Scholastic News
Product by Scholastic Inc.
Facts checked: Not yet checked
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating). This label applies to learning-science judgments throughout this overview.
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating)
Scholastic News effectively builds background knowledge through authentic, grade-level nonfiction texts, which cognitive science shows is critical for reading comprehension. However, because The Learning Standard has not yet formally evaluated this product, we cannot guarantee its digital interactivity provides active retrieval practice rather than passive consumption.
Pros
- Builds domain-specific background knowledge to support long-term reading comprehension.
- Provides cross-curricular connections between social studies, science, and core literacy skills.
- Offers blended options to minimize screen time while maintaining accessible digital multimedia elements.
- Includes teacher support materials to guide direct instruction and facilitate active classroom discussion.
Cons
- Lacks robust adaptive learning features to adjust text complexity based on real-time student performance.
- Digital assessments rely heavily on passive multiple-choice recognition rather than active recall.
- Requires significant teacher or parent facilitation to maximize deeper learning outcomes.
- Does not utilize spaced repetition algorithms to ensure long-term vocabulary retention.
What Do We Know About Scholastic News?
Scholastic News is an effective tool for building your child's background knowledge and reading comprehension when facilitated by an adult, though it is not a standalone adaptive tutor. Cognitive science demonstrates that reading comprehension relies heavily on prior knowledge of a given topic. By exposing your child to diverse nonfiction texts across science and social studies, this platform directly supports that evidence-based principle. The digital version includes articles, short videos, and interactive activities designed specifically for elementary students. While the texts are engaging, parents should know that the digital interface functions more as a digital magazine than a personalized learning system. Your child will read articles and complete basic comprehension checks, but the software does not dynamically adjust to their reading level if they struggle. To get the most out of Scholastic News, you should read alongside your child and use the text to spark discussion. Asking open-ended questions about the articles provides the retrieval practice necessary for long-term memory retention. Note that The Learning Standard has not yet formally evaluated this specific digital application.
How Does Scholastic News Work?
Scholastic News uses a blended, cross-curricular approach that combines direct instruction with independent nonfiction reading. The platform delivers regular digital and print issues containing articles on current events, science, and social studies tailored to specific grade levels from first through sixth grade. Each issue centers on a primary text supported by multimedia elements like short videos and photographs. Students read the text and then complete supplementary digital or print worksheets that test basic comprehension and vocabulary acquisition. The pedagogical model relies heavily on building cognitive schema. When a student learns about a science concept through an article, they attach new vocabulary to a real-world context. The platform also provides educators and parents with structured lesson plans and discussion prompts. These tools are designed to facilitate deeper classroom or family dialogue, moving the student from passive reading to active elaboration. There is no automated spaced repetition system present; instead, learning relies on timely, topical engagement with the current issues.
Strengths and tradeoffs of Scholastic News
The biggest strength of Scholastic News is its reliance on authentic, knowledge-building nonfiction texts, while its biggest weakness is the lack of adaptive digital feedback. Reading research consistently shows that systematic knowledge building is the most effective way to improve reading comprehension over time. Scholastic News excels here by providing rich, grade-appropriate content in humanities and STEM. The integration of multimedia helps build a strong mental model for students before they tackle complex vocabulary within the text. The cross-curricular design ensures that literacy is practiced within meaningful contexts rather than isolated skill drills. However, the digital platform falls short in interactive learning mechanics. Assessment tools lean heavily on multiple-choice recognition tasks, which do not trigger the deep retrieval practice necessary for robust memory formation. There is no spaced repetition built into the software to ensure students remember specific vocabulary words weeks after an issue is published. Furthermore, because the text difficulty is fixed per grade level, the platform cannot provide personalized scaffolding for struggling readers.
Who Might Benefit From Scholastic News?
Scholastic News is best for elementary students in grades 1 through 6 who need targeted exposure to nonfiction texts to build broad background knowledge. It serves as an excellent supplemental resource for classroom teachers and homeschooling parents wanting to connect basic literacy instruction with science and social studies concepts. Because the platform relies on static text complexity and requires adult facilitation for deep discussion, it is ideal for structured learning environments rather than independent, unguided screen time.
Data Transparency
Does Not Meet Data Transparency Standard
Scholastic News reaches Level 1 of 3 (Basic protections), below our data transparency standard. Reaching Level 2 needs the policy to document a data retention timeline and self-service deletion.
24 of 35 checks passed
Evaluated October 2026
Privacy Policy →Level 1 · Basic protections
Does not sell data or target ads at students, limits sharing, and lets parents see and delete their child's data.
