accompanying notes
 
                                       22
 


<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                               1996        1995
<S>                                                                                          <C>         <C>
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
     Lines of credit......................................................................   $ 20,933    $  9,024
     Current portion of long-term debt....................................................        271         455
     Accounts payable.....................................................................     63,148      52,412
     Accrued royalties....................................................................     19,074      13,509
     Deferred revenue.....................................................................      9,216      11,809
     Other accrued expenses...............................................................     60,756      55,469
                                                                                             --------    --------
          Total current liabilities.......................................................    173,398     142,678
 
NONCURRENT LIABILITIES:
     Long-term debt.......................................................................    186,810      91,518
     Other noncurrent liabilities.........................................................     24,311      21,455
                                                                                             --------    --------
          Total noncurrent liabilities....................................................    211,121     112,973
 
COMMITMENTS
 
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:
     Preferred Stock, $1.00 par value
       Authorized -- 1,000,000 shares;
       Issued -- None.....................................................................         --          --
     Class A Stock, $.01 par value

       Authorized-2,500,000 shares;
       Issued-828,100 shares..............................................................          8           8
     Common Stock, $.01 par value
       Authorized-25,000,000 shares
       Issued-16,331,698 shares (16,164,779 shares at 5/31/95)............................        163         162
     Additional paid-in capital...........................................................    194,785     189,563
     Foreign currency translation adjustment..............................................       (140)     (1,454)
     Accumulated earnings.................................................................    130,643      98,746
     Less 1,301,658 shares of Common Stock in treasury, at cost...........................    (36,812)    (36,812)
                                                                                             --------    --------
          Total stockholders' equity......................................................    288,647     250,213
                                                                                             --------    --------
                                                                                             $673,166    $505,864
                                                                                             --------    --------
                                                                                             --------    --------
</TABLE>
 
                                       23
 


<PAGE>
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 (Amounts in thousands)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       FOREIGN
                                                         ADDITIONAL    CURRENCY                                 TOTAL
                                      CLASS A   COMMON    PAID-IN     TRANSLATION  ACCUMULATED   TREASURY   STOCKHOLDERS'
                                       STOCK    STOCK     CAPITAL     ADJUSTMENT    EARNINGS      STOCK        EQUITY
                                      -------   ------   ----------   ----------   -----------   --------   -------------
 
<S>                                   <C>       <C>      <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>        <C>
BALANCE AT MAY 31, 1993.............    $ 8      $159     $156,660     $ (1,896)    $  35,374    $(36,812)    $ 153,493
Net income..........................                                                   24,794                    24,794
Translation adjustment..............                                       (163)                                   (163)
Stock options exercised.............                1        1,020                                                1,021
Tax benefit realized from stock
  option transactions...............                         1,503                                                1,503
Tax benefit recognized upon adoption
  of SFAS 109.......................                        25,139                                               25,139
Stock granted.......................                            45                                                   45
                                        ---     -----   ----------   ----------   -----------    --------    ----------
BALANCE AT MAY 31, 1994.............      8       160      184,367       (2,059)       60,168     (36,812)      205,832
Net income..........................                                                   38,578                    38,578
Translation adjustment..............                                        605                                     605
Stock options exercised.............                2        2,593                                                2,595
Tax benefit realized from stock
  option transactions...............                         2,558                                                2,558
Stock granted.......................                            45                                                   45
                                        ---     -----   ----------   ----------   -----------    --------   -----------
BALANCE AT MAY 31, 1995.............      8       162      189,563       (1,454)       98,746     (36,812)      250,213
Net income..........................                                                   31,897                    31,897

Translation adjustment..............                                      1,314                                   1,314
Stock options exercised.............                1        2,129                                                2,130
Tax benefit realized from stock
  option transactions...............                         2,993                                                2,993
Stock granted.......................                           100                                                  100
                                        ---     -----   ----------   ----------   -----------    --------   -----------
BALANCE AT MAY 31, 1996.............    $ 8      $163     $194,785     $   (140)    $ 130,643    $(36,812)    $ 288,647
                                        ---    ------   ----------   ----------   -----------    --------   -----------
                                        ---    ------   ----------   ----------   -----------    --------   -----------
</TABLE>
 
                             See accompanying notes
 
                                       24
 


<PAGE>
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 (Amounts in thousands)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 1996         1995         1994
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
<S>                                                                            <C>          <C>          <C>
     Net income.............................................................   $  31,897    $  38,578    $ 24,794
     Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating
       activities:
          Amortization and depreciation.....................................      42,482       24,003      21,699
          Impairment of assets..............................................      24,304           --          --
          Royalty advances expensed.........................................      13,455       11,666      10,019
          Provision for losses on accounts receivable.......................       9,565        6,614       3,716
          Deferred income taxes.............................................      (4,737)       2,643         (44)
          Cumulative effect of accounting changes...........................          --           --       8,135
          Changes in assets and liabilities net of effects from business
            acquisitions and dispositions:
               Increase in accounts receivable..............................     (49,164)     (27,467)    (22,385)
               Increase in inventory........................................     (31,641)     (42,767)    (17,549)
               (Increase) decrease in prepaid expenses......................       1,470       (2,495)     (3,410)
               Increase in accrued royalties................................       5,548        3,890       2,033
               Increase in accounts payable and other accrued expenses......       3,839       12,604       8,113
               Increase (decrease) in deferred revenues.....................      (2,678)       2,595       2,254
          Other, net........................................................       6,265       (1,411)        180
                                                                               ---------    ---------    --------
                    Total adjustments.......................................      18,708      (10,125)     12,761
                                                                               ---------    ---------    --------
          Net cash provided by operating activities.........................      50,605       28,453      37,555
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
     Prepublication cost expenditures.......................................     (54,924)     (45,346)    (34,533)
     Business and trademark acquisition-related payments....................     (32,059)      (7,760)     (3,804)
     Additions to property, plant and equipment.............................     (30,362)     (21,653)    (41,494)
     Royalty advances paid..................................................     (20,141)     (14,592)    (12,368)

     Production cost expenditures...........................................     (16,886)      (5,606)     (1,533)
                                                                               ---------    ---------    --------
          Net cash used in investing activities.............................    (154,372)     (94,957)    (93,732)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
     Borrowings under loan agreement and revolver...........................     209,581      158,921     102,668
     Principal paydowns on loan agreement and revolver......................    (224,220)    (106,615)    (66,068)
     Proceeds from issuance of convertible debt.............................     107,250           --          --
     Borrowings under lines of credit.......................................      53,930       45,250      41,070
     Principal paydowns on lines of credit..................................     (46,728)     (43,661)    (38,474)
     Tax benefit realized from stock option transactions....................       2,993        9,989      16,369
     Proceeds from exercise of stock options................................       2,130        2,595       1,021
     Payments of deferred financing costs...................................        (692)        (312)       (439)
                                                                               ---------    ---------    --------
          Net cash provided by financing activities.........................     104,244       66,167      56,147
     Effect of exchange rate changes on cash................................         115          (57)         47
                                                                               ---------    ---------    --------
     Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents...................         592         (394)         17
     Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year.........................       3,708        4,102       4,085
                                                                               ---------    ---------    --------
     Cash and cash equivalents at end of year...............................   $   4,300    $   3,708    $  4,102
                                                                               ---------    ---------    --------
                                                                               ---------    ---------    --------
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
     Income taxes paid......................................................   $  22,251    $  12,223    $  3,478
     Interest paid..........................................................       9,775        4,952       2,404
</TABLE>
 
                             See accompanying notes
 
                                       25




<PAGE>
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
 
PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION
 
     The  consolidated financial  statements include the  accounts of Scholastic
Corporation and all wholly-owned subsidiaries (the 'Company'). All  intercompany
transactions  are eliminated. Certain prior  year amounts have been reclassified
to conform to the current year presentation.
 
USE OF ESTIMATES
 
     The preparation  of  financial  statements  in  conformity  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  requires  management  to  make  estimates  and
assumptions that  affect  the amounts  reported  in the  consolidated  financial
statements  and  accompanying  notes.  Actual results  could  differ  from those
estimates and assumptions.
 
NATURE OF OPERATIONS
 
     The Company has operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United
Kingdom, France,  Australia and  New  Zealand and  the Company  distributes  its
materials  through book clubs, book fairs and  retail. The Company is engaged in
one segment of business -- the  production, publication and sale of  educational
materials.
 
CASH EQUIVALENTS
 
     Cash equivalents consist of short-term investments with original maturities
of less than three months.
 
INVENTORIES
 
     Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out method) or
market.
 
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
 
     Property,  plant  and  equipment  are  carried  at  cost.  Depreciation and
amortization  are  provided  on  the  straight-line  basis.  Buildings  have  an
estimated  useful life, for purposes of depreciation, of forty years. 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.
 
OTHER ASSETS AND DEFERRED CHARGES
 
     Prepublication costs are amortized on the straight-line basis over a two to
five year period  commencing with publication.  The Company regularly  evaluates
the   remaining  lives  and  recoverability   of  such  costs.  The  accumulated
amortization of prepublication costs at May 31, 1996 and 1995 was $24.9  million

and $18.8 million, respectively.
 
     Royalty  advances are  expensed as earned  or when  future recovery appears
doubtful. The reserve for royalty advances  was $18.4 million and $16.6  million
at May 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.
 
     Goodwill  and trademarks acquired by the Company are being amortized on the
straight-line basis  over the  estimated  future periods  to be  benefited,  not
exceeding   40  years.  The  accumulated  amortization  of  goodwill  and  other
intangible assets at May 31,  1996 and 1995 was  $4.5 million and $3.1  million,
respectively.
 
                                       26
 


<PAGE>
INCOME TAX
 
     The  Company adopted  Statement of  Financial Accounting  Standards No. 109
(SFAS 109), 'Accounting for Income Taxes'.  Under SFAS 109, deferred income  tax
assets  and  liabilities  are recognized  for  the expected  future  tax effects
attributable to temporary  differences between the  financial reporting and  tax
bases  of the Company's assets  and liabilities, based on  enacted tax rates and
other provisions of tax law.
 
OTHER ACCRUED EXPENSES
 
     Other accrued expenses include a  reserve for unredeemed credits issued  in
conjunction  with the Company's  book club operations of  $8.9 million and $10.3
million and accrued taxes of $9.0 million and $9.3 million, at May 31, 1996  and
1995, respectively.
 
DEFERRED REVENUE
 
     Revenues  from magazine subscriptions are deferred  at the time of sale. As
magazines are delivered to subscribers, proportionate shares of the receipts are
credited to revenue.
 
EARNINGS PER SHARE
 
     Earnings per share  are based on  the combined weighted  average number  of
Class  A, Common,  and Class  A Share  and Common  Share Equivalents outstanding
using the treasury stock method.
 
