Core Curriculum Platform · Grades 6–8

HMH Learning

Digital access to core curriculum textbooks and assessments from HMH — now a Veritas Capital company

Owned by: HMH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) / Veritas CapitalFirm

Veritas Capital
firm owner (also owns Raz-Kids, DreamBox, NWEA)
6–8
Grade range at LMSD
Since 1832
HMH publishing history
Full curriculum
ELA, math, social studies, science

HMH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) is one of the oldest and most recognized names in American K–12 publishing. Its digital platforms deliver core curriculum content — ELA, math, social studies, science — that were once delivered exclusively through physical textbooks. In 2022, HMH was acquired by Veritas Capital, a firm that also owns Cambium Learning (Raz-Kids, DreamBox), NWEA (MAP testing), Blackboard, and Anthology. This positions a single firm across a student's core curriculum content, adaptive practice, standardized testing, and learning management systems — one of the largest concentrations of student data in the hands of a single firm owner.

The Full Picture

The Good

  • Trusted curriculum content with decades of educator review — not algorithmically generated content
  • Digital access means students can access textbook content at home without carrying heavy physical books
  • Teacher edition and lesson planning tools are genuinely useful for new teachers
  • Alignment to Pennsylvania state standards built into the curriculum
  • Familiarity — HMH has been in schools so long that most teachers know the content and where to find what they need

The Bad

  • Veritas Capital also owns Raz-Kids, DreamBox, NWEA/MAP, Blackboard, and Anthology — one firm now controls core curriculum, reading practice, math practice, standardized testing, and the LMS for many U.S. students
  • Physical textbooks are being replaced by digital licenses that expire and must be renewed — creating perpetual revenue extraction from school budgets
  • Digital curriculum platforms collect engagement data on every page view, video watched, and assessment answered
  • Students who lose Chromebook access (dead battery, broken device, internet outage) cannot access their core curriculum

The Worse

  • The Veritas Capital portfolio represents the most concerning single-ownership concentration of student data in U.S. K–12 education — one firm can theoretically correlate a student's core curriculum engagement (HMH), reading practice (Raz-Kids), math practice (DreamBox), and standardized test scores (NWEA MAP) across their entire school career
  • Digital curriculum licensing has eliminated the option to own a physical textbook — a district that cannot afford renewal loses access to core instructional materials mid-year
  • Veritas Capital is a defense-focused firm (it owns major defense contractors) — its entry into K–12 education is financially motivated, not mission-driven
  • When HMH went digital-first under firm ownership, it eliminated thousands of editorial and curriculum development jobs — cost-cutting that affects content quality

Privacy Deep-Dive

Veritas Portfolio

HMH + Raz-Kids (Cambium/Learning A-Z) + DreamBox + NWEA (MAP Testing) + Blackboard + Anthology = one firm across the entire student data lifecycle

Data Collected

Page views, assignment submissions, assessment scores, video engagement, teacher interactions — per student, per session

FERPA

HMH acts as school official; DPA required; data not sold

Cross-Platform Risk

If Veritas analyzes data across its portfolio companies, a single firm could build detailed profiles of students from kindergarten through high school

License Model

Digital licenses must be renewed annually — no perpetual access to content

Defense Connections

Veritas Capital's primary portfolio is defense contractors — K–12 education is a financial investment, not a mission-aligned business

Portfolio concentration alert: Veritas Capital owns HMH, Cambium Learning (Raz-Kids, Learning A-Z), DreamBox, and NWEA (MAP Testing). If LMSD uses products from multiple Veritas companies, ask whether data is shared or linkable across the portfolio. A single firm should not have consolidated visibility into a child's entire academic life.

What It Replaces in the Classroom

Digital HMH textbook
↓ on a screen
Physical textbook owned by the school — no license expiration, no screen time, no engagement tracking
HMH online assessment
↓ on a screen
Teacher-designed assessment on paper, graded by the teacher who knows the student
Digital curriculum module
↓ on a screen
Teacher-led lesson with class discussion, physical materials, and real-world connection
HMH Ed platform
↓ on a screen
Lesson plan built from multiple sources by the teacher, not a single vendor's platform

Questions for the District

Does LMSD use other Veritas Capital-owned products (Raz-Kids, DreamBox, NWEA MAP)? If so, is student data from these platforms linked or shareable across the Veritas portfolio?
What is LMSD's annual licensing cost for HMH digital products, and how does this compare to the cost of physical textbooks?
What is LMSD's contingency plan if HMH raises licensing costs significantly at renewal — can the district access content without a digital subscription?
Does the HMH Data Privacy Agreement explicitly prohibit Veritas Capital from using student data across its portfolio companies?
Has LMSD evaluated the educational research on whether digital curriculum delivery improves outcomes compared to physical textbooks?

Sources

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