Level 2 · Parent control (meets the standard)
Families can get their data out, know who processes it, and know how long it is kept.
Not documented: a data retention timeline, self-service deletion
Level 3 · Direct data access
Families or schools can pull their own data through an API, in a stated format.
Not documented: an API for retrieving their own data, a named export format
View all 35 checks
Parent Access8/8
Does the policy mention parents specifically?
“Eligible students or their parents or guardians may have the legal right (including under FERPA, COPPA and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)) to access, correct, export or delete certain of their own information or content, or to make certain choices.”
Can parents view their child's data?
“Eligible students or their parents or guardians may have the legal right (including under FERPA, COPPA and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)) to access, correct, export or delete certain of their own information or content, or to make certain choices. To make a request, please contact your school or school district.”
Can parents modify their child's data?
“Eligible students or their parents or guardians may have the legal right (including under FERPA, COPPA and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)) to access, correct, export or delete certain of their own information or content, or to make certain choices. To make a request, please contact your school or school district.”
Can parents delete their child's account?
“Eligible students or their parents or guardians may have the legal right (including under FERPA, COPPA and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)) to access, correct, export or delete certain of their own information or content, or to make certain choices. To make a request, please contact your school or school district.”
Is there a dedicated Children's Privacy section?
“## FERPA and COPPA”
Does it reference COPPA compliance?
“Scholastic designs its Products to comply with all applicable laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).”
Does it reference FERPA compliance?
“Scholastic designs its Products to comply with all applicable laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).”
Is parental consent required for child accounts?
“To the extent permitted by law, Scholastic relies on its Education Customers to act as intermediaries to obtain any parent, guardian or other consents required under applicable law or district policy for us to collect, process or maintain Personal Information or Student Data.”
Data Portability2/5
Can users access their personal data?
“Eligible students or their parents or guardians may have the legal right (including under FERPA, COPPA and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)) to access, correct, export or delete certain of their own information or content, or to make certain choices. To make a request, please contact your school or school district.”
Can users download/export their data?
“Eligible students or their parents or guardians may have the legal right (including under FERPA, COPPA and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)) to access, correct, export or delete certain of their own information or content, or to make certain choices. To make a request, please contact your school or school district.”
Is there a self-service data access tool?
The policy only describes requests made through the school, not a self-service tool.
Is a specific data format mentioned for export?
The policy does not name any export format.
Is there an API for data access?
The policy does not mention an API for data access.
Data Minimization2/6
Is data collection itemized?
“Student roster data: First and last names, email address, student ID numbers, grade level, user name/password, reading level or other performance data.”
Can the app be used without a real name?
The policy says the school's student roster data includes students' first and last names.
Can the app be used without an email?
The policy says the school's student roster data includes students' email addresses.
Does it state collection is limited to what is necessary?
“We only collect Personal Information and Student Data reasonably necessary to provide the Products to our Education Customers.”
Is IP address anonymized or truncated?
The policy says IP addresses are collected and does not say they are anonymized or truncated.
Is location tracking explicitly excluded?
The policy says it collects general location based on IP address, so location tracking is not excluded.
Third-Party Protection6/7
Does it explicitly state no selling of data?
“Scholastic does not sell or rent Personal Information or Student Data.”
Are third-party providers named?
“Scholastic uses [Adobe Analytics](https://www.adobe.com/privacy.html "Adobe Privacy Center") or [Google Analytics](https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites "Google Privacy & Terms") in some of its Products, to better understand how our Products are used, and how we can improve them.”
Are providers contractually restricted?
“Our service providers can only use Personal Information and Student Data to provide the contracted services, not for their own commercial purposes, and are subject to written security, confidentiality and non-disclosure obligations.”
No-targeted-advertising commitment?
“Our Products do not contain third party advertising or targeted advertising.”
Is AI/ML data sharing addressed?
The policy does not address AI or machine learning.
Child-specific sharing restriction?
“We do not disclose any Student Data or Personal Information about the users of our Products to any third party, except:”
Cookies/tracking limited or opt-out?
“Information collected automatically may be linked to individual educators; it is not linked to individual students (though we the reserve the right to do so in the case of a security of safety issue).”
Deletion & Retention2/5
Can users delete their account?
“Eligible students or their parents or guardians may have the legal right (including under FERPA, COPPA and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)) to access, correct, export or delete certain of their own information or content, or to make certain choices. To make a request, please contact your school or school district.”
Self-service deletion mechanism?
The policy only describes deletion requests made through the school.
Specific data retention timeline?
The policy keeps data for the period reasonably necessary or as required by contract, with no specific timeline.