NEW ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
 
     Effective  June  1,  1993,  the  Company  adopted  Statement  of  Financial
Accounting   Standards   No.  106   (SFAS   106),  'Employers'   Accounting  for
Postretirement  Benefits  Other  Than  Pensions'  (See  Note  8);  Statement  of
Financial  Accounting Standards No.  112 (SFAS 112),  'Employers' Accounting for
Postemployment Benefits' (See  Note 8);  and Statement  of Financial  Accounting
Standards  No. 109 (SFAS 109),  'Accounting for Income Taxes'  (See Note 7). The
cumulative effect of these accounting changes resulted in a nonrecurring  charge

of  $8.1  million, net  of tax,  or  $0.51 per  share. Excluding  the cumulative
effect, adoption of these  statements did not have  a significant effect on  net
income in fiscal 1994.
 
     Effective  March 1, 1996, the Company  early adopted Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards  No. 121  (SFAS  121), 'Accounting  for the  Impairment  of
Long-lived  Assets to be  Disposed of'. This  statement requires that long-lived
assets and certain identifiable intangibles to be held and used by an entity  be
reviewed  for impairment  whenever events  or changes  in circumstances indicate
that the carrying value  of an asset  may not be  recoverable. It also  requires
that  long-lived  and  certain identifiable  intangibles  to be  disposed  of be
reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair market value less cost to sell.
 
     Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (SFAS 123), 'Accounting
for Stock-Based  Compensation', was  issued in  October 1995.  SFAS 123  permits
entities  to record expense for employee  stock compensation plans based on fair
value at date of  grant or to  utilize the intrinsic  value method. The  Company
plans to continue to measure compensation cost using the intrinsic value method,
in  accordance  with  APB  Opinion  No.  25,  'Accounting  for  Stock  Issued to
Employees'.
 
2. IMPAIRMENT OF ASSETS
 
     Fiscal 1996  includes  a non-cash  charge  relating to  the  impairment  of
certain  assets of $24.3 million pre-tax,  $14.9 million after-tax, or $0.88 per
fully diluted share.  A significant  portion of  this charge  was determined  in
connection  with  the Company's  early  adoption of  SFAS  No. 121.  This charge
consists of  unamortized  prepublication  ($10.8 million)  and  inventory  costs
($13.5  million) of the  Company's K-2 math  program, several older supplemental
instructional publishing programs and other selected titles.
 
                                       27
 


<PAGE>
3. INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC OPERATIONS
 
     International operations  consist  of  the Company's  book  publishing  and
distribution  operations in Canada, Australia,  the United Kingdom, New Zealand,
France and Mexico. As of May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, equity in the wholly-owned
subsidiaries in  these countries  was  $40.8 million,  $36.2 million  and  $37.2
million, respectively.
 
     The  following table  summarizes certain  information for  the fiscal years
ended May  31,  1996,  1995  and  1994  regarding  the  Company's  domestic  and
international operations (in millions).

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             DOMESTIC     INTERNATIONAL
                                                                            OPERATIONS     OPERATIONS      CONSOLIDATED
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                                         <C>           <C>              <C>

 1996
Revenues.................................................................     $778.9         $ 149.7          $928.6
Operating income.........................................................       48.8(1)          9.0            57.8(1)
Identifiable assets......................................................      565.9           107.3           673.2

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1995
Revenues.................................................................     $620.3         $ 129.6          $749.9
Operating income.........................................................       63.6             4.1            67.7
Identifiable assets......................................................      423.6            82.3           505.9
 
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1994
Revenues.................................................................     $519.3         $ 112.3          $631.6
Operating income.........................................................       51.7             3.9            55.6
Identifiable assets......................................................      317.7            72.3           390.0
</TABLE>
 
- ------------
 
(1) Includes  a non-cash charge relating to  the impairment of certain assets of
    $24.3.
 
4. LONG-TERM DEBT
 
     Long-term debt consisted  of the  following at May  31, 1996  and 1995  (in
millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                 1996       1995
<S>                                                                                             <C>      <C>
Loan Agreement and Revolver..................................................................   $ 74.0    $    88.5
Debentures...................................................................................    110.0           --
Other debt...................................................................................      3.1          3.5
                                                                                                ------   -----------
     Total debt..............................................................................    187.1         92.0
Less current portion.........................................................................      (.3)         (.5)
                                                                                                ------   -----------
     Total long-term debt....................................................................   $186.8    $    91.5
                                                                                                ------   -----------
                                                                                                ------   -----------
</TABLE>
 
A. LOAN AGREEMENT
 
     The  Company and  Scholastic Inc. are  joint and several  borrowers under a
Loan Agreement  (the 'Loan  Agreement') with  certain banks  which provides  for
revolving  credit loans and  letters of credit.  On April 11,  1995, the Company
amended and  restated  the Loan  Agreement,  expanding the  facility  to  $135.0
million,  with a right, in certain circumstances, to increase to $160.0 million,
and extending the due date  to May 31, 2000. On  May 1, 1996 the Loan  Agreement
was further amended. Interest charged under this facility is either at the prime

rate or .325% to .90% over LIBOR (as defined). There is a commitment fee charged
which ranges from .10% to .3625% on the unused portion. The amounts charged vary
based upon certain financial measurements. The Loan Agreement contains covenants
related  to debt and interest  coverage ratios (as these  terms are defined) and
limits dividends and other distributions.
 
B. REVOLVER
 
     On June 19, 1995, Scholastic Corporation and Scholastic Inc., entered  into
a Revolving Loan Agreement (the 'Revolver') with Sun Bank, National Association,
which provides for revolving credit
 
                                       28
 


<PAGE>
loans  in an aggregate principal amount of up to $20.0 million. The Revolver has
covenants related  to debt  and interest  coverage ratios  (as these  terms  are
defined), limits dividends and other distributions and expires on May 31, 2000.
 
C. DEBENTURES
 
     On  August 18,  1995, the Company  sold $110.0 million  of 5.0% Convertible
Subordinated Debentures due August 15, 2005 (the 'Debentures') under  Regulation
S  and Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. The Debentures are listed on the
Luxembourg Stock Exchange and  the portion sold under  Rule 144A are  designated
for  trading  in the  Portal system  of the  National Association  of Securities
Dealers, Inc.
 
     Interest on  the  Debentures is  payable  semi-annually on  August  15  and
February  15 of each  year. The Debentures  are redeemable at  the option of the
Company, in whole, but not in part, at  any time on or after August 15, 1998  at
100%   of  the  principal  amount  plus  accrued  interest.  Each  debenture  is
convertible, at the  holder's option  any time  prior to  maturity, into  Common
Stock of the Company at a conversion price of $76.86 per share.
 
     The  net proceeds from the sale of the Debentures were $107.3 million after
deduction of underwriting fees and offering expenses.
 
D. OTHER LINES OF CREDIT
 
     The Company's international subsidiaries have lines of credit amounting  to
$30.1  million  at  May 31,  1996.  There  was $20.9  million  and  $9.0 million
outstanding under these credit lines at May 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively. The
weighted average interest rate on the  outstanding amounts was 7.5% and 7.6%  at
May 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.
 
5. COMMITMENTS
 
     The  Company  leases warehouse  space,  office space,  and  equipment under
various operating leases.  Certain of  these leases provide  for rent  increases
based  on price-level  factors. In  most cases  management expects  that, in the
normal course of business, leases will  be renewed or replaced by other  leases.

The  Company has no significant capitalized  leases. Total rent expense relating
to the Company's  operating leases was  $20.5 million, $16.9  million and  $14.2
million net of sublease income for the fiscal years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and
1994,  respectively.  These  rentals include  payments  under the  terms  of the
escalation provisions.
 
     The aggregate minimum  future annual  rental commitments at  May 31,  1996,
under  all noncancelable operating leases totaling $119.1 million are as follows
(in millions):  1997  -  $19.4; 1998  -  $16.6;  1999 -  $13.0;  2000  -  $10.3;
2001 - $8.5; later years - $51.3.
 
6. CAPITAL STOCK AND STOCK OPTIONS
 
     The  voting rights of  the holders of  Common Stock, except  as provided by
statute, and except as may be established by the Board of Directors in favor  of
any  series of Preferred Stock which may  be issued, are limited to the election
of such number of directors as shall equal at least one-fifth of the members  of
the  Board of Directors; the  remaining directors are elected  by the holders of
Class A Stock. Holders  of Class A  Stock and Common Stock  are entitled to  one
vote  per share on  matters on which they  are entitled to  vote. The holders of
Class A Stock  have the right,  at their option,  to convert shares  of Class  A
Stock into shares of Common Stock on a share-for-share basis.
 
     At  May 31, 1996, there were 161,500  options available for grant under the
Company's 1992 Stock Option Plan (the  'Stock Option Plan'), which provides  for
the  grant of incentive stock options  ('ISO's') and nonqualified stock options.
No ISO's have been granted under the Stock Option Plan.
 
     On September 22, 1995, the Company  adopted the 1995 Stock Option Plan.  An
aggregate  of two million shares of Common Stock have been reserved for issuance
upon the exercise of options granted under this plan. For the year ended May 31,
1996, no options were granted under the plan.
 
                                       29
 


<PAGE>
     On May 19, 1992,  the Company adopted the  Outside Directors' Stock  Option
Plan  (the 'Outside Directors' Plan'). At May 31, 1996, there were 3,000 options
available for grant under the Outside Directors' Plan.
 
     Generally, options granted under the various plans may not be exercised for
one year after grant and expire ten years and one day after grant.
 
     Activity under the various  stock option plans for  the fiscal years  ended
May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 was as follows:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      1996                             1995                             1994
                             OPTION        OPTION PRICE       OPTION        OPTION PRICE       OPTION        OPTION PRICE
                             SHARES           RANGE           SHARES           RANGE           SHARES           RANGE

                            ---------    ----------------    ---------    ----------------    ---------    ----------------
<S>                         <C>          <C>                 <C>          <C>                 <C>          <C>
Outstanding -- beginning
  of year................     953,729    $     1.14-47.88    1,067,159    $     1.09-47.88      944,859    $     1.09-35.25
Granted..................     288,750         57.56-64.63       82,500         39.68-46.69      242,000         34.50-47.88
Exercised................    (165,579)         1.26-34.50     (185,180)         1.09-35.25     (119,700)         1.18-31.25
Cancelled................      (1,500)              34.50      (10,750)              34.50           --
                            ---------                        ---------                        ---------
Outstanding -- end of
  year...................   1,075,400          1.14-64.63      953,729          1.14-47.88    1,067,159          1.09-47.88
                            ---------                        ---------                        ---------
                            ---------                        ---------                        ---------
Exercisable -- end of
  year...................     643,250          1.14-47.88      737,479          1.14-47.88      774,159          1.09-35.25
</TABLE>
 
     On  December  14,  1993,  the  Company  adopted  the  Non-Employee Director
Stock-For-Retainer Plan (the 'Stock-For-Retainer Plan'). During the years  ended
May  31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, the Company  issued 1,340, 891 and 1,044 shares of
Common Stock at  per share prices  of $74.88, $50.63  and $43.13,  respectively,
pursuant to the Stock-For-Retainer Plan.
 
7. INCOME TAX EXPENSE
 
     Consolidated  income tax expense  for the fiscal years  ended May 31, 1996,
1995 and  1994 was  based on  earnings  before taxes  and cumulative  effect  of
accounting changes as follows (in millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      1996       1995         1994
<S>                                                                                   <C>     <C>          <C>
Domestic...........................................................................   $40.7    $    61.3    $    50.6
International wholly owned subsidiaries............................................     6.0          1.0          2.1
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      $46.7    $    62.3    $    52.7
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
                                       30
 


<PAGE>
     Income  tax expense (benefit) for the fiscal years ended May 31, 1996, 1995
and 1994 consists of the following components (in millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      1996       1995         1994
<S>                                                                                   <C>     <C>          <C>

Federal
     Current(1)....................................................................   $15.1    $    18.9    $    17.6
     Deferred......................................................................    (5.3)         2.8         (2.2)
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      $ 9.8    $    21.7    $    15.4
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
State and local
     Current.......................................................................   $ 1.7    $     1.7    $     1.1
     Deferred......................................................................     (.1)         (.1)         2.1
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      $ 1.6    $     1.6    $     3.2
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
International
     Current.......................................................................   $ 2.7    $      .4    $     1.1
     Deferred......................................................................      .7           --           .1
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      $ 3.4    $      .4    $     1.2
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
Total
     Current.......................................................................   $19.5    $    21.0    $    19.8
     Deferred......................................................................    (4.7)         2.7           --
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      $14.8    $    23.7    $    19.8
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
- ------------
 
(1) For the fiscal years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 federal current taxes
    payable are $12.2, $9.1, and $1.2, respectively. The difference between  the
    current  taxes payable and  the current federal income  tax expense for each
    year is due to the tax benefit associated with stock option exercises  which
    have been reflected as an increase to additional paid-in capital.
 
     Total  tax expense for the  fiscal years ended May  31, 1996, 1995 and 1994
results in effective  tax rates  of 31.6%,  38.0% and  37.5%, respectively.  The
provisions  for income taxes  attributable to continuing  operations differ from
the amount of tax determined by  applying the federal statutory rate as  follows
(in millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      1996       1995         1994
<S>                                                                                   <C>     <C>          <C>
Computed federal statutory provision...............................................   $16.3    $    21.8    $    18.4
State income tax provision net of federal income tax benefit.......................     1.0          1.0          2.1
Effect of enacted federal tax rate change on net deferred tax assets...............      --           --         (1.3)
Difference in effective tax rates on earnings of foreign subsidiaries..............     (.8)          .1           .5
Charitable contributions...........................................................    (2.0)         (.3)          --

Other -- net.......................................................................      .3          1.1           .1
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
     Total provision for income taxes..............................................   $14.8    $    23.7    $    19.8
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
                                                                                      -----   -----------  -----------
</TABLE>
 
     Effective  June 1, 1993,  the Company changed its  method of accounting for
income taxes from the deferred method  to the liability method required by  SFAS
109.
 
     The  undistributed earnings  of foreign  subsidiaries at  May 31,  1996 are
$31.7  million.  It  is  the  Company's  intention  to  reinvest  all  remaining
unremitted   earnings   of   its  subsidiaries   where   permitted   by  foreign
jurisdictions. Determination of the amount of unrecognized deferred U.S.  income
tax  liability is not practicable. The tax  on any distribution of such earnings
would be reduced by foreign tax credits.
 
     Deferred income taxes reflect tax carryforwards and the net tax effects  of
temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for
financial reporting and the amounts used for
 
                                       31
 


<PAGE>
income  tax purposes  as determined  under enacted tax  laws and  rates. The tax
effects of these items that give rise to deferred tax assets and liabilities  at
May 31, 1996 and 1995 are as follows (in millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                  1996       1995
<S>                                                                                               <C>     <C>
Deferred tax assets:
     Accounting reserves.......................................................................   $ 9.3    $     8.1
     Inventory accounting......................................................................     9.0          3.3
     Postretirement, postemployment and pension obligations....................................     5.1          5.2
     Theatrical motion picture accounting......................................................     2.8          2.8
     Other -- net..............................................................................      --           .8
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
          Total deferred tax assets............................................................    26.2         20.2
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets....................................................      --          (.7)
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
     Deferred tax assets after valuation allowance.............................................    26.2         19.5
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
Deferred tax liabilities:
     Depreciation..............................................................................     2.7          2.4
     Other -- net..............................................................................     1.4           --
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
          Total deferred tax liabilities.......................................................     4.1          2.4
                                                                                                  -----   -----------

          Net deferred tax assets..............................................................   $22.1    $    17.1
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
</TABLE>
 
8. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 
     The  Company has a defined benefit pension plan (the 'Plan') which covers a
majority of  all  U.S.  employees who  meet  certain  eligibility  requirements.
Benefits  are based on years of service  and on career average compensation. The
Plan is  funded  by  contributions from  members  and  the Company.  It  is  the
Company's  policy to fund the minimum amount required by the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of  1974, as amended. In  accordance with the provisions  of
Statement  of  Financial  Accounting  Standards No.  87,  (SFAS  87) 'Employers'
Accounting for Pensions,'  the Company  recorded an  additional minimum  pension
liability  of  $0.5 million  at May  31, 1995.  This liability  is offset  by an
intangible asset of an equal amount.
 
     The international subsidiaries  in Australia  and the  United Kingdom  have
defined benefit pension plans which cover those employees meeting minimum length
of  service  requirements. Benefits  are  based on  years  of service  and  on a
percentage  of  compensation   near  retirement.   The  plans   are  funded   by
contributions  from these subsidiaries and their employees. In fiscal year ended
May 31,  1995,  the majority  of  the  employees of  the  Australian  subsidiary
terminated   participation  in  the  defined  benefit  pension  plan  and  began
participating in a  defined contribution plan.  For fiscal years  ended May  31,
1996  and 1995, the  total expenses for  these plans were  $0.5 million and $0.4
million, respectively. Canada's  pension plan  was terminated  on September  30,
1993.  Contributions made to the pension plan were rolled over to a private plan
to which employees now have an option to contribute.
 
     Total defined benefit pension plan costs for the fiscal years ended May 31,
1996, 1995 and 1994 are summarized as follows (in millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      1996         1995         1994
<S>                                                                                <C>          <C>          <C>
Service cost.....................................................................   $     1.4    $     1.1    $     1.6
Interest cost....................................................................         1.2          1.1          1.1
Actual return on plan assets.....................................................        (2.2)        (1.5)         (.6)
Net amortization (deferral)......................................................         1.2           .8          (.2)
                                                                                   -----------  -----------       -----
Total pension cost...............................................................   $     1.6    $     1.5    $     1.9
                                                                                   -----------  -----------       -----
                                                                                   -----------  -----------       -----
</TABLE>
 
                                       32
 


<PAGE>

     The funded status  of the pension  plans at May  31, 1996 and  1995, is  as
follows (in millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       1996         1995          1996           1995
                                                                      ACCUMULATED BENEFITS         PLAN ASSETS EXCEED
                                                                      EXCEED PLAN  ASSETS         ACCUMULATED BENEFITS
                                                                    ------------------------  ----------------------------
<S>                                                                 <C>          <C>          <C>            <C>
Actuarial present value of benefit obligations:
     Vested benefits..............................................   $    13.1    $    11.3     $     1.8      $     1.6
     Non-vested benefits..........................................          .7           .6            --             --
                                                                    -----------  -----------        -----          -----
Accumulated benefit obligation....................................        13.8         11.9           1.8            1.6
     Effect of projected future salary increases..................         1.8          1.4            .3             .3
                                                                    -----------  -----------        -----          -----
Projected benefit obligation......................................        15.6         13.3           2.1            1.9
Plan assets at fair value.........................................        13.5         11.2           2.3            2.1
                                                                    -----------  -----------        -----          -----
     Plan assets less than (greater than) projected benefit
       obligation.................................................         2.1          2.1           (.2)           (.2)
     Unrecognized net gain........................................         1.4           .6            .2             .1
     Unrecognized net transition asset (obligation)...............        (1.3)        (1.4)           .1             .2
     Unrecognized prior service cost..............................        (1.0)        (1.1)          (.1)           (.1)
     Additional liability resulting from minimum liability
       provisions.................................................          --           .5            --             --
                                                                    -----------  -----------        -----          -----
Accrued pension cost included in financial statements.............   $     1.2    $      .7     $      --      $      --
                                                                    -----------  -----------        -----          -----
                                                                    -----------  -----------        -----          -----
Assumed rates:
     Discount rate................................................         8.0%         8.0%          9.0%           9.0%
     Compensation increase factor.................................         5.0          5.0           7.0            7.0
     Return on assets.............................................         9.5          9.5           9.0            9.0
</TABLE>
 
     Plan  assets  consist  primarily  of  stocks,  bonds,  money  market funds,
insurance contracts, and U.S. government obligations.
 
     In addition to  providing pension  benefits, the  Company provides  certain
health care and life insurance benefits for retired employees. Substantially all
of  the Company's domestic  employees may become eligible  for these benefits if
they reach normal retirement age while working for the Company.
 
     Effective June 1, 1993,  the Company adopted SFAS  106 which requires  that
the  expected cost of providing these  postretirement benefits be accrued during
the years employees  render the  necessary service. The  Company recognized  the
transition  obligation at the  date of adoption  immediately as the  effect of a
change in accounting  principle. The transition  obligation, a one-time  noncash
charge,  was approximately $10.3 million (pretax)  with a related tax benefit of
approximately $3.8 million.  Prior to  adopting SFAS  106, the  cost of  retiree
health care and life insurance benefits was recognized as expense as claims were

paid.
 
     The  components of  the net periodic  postretirement benefit  costs for the
fiscal years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994 are as follows (in millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        1996         1995         1994
<S>                                                                                  <C>          <C>          <C>
Service cost.......................................................................   $      .5    $      .4    $      .4
Interest cost on accumulated benefit obligation....................................          .8           .9           .9
                                                                                          -----        -----        -----
Net periodic postretirement benefit cost...........................................   $     1.3    $     1.3    $     1.3
                                                                                          -----        -----        -----
                                                                                          -----        -----        -----
</TABLE>
 
                                       33
 


<PAGE>
     The  components  of  the  accumulated  postretirement  benefit   obligation
included in other noncurrent liabilities at May 31, 1996 and 1995 are as follows
(in millions):
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                  1996       1995
<S>                                                                                               <C>     <C>
Retirees.......................................................................................   $ 6.7    $     6.9
Fully eligible active plan participants........................................................     2.0          2.0
Other active plan participants.................................................................     2.8          2.8
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
Accumulated postretirement benefit obligation..................................................    11.5         11.7
Unrecognized net actuarial gain................................................................     1.2           .2
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
Accrued postretirement benefit obligation......................................................   $12.7    $    11.9
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
                                                                                                  -----   -----------
</TABLE>
 
     The  accumulated postretirement  benefit obligation was  determined using a
discount rate  of 8.0%.  Service cost  and interest  components were  determined
using  a discount rate of 8.0%. The health  care cost trend rate assumed was 12%
with an annual  decline of 1%  until the rate  reaches 5% in  the year 2002.  An
increase  of 1% in the health care cost  trend rate would result in increases of
approximately $1.4  million  in  the accumulated  benefit  obligation  and  $0.2
million in the annual net periodic postretirement benefit cost.
 