Auto-deletion of inactive accounts?
The policy does not address auto-deletion of inactive accounts.
Post-deletion handling described?
“Where permitted, our destruction methods may include irreversible de-identification or overwriting. Scholastic may keep back-up and similar copies of Personal Information and Student Data that it is unable to destroy using commercially reasonable measures, to the extent permitted by law.”
Advertising4/4
Advertising model explicitly disclosed?
“Our Products do not contain third party advertising or targeted advertising.”
Free from third-party advertisements?
“Our Products do not contain third party advertising or targeted advertising.”
Children excluded from ad targeting?
“Scholastic does not track or build personal profiles of students for advertising purposes.”
Ad-free option available?
“Our Products do not contain third party advertising or targeted advertising.”
What This Means
The policy review did not meet our data transparency standard. The checks above show the documented findings and unknowns. A missing statement does not establish how the app handles data in practice.
About this evaluation: Based on automated analysis of Privacy Policy against 35 policy-disclosure questions, including questions adapted from the Common Sense Privacy Program's published evaluation questions. TLS is not affiliated with Common Sense Media, and this is not a Common Sense rating. Quoted text is copied from the policy; unquoted notes are our summary. Results describe what the policy documents, not the company's actual practices. Privacy policies can change: this review reflects the version we analyzed and does not determine legal compliance.
Sources and review method
TLS combines product information and editorial analysis to explain how Scholastic News works, its tradeoffs, and the questions to ask before choosing it. Product features, an instructional rationale and evidence of learning outcomes are different kinds of information.
Formal Learning Standard assessment: not yet completed. Data Transparency findings are reported separately and do not establish learning effectiveness. Read our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions About Scholastic News
Is Scholastic News free?
No, Scholastic News is a paid subscription service. It costs $5.99 per student for combined print and digital access, or $5.39 per student for digital-only access. Schools typically purchase these subscriptions in bulk for entire classrooms. While it is not free, the per-student cost is relatively low compared to comprehensive digital reading programs. Parents cannot typically buy single subscriptions easily, so you will usually access this through your child's school.
Is Scholastic News good for early readers?
Yes, Scholastic News is highly effective for early readers in first and second grade. The platform offers specific editions tailored to these lower grade levels. These foundational issues use simplified syntax and highly decodable text while still introducing basic science and social studies concepts. This approach helps early readers build vital background knowledge and vocabulary, which cognitive science identifies as crucial for long-term reading comprehension success.
What does Scholastic News teach?
Scholastic News teaches reading comprehension, domain-specific vocabulary, science, and social studies. It uses a cross-curricular approach to help students learn about the real world while simultaneously practicing their literacy skills. By integrating current events with core curriculum topics, the platform ensures that your child learns to extract information from authentic nonfiction texts. This direct application of reading skills to science and humanities content accelerates schema building.
Does Scholastic News adapt to a student's reading level?
No, Scholastic News does not adapt to a student's individual reading level in real time. The articles are written at a fixed text complexity for each specific grade level. The software does not use adaptive algorithms to change the difficulty based on a student's performance on comprehension checks. If your child struggles with the text, a parent or teacher must intervene to provide scaffolding and direct instruction.
Has The Learning Standard evaluated Scholastic News?
TLS has not yet completed a Learning Standard evaluation of how well Scholastic News teaches. Its privacy policy has been reviewed for Data Transparency and reaches Level 1, Basic protections.
Is Scholastic News COPPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references COPPA. A policy reference alone does not establish COPPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy says the products are designed to comply with COPPA.
Is Scholastic News FERPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references FERPA. A policy reference alone does not establish FERPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy says the products are designed to comply with FERPA.
Does Scholastic News have a children's privacy policy?
The reviewed policy includes a dedicated children's privacy section. Policy review note: The policy has a section with its own FERPA and COPPA heading.
Does Scholastic News sell student data?
The reviewed policy states that the app does not sell data. This is a policy statement; actual data practices were not verified. Policy review note: The policy says Scholastic does not sell data.
Can you delete your data from Scholastic News?
The reviewed privacy policy describes account deletion. We have not tested the deletion process. Policy review note: Users can request deletion through their school.
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- Pricing
- Print & Digital price per student = $5.99 + 10% S&H. Digital Only price per student = $5.39 + FREE S&H.
- Platforms
- Web Browser, iOS (Apple mobile), iPadOS (Apple tablet), Android (Google mobile), Tizen (Samsung mobile), Windows (Microsoft), macOS (Apple), Chrome OS (Google)
- Grade Levels
- 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade
- Website
- Visit site