     Effective  June 1,  1993, the  Company adopted  SFAS 112  which requires an
accrual method of recognizing certain postemployment benefits such as severance.

The Company recognized the transition obligation, a one-time noncash charge,  as
the  cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle in the amount of $2.3
million (pretax) with a related tax benefit of $0.8 million.
 
     The Scholastic  Inc.  401(k) Savings  and  Retirement Plan  (the  '401(k)')
allows participating employees to authorize payroll deductions up to 15%, except
for  highly compensated employees who  are limited to 10%,  of their income on a
pretax basis and/or an after-tax basis.  The payroll deductions are invested  at
the direction of the participant in certain investment funds or in the Company's
Common  Stock. For the 401(k) plan years ending May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, the
Company  matched  the  employees'  pretax  payroll  deductions  (up  to  6%   of
compensation)  by one dollar  for each dollar  of the first  one hundred dollars
contributed and fifty  cents for  each dollar  above one  hundred dollars.  Such
matching  was made in cash.  The terms of the  401(k) provide that the Company's
Board  of  Directors  shall  determine  the  Company's  matching   contributions
annually.  The  Company, at  its sole  discretion,  may also  make discretionary
contributions for the  benefit of  all participants regardless  of whether  they
elected  to make pretax contributions to the  401(k). For the fiscal years ended
May 31, 1996, 1995  and 1994, the Company's  401(k) matching contributions  were
$2.0 million, $1.9 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
 
                                       34




<PAGE>
                         REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS
SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
 
     We  have audited the accompanying  consolidated balance sheet of Scholastic
Corporation (the  'Company') as  of May  31,  1996, and  1995, and  the  related
consolidated  statements of  income, changes  in stockholders'  equity, and cash
flows for each of the three years in  the period ended May 31, 1996. Our  audits
also  included  the financial  statement schedule  listed in  the Index  at Item
14(a). These financial  statements and  schedule are the  responsibility of  the
Company's  management.  Our responsibility  is to  express  an opinion  on these
financial statements and schedule based on our audits.
 
     We conducted  our audits  in accordance  with generally  accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence  supporting
the  amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
addressing the  accounting principles  used and  significant estimates  made  by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
     In our opinion,  the consolidated  financial statements  referred to  above
present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of
the  Company  at May  31,  1996 and  1995 and  the  consolidated results  of its
operations, and its cash flows for each  of the three years in the period  ended

May  31, 1996 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Also,
in our opinion,  the related  financial statement schedule,  when considered  in
relation  to the basic financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in
all material respects the information set forth therein.
 
     As described in Note (1) to  the financial statements, the Company  changed
its  methods  of accounting  for  postretirement benefits  other  than pensions,
postemployment benefits and income taxes in the year ended May 31, 1994.
 
                                                           /s/ Ernst & Young LLP
                                                           Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
July 3, 1996
 
                                       35




<PAGE>
SUPPLEMENTARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Summary of Quarterly Results of Operations for the fiscal years ended May 31,
1996 and 1995
(Unaudited, amounts in thousands except per share data)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      1996
                                                         FIRST       SECOND      THIRD           FOURTH
                                                        QUARTER     QUARTER     QUARTER        QUARTER(1)       YEAR(1)
<S>                                                     <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>                 <C>
Revenues.............................................   $135,191    $294,610    $216,085        $    282,713    $928,599
Cost of goods sold...................................     78,816     134,620     108,150             144,444     466,030
Net income (loss)....................................     (9,792)     31,122       8,889               1,678      31,897
Net income (loss) per share:
     Primary.........................................       (.62)       1.92         .55                 .10        1.97
     Fully diluted...................................       (.62)       1.81         .55                 .10        1.97
</TABLE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                      1995
                                                         FIRST       SECOND      THIRD
                                                        QUARTER     QUARTER     QUARTER      FOURTH QUARTER       YEAR
<S>                                                     <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>                 <C>
 
Revenues.............................................   $ 87,065    $254,063    $179,930        $    228,833    $749,891
Cost of goods sold...................................     51,569     112,000      85,230             107,169     355,968
Net income (loss)....................................    (11,169)     27,320       7,974              14,453      38,578
Net income (loss) per share:
     Primary.........................................       (.72)       1.68         .49                 .89        2.38
     Fully diluted...................................       (.72)       1.68         .49                 .89        2.37
</TABLE>
 
- ------------
 
(1) The fourth quarter of fiscal 1996 includes a non-cash charge relating to the
    impairment  of certain  assets of  $24.3 million  pre-tax and  $14.9 million
    after-tax. A significant portion of this charge was determined in connection
    with the Company's early adoption of SFAS 121, which requires an  evaluation
    of the realization of long-lived asset carrying values. This charge consists
    of  the  unamortized  prepublication ($10.8  million)  and  inventory ($13.5
    million) costs of the Company's K-2 math program, several older supplemental
    instructional publishing  programs  and  other selected  titles.  The  fully
    diluted earnings per share impact for the year was $0.88.
 
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
 
     None.


 
                                       36




<PAGE>
                                    PART III
 
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
 
     Information  regarding directors  is incorporated herein  by reference from
the Company's definitive proxy statement to be filed pursuant to regulation  14A
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
 
     Executive Officers (as of August 1, 1996)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
          NAME             AGE                                     POSITION
- ------------------------   ---   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
<S>                        <C>   <C>
Richard Robinson........   59    Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
Barbara A. Marcus.......   45    Executive Vice President, Children's Book Publishing
Margery W. Mayer........   44    Executive Vice President, Instructional Publishing
Kevin J. McEnery........   48    Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Ruth Otte...............   47    Executive Vice President, Media
Richard M. Spaulding....   59    Director, Executive Vice President
Charles B. Deull........   36    Senior Vice President, Legal and Business Affairs
Jean L. Feiwel..........   43    Senior Vice President, Associate Publisher -- Children's Book Publishing
Ernest B. Fleishman.....   59    Senior Vice President, Education and Corporate Relations
Deborah A. Forte........   42    Senior Vice President, Division Head, Scholastic Productions
Frank Grohowski.........   55    Senior Vice President, Operations
Hugh Roome..............   44    Senior Vice President, Magazine Group
David J. Walsh..........   60    Senior Vice President, International Operations
Lynette E. Allison......   39    Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Helen V. Benham.........   46    Director, Corporate Vice President, Early Childhood Advisor
Claudia H. Cohl.........   56    Vice President, Professional Publishing
Larry V. Holland........   37    Vice President, Human Resources
Raymond Marchuk.........   45    Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations
David D. Yun............   48    President, Scholastic Book Fairs, Inc.
Leslie G. Lista.........   37    Corporate Controller
Vincent M. Marzano......   33    Treasurer
</TABLE>
 
     Richard Robinson has held his position with the Company or Scholastic Inc.,
for more than five years and has been a Director of Scholastic Inc. since 1971.
 
     Barbara  A.  Marcus  became  Executive Vice  President  --  Children's Book
Publishing in October 1991.  Ms. Marcus joined Scholastic  Inc. in July 1983  as
Vice  President of Marketing and in October  1984, Ms. Marcus was also appointed
to the position of Associate Publisher.
 
     Margery W. Mayer  joined Scholastic Inc.  in April 1990  as Executive  Vice
President  -- Instructional Publishing. From 1987 until 1990, she was associated
with the Ginn Division of Silver Burdett  & Ginn Inc., as General Manager  until
August 1988 and as President, thereafter.
 

     Kevin  J.  McEnery  became  Executive Vice  President  and  Chief Financial
Officer in August 1995. Mr. McEnery joined the Company in September 1993 as Vice
President of Strategic Planning  and Operations of  the Magazine and  Technology
groups.  From April 1992 through  September 1993 he was  associated with the ITC
Group, a telecommunications consulting group based in Westport, Connecticut as a
Senior Consultant.  Prior to  that he  was  a Senior  Vice President  and  Chief
Financial Officer of a privately held consumer and medical products company.
 
     Ruth  Otte became Executive Vice  President of Media in  1996. From 1986 to
1994 she served as President and  Chief Operating Officer of Discovery  Networks
and from 1994 until September 1995, she was President of Knowledge Adventure.
 
     Richard  M. Spaulding has held his  position with the Company or Scholastic
Inc. for more than five years and  has been a Director of Scholastic Inc.  since
1974.
 
     Charles  B.  Deull  joined  the  Company in  January  1995  as  Senior Vice
President -- Legal and Business Affairs.  Mr. Deull was associated with the  law
firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen and Hamilton from 1986 until joining Scholastic.
 
                                       37
 


<PAGE>
     Jean  L. Feiwel was appointed Senior  Vice President -- Associate Publisher
of Childrens Book Publishing in December 1993. Ms. Feiwel joined Scholastic Inc.
in July 1983 and has served as  Vice President -- Editor-in-Chief of Book  Group
since 1990.
 
     Ernest  B. Fleishman  joined Scholastic  Inc. in  June 1989  as Senior Vice
President  --  Education  and  Corporate   Relations.  Mr.  Fleishman  was   the
Superintendent  for the  Greenwich, Connecticut  Public School  System from 1976
until joining Scholastic Inc.
 
     Deborah  A.   Forte  was   appointed   Senior  Vice   President:   Division
Head  --  Scholastic  Productions  in  January 1995.  Ms.  Forte  has  been with
Scholastic since 1984  serving as  a Vice President  of Scholastic  Productions,
Inc.  until  1994  when  Ms.  Forte  was  appointed  Executive  Vice  President,
Scholastic Productions, Inc.
 
     Frank Grohowski was appointed  Senior Vice President  -- Operations of  the
Company  in August 1995.  Mr. Grohowski was Vice  President of Manufacturing for
Scholastic Inc. since 1985.
 
     Hugh Roome joined the Company in  September 1991 as Vice President --  Home
Office  Computing and in  May 1993, he  was appointed to  the position of Senior
Vice President -- Magazine Group. He was  Vice President of MCI from 1989  until
joining  the Company. From 1979 to 1989, Mr. Roome was the Director of Marketing
and Associate Publisher at Newsweek, Inc.
 
     David J. Walsh was elected Senior Vice President in charge of International
Operations for Scholastic Inc. in November 1983.
 

     Lynette E. Allison has held her current position as Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary with the Company since May 1988.
 
     Helen V. Benham  joined Scholastic  Inc. in 1974.  In 1996,  she was  named
Corporate  Vice President, Early  Childhood Advisor. In June  1990 she was named
Vice President  and Publisher  of the  Early Childhood  Division. She  became  a
director of the Company in September 1992.
 
     Claudia H. Cohl has been associated with Scholastic Inc. since 1975 and has
been  a  Vice President  of Scholastic  Inc. for  more than  five years.  She is
currently Vice  President --  Professional Publishing.  She has  served in  many
capacities, including Editor-in-Chief of Home Office Computing'r'.
 
     Larry   V.   Holland   joined  the   Company   in  August   1994   as  Vice
President -- Human  Resources. Prior to  joining the Company,  Mr. Holland  held
various  positions with MCI since 1990 and  left MCI as Senior Director of Human
Resources.
 
     Raymond Marchuk has  been associated  with Scholastic  Inc. since  November
1983  and has been Vice President for more than five years. He is currently Vice
President-Finance and Investor Relations.
 
     David D. Yun became President of Scholastic Book Fairs, Inc. ('SBF,  Inc.')
in  January 1992. Mr. Yun  joined the Company in June  1988 as Vice President of
Marketing for SBF, Inc. In July 1990,  he was also appointed to the position  of
Executive Vice President of SBF, Inc.
 
     Leslie  G. Lista has been associated  with Scholastic Inc. since April 1984
and has served  in many  capacities. She  became Corporate  Controller in  April
1987.
 
     Vincent  M. Marzano has  been associated with  Scholastic Inc. since August
1987. He became Treasurer of the Company in December 1993. Previously, he served
the Company in many capacities, including Manager of Planning and Analysis.
 
     Helen V. Benham is the wife of Richard Robinson. There are no other  family
relationships among any of the executive officers of the Company.
 
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
     Incorporated  herein  by  reference  from  the  Company's  definitive proxy
statement to be filed pursuant to  Regulation 14A under the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934.
 
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
 
     Incorporated  herein  by  reference  from  the  Company's  definitive proxy
statement to be filed pursuant to  Regulation 14A under the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934.
 
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
 
     Incorporated  herein  by  reference  from  the  Company's  definitive proxy
statement to be filed pursuant to  Regulation 14A under the Securities  Exchange

Act of 1934.
 
                                       38




<PAGE>
                                    PART IV
 
ITEM 14. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K
 
(a) 1. Financial Statements
     The following consolidated financial statements are included in Item 8:
 
        -- Consolidated  Statement of Income for the years ended May 31,
           1996, 1995 and 1994.
 
        -- Consolidated Balance Sheet at May 31, 1996 and 1995.
 
        -- Consolidated Statement  of Changes  in Stockholders'  Equity for  the
           years ended May 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994.
 
        -- Consolidated Statement  of Cash  Flows for  the years  ended May 31,
           1996, 1995 and 1994.
 
        -- Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
 
(a) 2. Financial Statement Schedule
 
       The following consolidated  financial statement schedule  is included  in
       Item 14(d):
 
        -- Schedule II -- Valuation and Qualifying Accounts and Reserves.
 
     All other schedules have been omitted since the required information is not
present  or is not  present in amounts  sufficient to require  submission of the
schedule, or because the  information required is  included in the  Consolidated
Financial Statements or the Notes thereto.
 
(a) 3. Exhibits:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      EXHIBIT
      NUMBER
      ------
      <S>      <C>
        3(a)   -- Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant.(1)
         (b)   -- By-Laws of the Registrant.(2)
 
        4(a)   -- Amended and Restated  Loan Agreement dated April  11, 1995 between  the Registrant  and  Citibank,
                  N.A., as agent, Marine Midland Bank, Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.,The First National Bank of  Boston
                  and United Jersey Bank.(9)
         (b)   -- Amendment to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated May 1, 1996.
         (c)   -- Revolving Loan  Agreement dated  June 19,  1995 between  the Registrant  and Sun   Bank, National
                  Association.(4)
         (d)   -- Amendment to the Revolving Loan Agreement dated August 14, 1996.(4)
         (e)   -- Overdraft Facility dated June 1, 1992, as  amended on October 30, 1995  between Scholastic  Canada
                  Ltd. and CIBC.(4)

         (f)   -- Overdraft Facility  dated June 24,  1993 between  Scholastic Ltd. (formerly  known as Scholastic
                  Publications Ltd.) and Citibank, N.A.(4)
         (g)   -- Overdraft Facility  dated May  14, 1992  as amended  on June  30, 1995,  between Scholastic  Ltd.
                  (formerly known as Scholastic Publications Ltd.) and Midland Bank.(4)
         (h)   -- Overdraft Facility dated  February 12, 1993, as  amended on January  31, 1995 between  Scholastic
                  Australia Pty. Ltd. (formerly known  as Ashton Scholastic Pty.  Ltd.) and National Australia  Bank
                  Ltd.(4)
         (i)   -- Indenture  dated August  15,  1995 relating  to $110.0  million  of 5%  Convertible  Subordinated
                  Debentures due August 15, 2005 issued by the Registrant.(10)
 
       10      Material Contracts:
         (a)   -- Scholastic  Inc. 401(k)  Savings and  Retirement Plan,  as amended  and restated  as of  June  1,
                  1992.(10)
         (b)   -- Amended and Restated Retirement Income Plan for Employees of Scholastic Inc. effective as of July
                  1, 1989.(10)
         (c)   -- 1992 Stock Option Plan.(6)
         (d)   -- 1995 Stock Option Plan.(11)
         (e)   -- Non-qualified Stock Option  Agreement dated July 16,  1987 between the  Registrant and Joseph W.
                  Oliver.(3)
         (f)   -- Lease dated as of January 28, 1992 between Ise Hiyoko, Inc. and Scholastic Inc.(5)
</TABLE>
 
                                       39
 


<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      EXHIBIT
      NUMBER
      ------
      <C>      <S>
         (g)   -- Amendment agreement dated as of April 1, 1993 between Ise Hiyoko, Inc. and Scholastic Inc.(8)
         (h)   -- Outside Directors' Stock Option Plan.(6)
         (i)   -- Non-Employee Director Stock-For-Retainer Plan.(7)
         (j)   -- Industrial Development Agency of the City of New York documents:
                 (1) Lease agreement dated December 1, 1993.(8)
                 (2) Indenture of Trust agreement dated December 1, 1993.(8)
                 (3) Project agreement dated December 1, 1993.(8)
                 (4) Sales Tax letter dated December 3, 1993.(8)
       11      Computation of Net Income per Class A, Common and Class A Share and Common Share Equivalents.
       21      Subsidiaries of the Registrant.
       23      Consent of Independent Auditors.
</TABLE>
 
(b) Reports on form 8-K:
 
     -- Report on Form 8-K (Item 5) dated June 24, 1996.
 
(c) The response to this portion of Item  14 is submitted as a separate  section
    of this report. See Index to Exhibits in Exhibit Volume I.
 
(d)  The response to this portion of Item  14 is submitted as a separate section
of this report.
 
- ------------
 
FOOTNOTES:
 
 (1) Incorporated by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on  Form
     S-8  (Registration No. 33-46338) as filed  with the Commission on March 12,
     1992.
 
 (2) Incorporated by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on  Form
     S-1 (Registration No. 33-45022) as filed with the Commission on January 10,
     1992 (the '1992 Registration Statement').
 
 (3) Incorporated  by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on Form
     S-1 (Registration No. 33-36300) as filed  with the Commission on August  6,
     1990 (the '1990 Registration Statement').
 
 (4) Such  long-term debt does not  individually amount to more  than 10% of the
     total assets  of the  Registrant  and its  subsidiaries on  a  consolidated
     basis. Accordingly, pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K, such
     instrument is not filed herewith. The Registrant hereby agrees to furnish a
     copy  of any such instrument to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon
     request.

 
 (5) Incorporated by  reference to  Amendment  No. 1  to the  1992  Registration
     Statement as filed with the Commission on February 21, 1992.

 (6) Incorporated  by reference to  the Company's Annual Report  on Form 10-K as
     filed with the Commission on August 27, 1992 (File No. 0-19860).
 
 (7) Incorporated by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on  Form
     S-8 (Registration No. 33-74064) as filed with the Commission on January 11,
     1994.
 
 (8) Incorporated  by reference to  the Company's Annual Report  on Form 10-K as
     filed with the Commission on August 26, 1994 (File No. 0-19860).
 
 (9) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter  ended
     February  28, 1995 as filed with the Commission on April 13, 1995 (File No.
     0-19860).
 
(10) Incorporated by reference to  the Company's Annual Report  on Form 10-K  as
     filed with the Commission on August 28, 1995 (File No. 0-19860).
 
(11) Incorporated  by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on Form
     S-8 (Registration No. 33-98186) as filed with the Commission on October 16,
     1995.
 
                                       40




<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES
 
     Pursuant  to  the requirements  of Section  13 or  15(d) of  the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
Dated: August 23, 1996               SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION



                                     By         /s/ RICHARD ROBINSON
                                       .........................................
                                        RICHARD ROBINSON, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD,
                                          PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of the  Securities Exchange Act of 1934,  this
report  has  been  signed  below  by the  following  persons  on  behalf  of the
Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                SIGNATURE                                      TITLE                              DATE
- ------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------   -------------------
<S>                                         <C>                                            <C>
           /S/ RICHARD ROBINSON             Chairman of the Board, President, Chief          August 23, 1996
 .........................................    Executive Officer and Director (Principal
             RICHARD ROBINSON                 Executive Officer)
 
         /S/ RICHARD M. SPAULDING           Executive Vice President and Director            August 23, 1996
 .........................................
           RICHARD M. SPAULDING
 
           /S/ KEVIN J. MCENERY             Executive Vice President, Chief Financial        August 23, 1996
 .........................................    Officer (Principal Financial & Accounting
             KEVIN J. MCENERY                 Officer)
 
         /S/ REBECA MARIA BARRERA           Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
           REBECA MARIA BARRERA
 
                                            Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
             HELEN V. BENHAM
 
         /S/ FREDERIC J. BISCHOFF           Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
           FREDERIC J. BISCHOFF
 
            /S/ JOHN BRADEMAS               Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
              JOHN BRADEMAS
 

            /S/ JOHN C. BURTON              Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
              JOHN C. BURTON
 
            /S/ RAMON CORTINES              Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
              RAMON CORTINES
 
            /S/ ALONZO A. CRIM              Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
              ALONZO A. CRIM
</TABLE>
 
                                       41
 


<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                SIGNATURE                                      TITLE                              DATE
- ------------------------------------------  --------------------------------------------   -------------------
<S>                                         <C>                                            <C>
                                            Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
             ANDREW S. HEDDEN
 
            /S/ MAE C. JEMISON              Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
              MAE C. JEMISON
 
         /S/ RICHARD A. KRINSLEY            Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
           RICHARD A. KRINSLEY
 
            /S/ JOAN D. MANLEY              Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
              JOAN D. MANLEY
 
           /S/ JOHN G. MCDONALD             Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
             JOHN G. MCDONALD
 
          /S/ AUGUSTUS OLIVER II            Director                                         August 23, 1996
 .........................................
            AUGUSTUS OLIVER II
</TABLE>
 
                                       42




<PAGE>
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
                           ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
                            YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 1996
                                   ITEM 14(D)
                          FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE
 


<PAGE>
                       This page left blank intentionally






<PAGE>
                                                                     SCHEDULE II
 
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
                 VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS AND RESERVES
                    YEARS ENDED MAY 31, 1996, 1995 AND 1994
                             (AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                 BALANCE AT    ADDITIONS                    BALANCE AT
                                                                 BEGINNING      CHARGED                       END OF
                         DESCRIPTION                              OF YEAR      TO INCOME    WRITE OFFS         YEAR
- --------------------------------------------------------------   ----------    ---------    ----------      ----------
<S>                                                              <C>           <C>          <C>             <C>
May 31, 1996:
     Reserve for royalty advances.............................    $ 16,591      $ 1,892      $    120        $ 18,363
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
     Reserve for obsolescence.................................    $ 18,186      $15,544      $ 10,007        $ 23,723
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
     Reserve for returns......................................    $ 19,839      $47,714      $ 39,899(1)     $ 27,654
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
May 31, 1995:
     Reserve for royalty advances.............................    $ 14,777      $ 1,993      $    179        $ 16,591
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
     Reserve for obsolescence.................................    $ 15,604      $ 7,034      $  4,452        $ 18,186
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
     Reserve for returns......................................    $ 14,887      $30,460      $ 25,508(1)     $ 19,839
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
May 31, 1994:
     Reserve for royalty advances.............................    $ 13,186      $ 2,486      $    895        $ 14,777
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
     Reserve for obsolescence.................................    $ 12,887      $ 6,609      $  3,892        $ 15,604
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
     Reserve for returns......................................    $  9,964      $25,239      $ 20,316(1)     $ 14,887
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
                                                                 ---------     --------     ---------       --------- 
</TABLE>
 
- ------------
 
(1) Represents actual returns charged to reserve.
 
                                      S-1
 


<PAGE>
                       This page left blank intentionally




<PAGE>
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT                                                                                                        PAGE
  NO.                                                DESCRIPTION                                              NUMBER
- -------   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   ------
 <S>       <C>                                                                                                 <C>
   3(a)   -- Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant.(1).......................
    (b)   -- By-Laws of the Registrant.(2).................................................................
   4(a)   -- Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated April 11, 1995 between the Registrant and  Citibank,
             N.A., as agent, Marine  Midland Bank, Chase  Manhattan Bank, N.A., The  First National Bank of
             Boston and United Jersey Bank.(10)............................................................
    (b)   -- Amendment to the Amended and restated Loan Agreement dated May 1, 1996........................
    (c)   -- Revolving Loan Agreement  dated June 19, 1995  between the Registrant  and Sun Bank,  National
             Association.(4)...............................................................................
    (d)   -- Amendment to the Revolving Loan Agreement dated August 14, 1996.(4)...........................
    (e)   -- Overdraft Facility  dated June 1,  1992, as amended  on October 30,  1995, between  Scholastic
             Canada Ltd. and CIBC.(4)......................................................................
    (f)   -- Overdraft Facility dated June 24, 1993  between Scholastic Ltd. (formerly known as  Scholastic
             Publications Ltd.) and Citibank, N.A.(4)......................................................
    (g)   -- Overdraft Facility dated  May 14, 1992 as  amended on June 30,  1995, between Scholastic  Ltd.
             (formerly known as Scholastic Publications Ltd.) and Midland Bank.(4).........................
    (h)   -- Overdraft Facility dated February 12, 1993 as amended on January 31, 1995, between  Scholastic
             Australia Pty. Ltd. (formerly known as Ashton Scholastic Pty. Ltd.) and National Australia Bank
             Ltd.(4).......................................................................................
    (i)   -- Indenture  dated  August 15,  1995  relating to  $110.0  million of  Convertible  Subordinated
             Debentures due August 15, 2005 issued by the Registrant.(11)..................................
  10      Material Contracts:
    (a)   -- Scholastic Inc. 401(k)  Savings and Retirement  Plan, as amended  and restated as  of  June 1,
             1992.(11).....................................................................................
    (b)   -- Amended and Restated Retirement Income Plan  for Employees of Scholastic Inc. effective as  of
             July 1, 1989.(11).............................................................................
    (c)   -- 1992 Stock Option Plan.(7)....................................................................
    (d)   -- 1995 Stock Option Plan.(12)...................................................................
    (e)   -- Non-qualified Stock Option Agreement dated July 16, 1987 between the Registrant and  Joseph W.
             Oliver.(3)....................................................................................
    (f)   -- Lease dated as of January 28, 1992 between Ise Hiyoko, Inc. and Scholastic Inc.(6)............
    (g)   -- Amendment  agreement dated  as  of April  1,  1993 between  Ise  Hiyoko, Inc.  and  Scholastic
             Inc.(9).......................................................................................
    (h)   -- Outside Directors' Stock Option Plan.(7)......................................................
    (i)   -- Non-Employee Director Stock-For-Retainer Plan.(8).............................................
    (j)   -- Industrial Development Agency of the City of New York documents:
            (1) Lease agreement dated December 1, 1993.(9).................................................
            (2) Indenture of Trust agreement dated December 1, 1993.(9)....................................
            (3) Project agreement dated December 1, 1993.(9)...............................................
            (4) Sales Tax letter dated December 3, 1993.(9)................................................
  11      Computation of Net Income per Class A, Common and Class A Share and Common Share Equivalents.....
  21      Subsidiaries of the Registrant...................................................................
  23      Consent of Independent Auditors..................................................................
</TABLE>
 



<PAGE>
FOOTNOTES:
 
 (1) Incorporated  by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on Form
     S-8 (Registration No. 33-46338) as filed  with the Commission on March  12,
     1992.
 
 (2) Incorporated  by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on Form
     S-1 (Registration No. 33-45022) as filed with the Commission on January 10,
     1992 (the '1992 Registration Statement').
 
 (3) Incorporated by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on  Form
     S-1  (Registration No. 33-36300) as filed  with the Commission on August 6,
     1990 (the '1990 Registration Statement').
 
 (4) Such long-term debt does  not individually amount to  more than 10% of  the
     total  assets  of the  Registrant and  its  subsidiaries on  a consolidated
     basis. Accordingly, pursuant to Item 601(b)(4)(iii) of Regulation S-K, such
     instrument is not filed herewith. The Registrant hereby agrees to furnish a
     copy of any such instrument to the Securities and Exchange Commission  upon
     request.
 
 (5) Incorporated  by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on Form
     S-8 (Registration No. 33-48655)  as filed with the  Commission on June  22,
     1992.
 
 (6) Incorporated  by  reference to  Amendment No.  1  to the  1992 Registration
     Statement as filed with the Commission on February 21, 1992.
 
 (7) Incorporated by reference to  the Company's Annual Report  on Form 10-K  as
     filed with the Commission on August 27, 1992 (File No. 0-19860).
 
 (8) Incorporated  by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on Form
     S-8 (Registration No. 33-74064) as filed with the Commission on January 11,
     1994.
 
 (9) Incorporated by reference to  the Company's Annual Report  on Form 10-K  as
     filed with the Commission on August 26, 1994 (File No. 0-19860).
 
(10) Incorporated  by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
     February 28, 1995 as filed with the Commission on April 13, 1995 (File  No.
     0-19860).
 
(11) Incorporated  by reference to  the Company's Annual Report  on Form 10-K as
     filed with the Commission on August 28, 1995 (file No. 0-19860).
 
(12) Incorporated by reference to the  Company's Registration Statement on  Form
     S-8 (Registration No. 33-98186) as filed with the Commission on October 16,
     1995.


                              STATEMENT OF DIFFERENCES

                              ------------------------

The service mark symbol shall be expressed as 'sm'
The trademark symbol shall be expressed as 'tm'
The registered trademark symbol shall be expressed as 'r'

<PAGE>
                                                                 EXHIBIT 4(b)

                                                                  EXECUTION COPY

                                LETTER AMENDMENT

                                                   Dated as of May 1, 1996

To the banks, financial institutions
   and other institutional lenders
   (collectively,  the "Banks") parties
   to the Loan Agreement referred to
   below and to Citibank, N.A., as agent
   (the "Agent") for the Banks

Ladies and Gentlemen:

               We refer to the Amended and Restated Loan Agreement dated as of
April 11, 1995 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified through the date
hereof, the "Loan Agreement") among the undersigned and you. Capitalized terms
not otherwise defined in this Letter Amendment have the same meanings as
specified in the Loan Agreement.

               The Loan Agreement is, effective as of the date of this Letter
Amendment, hereby amended as follows:

               (a)    Section 1.01 is amended as follows:

                      (i) Section 1.01 is amended by deleting the table
               beginning on the sixth line of the definition "Applicable LIBO
               Margin Rate" and substituting therefor the following table:

               "
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Rating               Applicable LIBO       Applicable Commitment
       S&P/Moody's               Margin Rate               Fee Rate
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                      <C>
         A-1/P-1                       0.325%                      0.10%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         A-2/P-2                       0.375%                      0.15%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         A-3/P-3                       0.55%                       0.2125%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           B/NP                        0.80%                       0.3125%
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     lower than B/NP                   0.90%                       0.3625%
       or not rated
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

</TABLE>


                                                                              ".


                      (ii) Section 1.01. is further amended by deleting the
               defined term "Robinson Family" and substituting therefor the
               following:





 
<PAGE>


                                        2

                             "Robinson Family" shall mean: Richard Robinson,
                      Barbara Robinson Buckland, Florence R. Ford, Mary Sue
                      Robinson Morrill and William W. Robinson, the spouses and
                      descendants of any of them, and any trust or estate whose
                      legal representatives (or in the case of a Person with
                      more than one legal representative, at least half of whose
                      legal representatives) consist of one or more of the
                      foregoing individuals, spouses and descendants; and the
                      trusts respectively created under the will of Maurice R.
                      Robinson and the will of Florence L. Robinson so long as
                      at least half of their respective trustees continue to
                      consist of one or more of the foregoing individuals,
                      spouses and descendants."

               (b)    Section 2.04(g) is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "(g) After notice from the Agent during the continuance of
               an Event of Default under Section 7.01(c) prior to maturity, and
               at all times after the Maturity Date, the Loans shall bear
               additional interest (computed on the basis of actual number of
               days elapsed and a year of 365 days) on the unpaid principal
               balance of the Loans outstanding from time to time during such
               period(s) at a rate equal to two percent (2.00%) per annum, which
               amounts shall be payable by the Borrowers in addition to, and at
               the same times as, the regular interest payments on the Loans
               required pursuant to the preceding subsections of this Section,
               subject, however, to the maximum rate permitted by applicable law
               as provided in Section 2.10 hereof."

               (c)    Section 2.06(a) is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "Section 2.06. Commitment Fee; Agency Fee; Etc. (a) The
               Borrowers shall pay to the Agent (for the benefit of all of the
               Banks sharing in the Revolving Credit Loans) on the last Business
               Day of February, May, August and November of each year during the
               Revolving Credit Period, and on the last day of the Revolving

               Credit Period, in arrears, commencing on the first such date
               following the Effective Date, a fee respecting the availability
               of the Commitment (the "Commitment Fee") equal to the Applicable
               Commitment Fee Rate (computed on the basis of the actual number
               of days elapsed and a year of 365 days) of the average daily
               unadvanced portion of the Commitment during the three calendar
               month period then ending or portion thereof (with the Letters of
               Credit Amount being considered an advance under the Commitment)."




 
<PAGE>


                                        3

               (d)    Section 3.04(a)(ii) is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "(ii) any Material Document or any Corporate Document that
               would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect".

               (e)    Section 6.01 is amended as follows:

                      (i) Section 6.01(a) is amended in full to read as follows:

                             "(a) The Borrowers shall maintain at all times a
                      Consolidated Debt Ratio of not more than 0.60:1; provided
                      that during the first and second fiscal quarters of each
                      fiscal year, the Borrowers shall maintain a Consolidated
                      Debt Ratio of not more than 0.65:1."

                      (ii) Section 6.01(b) is amended in full to read as
               follows:

                             "(b) The Borrowers shall maintain as at the last
                      day of each of their fiscal quarters a Consolidated
                      Interest Coverage Ratio of not less than 4.00:1."

               (f)    Section 6.02 is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "Section 6.02. Liens and Encumbrances. Neither Borrower
               shall, and the Borrowers shall not cause, suffer or permit any of
               the Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly: (a) to make, create,
               incur, assume or permit to exist any assignment, pledge,
               mortgage, security interest or other lien or encumbrance of any
               nature in, to or against any part of the assets or properties of
               either Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries; (b) to purchase or
               otherwise acquire any asset or property of any character subject
               to any of the foregoing encumbrances (including any conditional
               sale contract or other title retention agreement); (c) to assign,
               pledge or in any way transfer, restrict or encumber its right to
               receive any income or other distribution or proceeds from any

               part of the assets or properties of either Borrower or any of the
               Subsidiaries; (d) to enter into any sale-leaseback financing
               respecting any part of the assets or properties of either
               Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries; or (e) to offer or agree to
               or cause or assist the inception or continuation of any of the
               foregoing; provided, however, that the foregoing restrictions
               shall not prohibit the following to the extent otherwise not
               prohibited by this Agreement:




 
<PAGE>


                                        4

               (i) liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges,
        levies or claims not then required to be paid under Section 5.06 so long
        as any reserve has been established as required by that Section;

               (ii) liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, laborers and
        materialmen incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not
        then required to be paid under Section 5.06 so long as any reserve has
        been established as required by that Section;

               (iii) liens incurred in the ordinary course of business in
        connection with worker's compensation, unemployment insurance, statutory
        obligations, social security legislation or rental or other security
        deposits, or for any purpose at the time required by law as a condition
        precedent to the transaction of business or the exercise of any of the
        privileges or licenses of either Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries, so
        long as the underlying obligations are not then required to be paid
        under Section 5.06 hereof and any reserve has been established as
        required by that Section;

               (iv) liens incurred in respect of judgments and awards discharged
        within 30 days from the making thereof or under review in an appropriate
        forum so long as enforcement thereof is effectively stayed;

               (v) security interests (including leases treated as security
        interests) in equipment or property purchased or leased so long as they
        respectively secure only the corresponding purchase money indebtedness
        or capitalized lease obligations;

               (vi) security interests (including leases treated as security
        interests) existing in assets or properties at the time of acquisition
        of such assets or properties, or the acquisition of the Person owning
        such assets or properties, so long as such security interests continue
        to encumber only such assets or properties;

               (vii) any security interests or liens on the ownership interest
        of the Borrowers or any Subsidiaries in the COLI Policies;


               (viii) any security interests and other liens and encumbrances
        granted from time to time to the Agent (for the benefit of all of the
        Banks);

               (ix) liens on accounts receivable and proceeds thereof arising
        solely in connection with the sale or other disposition of such accounts
        receivable pursuant to Section 6.03; and




 
<PAGE>


                                        5

               (x) currently existing liens and negative pledges that are
        disclosed in Schedule 3.10(a) hereto (other than those securing
        indebtedness being retired with the proceeds of the Loans or otherwise
        replaced by this Agreement), but those liens or pledges shall not be
        increased or extended to other indebtedness (but may be renewed or
        extended) unless otherwise permitted by the terms and provisions of this
        Agreement."

               (g)    Section 6.03 is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "Section 6.03. Sale or Disposition of Assets, Etc. Neither
        Borrower shall, and shall not cause, suffer or permit any of the
        Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, sell, lease, sublease,
        transfer, exchange or otherwise dispose of any part of the assets or
        properties of either Borrower or any of the Subsidiaries (individually
        or in a series of related transactions) (a) for less than the fair
        market value of such assets and properties or (b) involving assets and
        properties with an aggregate fair market value of more than $35,000,000,
        or offer or agree to do so, without the approval of Majority Banks;
        provided, however, that the Borrowers and the Subsidiaries may (i) sell
        inventory and equipment in the ordinary course of business without
        regard to this Section and (ii) sell or otherwise dispose of any
        accounts receivable of the Borrowers from time to time, for cash and at
        least equal to the fair value of such accounts receivable in the
        ordinary course of business of the Borrowers and their Subsidiaries."

               (h)    Section 6.04 is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "Section 6.04. Certain Fundamental Changes. Neither
               Borrower shall, and shall not cause, suffer or permit any of the
               Significant Subsidiaries (as applicable), directly or indirectly,
               to effect, enter into or offer or agree to: (a) any issuance,
               sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition or encumbrance of any
               equity securities issued by the Operating Company or any of the
               Significant Subsidiaries, or the issuance of any option, warrant
               or other right to acquire any such securities; (b) any capital

               reorganization or reclassification of the capital stock or other
               equity interests of either Borrower; (c) any transaction in which
               the equity interests of either Borrower prior to the transaction
               would be changed into or exchanged for different securities,
               whether of that or any other Person, or for any other assets or
               properties; (d) except as otherwise permitted




 
<PAGE>


                                        6

               by Section 6.03 hereof, any sale, lease, assignment, conveyance,
               spin-off or other transfer or disposition of all or any material
               part of the business or assets and properties of either Borrower
               or any Significant Subsidiary; (e) any merger, consolidation,
               dissolution, liquidation or winding up, provided, however, (i)
               any wholly-owned Subsidiary may merge into or consolidate with
               any other wholly-owned Subsidiary or either Borrower (so long as
               such Borrower is the survivor), and (ii) either Borrower may
               merge with any Person so long as such Borrower is the surviving
               corporation, no Default or Event of Default is then continuing or
               would result therefrom, with the various financial measurements
               and covenants set forth in Section 6.01 of this Agreement being
               recalculated on a pro forma basis (from the then most recent
               quarterly or subsequent pro forma calculations) to include the
               effect of such merger, and any resulting acquisition is permitted
               under subsection (f) of this Section; (f) the acquisition or
               establishment of any new subsidiary or joint venture, or the
               acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets and
               properties of any other Person or any discrete division or other
               business unit thereof, provided, however, that, so long as no
               Default or Event of Default is then continuing or would result
               therefrom, with the various financial measurements and covenants
               set forth in Section 6.01 of this Agreement being recalculated on
               a pro forma basis (from the then most recent quarterly or
               subsequent pro forma calculations) to include the effect of such
               acquisition, the Borrowers and the Subsidiaries may acquire all
               or substantially all of the assets and properties of, acquire an
               equity interest in, or enter into any new joint venture that is
               or will be (A) any Person whose assets and business are (or are
               to be) substantially similar to the assets and business of the
               Borrowers or the Subsidiaries on the date hereof and (B) any
               other Person so long as the aggregate fair market value of all
               such assets and properties acquired from such other Person
               (directly or indirectly through the acquisition of equity) does
               not (or will not) exceed $35,000,000; or (g) any material change
               in the character of the business of either Borrower or of the
               Borrowers and the subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case as
               conducted on the date of this Agreement."


               (i)    Section 6.05 is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "Section 6.05. Distributions to Shareholders. Neither
               Borrower shall, and the Borrowers shall not cause, suffer or
               permit any of the Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly: (a)
               declare or make any dividend, payment or other distribution of
               cash, assets or property with respect to any common or preferred
               stock issued by the Holding Company, whether now or hereafter
               outstanding; (b) redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire any common
               or




 
<PAGE>


                                        7

               preferred stock issued by the Holding Company or any option or
               other right to acquire any such securities (other than any
               redemption or repurchase of the Holding Company's outstanding 5%
               convertible subordinated debentures due August 15, 2005, as in
               effect on the date hereof, pursuant to the application of the
               change of control provision contained therein, or any
               substantially identical provision contained in any subsequent
               issuance of convertible debt); (c) covenant or otherwise arrange
               with any Person (other than the Banks in any Loan Instrument) to
               directly or indirectly limit or otherwise restrict any dividend,
               advance or other payment or distribution (whether of cash or
               otherwise); or (d) offer or agree to do any of the foregoing;
               provided, however, that the Holding Company may make any such
               dividend, payment or other distribution with respect to any
               equity securities issued by it, or redeem, purchase or otherwise
               acquire any equity securities issued by the Holding Company, so
               long as no Default or Event of Default is then continuing or
               would result therefrom, with the various financial measurements
               and covenants set forth in Section 6.01 of this Agreement being
               recalculated on a pro forma basis (from the then most recent
               quarterly or subsequent pro forma calculations) to include the
               effect of the proposed dividend or other action, and the
               aggregate amount of such dividends or other actions in any fiscal
               year does not exceed 50% of the consolidated Net Income (adjusted
               to exclude any nonrecurring gains and losses) of the Borrowers
               and the Subsidiaries for the immediately preceding fiscal year."

               (j)    Section 7.01(f) is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "(f) any payment default of $2,000,000 or more shall occur
               under any instrument or agreement (other than a Loan Instrument)
               respecting any Debt of either Borrower or any of the
               Subsidiaries, or any such Debt of $5,000,000 or more in principal

               or notional amount shall be accelerated or otherwise become due
               or be required to be prepaid, repurchased or redeemed (other than
               pursuant to a regularly scheduled mandatory prepayment,
               repurchase or redemption or the application of the change of
               control provision contained in the Holding Company's outstanding
               5% convertible subordinated debentures due August 15, 2005, as in
               effect on the date hereof, or any substantially identical
               provision contained in any subsequent issuance of debt) prior to
               its scheduled maturity, unless payment shall be made or action
               shall be taken within five (5) Business Days after such default
               in an amount or manner sufficient to cure it, provided that such
               payment or action will not result in a breach of any term or
               provision of this Agreement and the other Loan Instruments, with
               the various financial measurements and covenants set forth in
               Section 6.01 of this Agreement being recalculated on a pro forma




 
<PAGE>


                                        8

               basis (from the then most recent quarterly or subsequent pro
               forma calculations) to include the effect of any such payment;"

               (k)    Section 9.14(f) is amended in full to read as follows:

                      "(f) Subject to the terms and provisions of this
               Agreement, each Bank from time to time may sell to one or more
               other financial institutions or institutional investors (other
               than the Borrowers or any of their Affiliates) a participation
               interest in all or an undivided portion of its rights, powers,
               privileges, remedies and interests under this Agreement and the
               other Loan Instruments, in any case with the consent of the
               Borrowers (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or
               delayed); provided that no Bank shall permit its direct or
               indirect participant to further assign or participate its
               interests hereunder. However, the sale or other transfer of a
               participation shall not reduce, shift or otherwise affect any of
               the agreements, duties, obligations or liabilities of the selling
               Bank under this Agreement or any other Loan Instrument, which
               shall continue in full force and effect and remain the sole
               responsibility of the selling Bank, and each such selling Bank
               agrees that it will not raise (and hereby expressly waives) any
               defense relating to any such participation. Furthermore, no Bank
               shall grant to any participant the right to approve any
               supplement to, modification, amendment, restatement or waiver of
               or departure from this Agreement or any other Loan Instrument
               other than with respect to any reduction in the principal of the
               Loans or in the calculation of interest or fees thereon, or any
               postponement of any date fixed for any payment of principal or

               interest or fees on the Loans, to the extent the participant has
               an interest in such Loans. The Agent and other Banks and the
               Borrowers may continue to deal directly and exclusively with any
               such selling Bank."

               This Letter Amendment shall become effective as of the date first
above written when, and only when, on or before May 31, 1996, the Agent shall
have received counterparts of this Letter Amendment executed by the undersigned
and all of the Banks or, as to any of the Banks, advice satisfactory to the
Agent that such Bank has executed this Letter Amendment. This Letter Amendment
is subject to the provisions of Section 8.11 of the Loan Agreement.

               On and after the effectiveness of this Letter Amendment, each
reference in the Loan Agreement to "this Agreement", "hereunder", "hereof" or
words of like import referring to the Loan Agreement, and each reference in the
Notes and each of the other Loan Instruments to "the Loan Agreement",
"thereunder", "thereof" or words of like import




 
<PAGE>


                                        9

referring to the Loan Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Loan
Agreement, as amended by this Letter Amendment.

               The Loan Agreement, the Notes and each of the other Loan
Instruments, as specifically amended by this Letter Amendment, are and shall
continue to be in full force and effect and are hereby in all respects ratified
and confirmed. The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Letter
Amendment shall not, except as expressly provided herein, operate as a waiver of
any right, power or remedy of any Bank or the Agent under any of the Loan
Instruments, nor constitute a waiver of any provision of any of the Loan
Instruments.

               If you agree to the terms and provisions hereof, please evidence
such agreement by executing and returning at least three counterparts of this
Letter Amendment to Citibank, N.A., 399 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10043, Attn:
Heidi McKibben.

               This Letter Amendment may be executed in any number of
counterparts and by different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of
which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken
together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed
counterpart of a signature page to this Letter Amendment by telecopier shall be
effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Letter
Amendment.

               This Letter Amendment shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.


                                Very truly yours,

                                SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION

                                By: KEVIN McENERY
                                    ______________________________________
                                    Name:   Kevin McEnery
                                    Title:  Executive Vice President and 
                                            Chief Financial Officer




 
<PAGE>


                                       10

                                 SCHOLASTIC INC.



                                 By: KEVIN McENERY
                                    ______________________________________
                                    Name:  Kevin McEnery
                                    Title: Executive Vice President and
                                           Chief Financial Officer

Agreed as of the date first above written:

CITIBANK, N.A., as Agent



By: THOMAS D. STOTT
    ______________________________
    Name:  Thomas D. Stott
    Title: Vice President

BANKS
- -----

CITIBANK, N.A.



By: THOMAS D. STOTT
    ______________________________
    Name:  Thomas D. Stott
    Title: Vice President

THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.




By: GASPARE GALANTE Jr.
    ______________________________
    Name:  Gaspare Galante Jr.
    Title: Second Vice President




 
<PAGE>


                                       11

THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON



By: JULIE V. JALELIAN
    ______________________________
    Name:  Julie V. Jalelian
    Title: Assistant Vice President

MARINE MIDLAND BANK



By: WILLIAM M. HOLLAND
    ______________________________
    Name:  William M. Holland
    Title: Vice President

UNITED JERSEY BANK



By: LAWRENCE F. ZEMA
    ______________________________
    Name:  Lawrence F. Zema
    Title: Vice President & Regional Manager

<PAGE>
                                                                      EXHIBIT 11
 
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
               COMPUTATION OF NET INCOME PER CLASS A, COMMON AND
                   CLASS A SHARE AND COMMON SHARE EQUIVALENTS
                    YEARS ENDED MAY 31, 1996, 1995, AND 1994
            (AMOUNTS IN THOUSANDS EXCEPT SHARES AND PER SHARE DATA)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          1996           1995           1994
<S>                                                                    <C>            <C>            <C>
Earnings before cumulative effect of accounting changes.............   $    31,897    $    38,578    $    32,929
Cumulative effect of accounting changes.............................            --             --          8,135
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
NET INCOME USED FOR PRIMARY EARNINGS PER SHARE......................        31,897         38,578         24,794
Net interest savings from assumed conversion of Convertible
  Subordinated Debentures...........................................         2,978             --             --
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
NET INCOME USED FOR FULLY DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE................   $    34,875    $    38,578    $    24,794
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
Primary:
     Weighted average Class A and Common Shares outstanding.........    15,787,735     15,550,964     15,460,736
Common Share equivalents arising from outstanding options computed
  on the treasury stock method......................................       408,121        691,557        693,983
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
PRIMARY CLASS A, COMMON AND CLASS A AND COMMON SHARE EQUIVALENTS
  OUTSTANDING.......................................................    16,195,856     16,242,521     16,154,719
Fully diluted:
     Additional dilutive effect of outstanding options computed on
       the treasury stock method....................................        12,169         42,989             --
     Assumed conversion of Convertible Subordinated Debentures......     1,133,012             --             --
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
FULLY DILUTED CLASS A, COMMON AND CLASS A SHARE AND COMMON SHARE
  EQUIVALENTS OUTSTANDING...........................................    17,341,037     16,285,510     16,154,719
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
Primary earnings per share before cumulative effect of accounting
  changes...........................................................   $      1.97    $      2.38    $      2.04
Cumulative effect of accounting changes.............................            --             --           (.51)
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
PRIMARY EARNINGS PER SHARE..........................................   $      1.97    $      2.38    $      1.53
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
Fully diluted earnings per share before cumulative effect of
  accounting changes................................................   $      2.01    $      2.37    $      2.04
Cumulative effect of accounting changes.............................            --             --           (.51)
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
FULLY DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE(1).................................   $      2.01    $      2.37    $      1.53
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------
                                                                       -----------    -----------    -----------

</TABLE>
 
- ------------
 
(1) Fiscal  1996 fully  diluted earnings  per share  is antidilutive, therefore,
    primary earnings per  share is  presented on the  Consolidated Statement  of
    Income.

<PAGE>
                                                                      EXHIBIT 21
 
                             SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION
                         SUBSIDIARIES OF THE REGISTRANT
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DOMESTIC SUBSIDIARIES                               STATE OF INCORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------
 
<S>                                                 <C>
Scholastic Inc.                                     New York
Scholastic Book Fairs, Inc.                         New York
California School Book Fairs, Inc.                  California
Scholastic Book Clubs, Inc.                         Missouri
Scholastic Productions, Inc.                        New York
Scholastic Publications (Magazines), Ltd.           Delaware
ReadStreet Book Fairs, Inc.                         Delaware
Trumpet Book Clubs, Inc.                            Delaware
Weston Woods Studios, Inc.                          Delaware
 
FOREIGN SUBSIDIARIES                                JURISDICTION
- --------------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------
 
Scholastic Australia Pty. Ltd.                      Australia
Oldmeadow Booksellers Pty. Ltd.                     Australia
Scholastic Canada Ltd.                              Canada
Scholastic New Zealand Ltd.                         New Zealand
  (formerly Ashton Scholastic Ltd.)
Scholastic Ltd.                                     England
Festival Du Livre                                   France
Scholastic Mexico SA de CV                          Mexico
Scholastic (Barbados), Inc.                         Barbados
</TABLE>
 

<PAGE>
                                                                      EXHIBIT 23
 
                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
     We  consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement
(Form S-8 No.  33-91090) pertaining to  the Scholastic Inc.  401(K) Savings  and
Retirement   Plan,  in  the  Registration  Statement  (Form  S-8  No.  33-46338)
pertaining to the 1992 Stock Option Plan as of May 19, 1992, in the Registration
Statement (Form S-8 No. 33-98186) pertaining  to the 1995 Stock Option Plan,  in
the  Registration Statement  (Form S-8 No.  33-50128) pertaining  to the Outside
Directors' Stock  Option Plan  and the  Stock Option  Agreement with  Joseph  W.
Oliver  and in the Registration Statement  (Form S-8 No. 33-74064) pertaining to
the Non-Employee Director Stock-For-Retainer  Plan of our  report dated July  3,
1996,  with respect  to the  consolidated financial  statements and  schedule of
Scholastic Corporation included in this Annual  Report (Form 10-K) for the  year
ended May 31, 1996.
 
                                                         /s/ Ernst & Young LLP
                                                         Ernst & Young LLP
 
New York, New York
August 21, 1996

<PAGE>
                                                                     EXHIBIT 27
[ARTICLE]                                       5
[MULTIPLIER]                                1,000
<TABLE>
<S>                                     <C>
[PERIOD-TYPE]                           YEAR
[FISCAL-YEAR-END]                       MAY-31-1996
[PERIOD-END]                            MAY-31-1996
[CASH]                                      4,300
[SECURITIES]                                    0
[RECEIVABLES]                             129,680
[ALLOWANCES]                               11,290
[INVENTORY]                               189,978
[CURRENT-ASSETS]                          350,480
[PP&E]                                    146,155
[DEPRECIATION]                             32,018
[TOTAL-ASSETS]                            673,166
[CURRENT-LIABILITIES]                     173,398
[BONDS]                                   110,000
[COMMON]                                      163
[PREFERRED-MANDATORY]                           0
[PREFERRED]                                     0
[OTHER-SE]                                288,484
[TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY]              673,166
[SALES]                                   928,599
[TOTAL-REVENUES]                          928,599
[CGS]                                     466,030
[TOTAL-COSTS]                             833,406
[OTHER-EXPENSES]                           37,358
[LOSS-PROVISION]                            9,565
[INTEREST-EXPENSE]                         11,170
[INCOME-PRETAX]                            46,665
[INCOME-TAX]                               14,768
[INCOME-CONTINUING]                        31,897
[DISCONTINUED]                                  0
[EXTRAORDINARY]                                 0
[CHANGES]                                       0
[NET-INCOME]                               31,897
[EPS-PRIMARY]                                1.97
[EPS-DILUTED]                                1.97
</TABLE>



© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission