Core Curriculum Platform · Grades 6–8

McGraw-Hill Education

Digital access to McGraw-Hill core curriculum — now owned by one of the world's largest firms

Owned by: McGraw-Hill Education / Apollo Global ManagementFirm

Apollo Global
firm owner — $650B+ AUM firm
6–8
Grade range at LMSD
Since 1888
McGraw-Hill publishing history
12B+
U.S. K–12 curriculum market size ($)

McGraw-Hill Education is a 135-year-old curriculum publisher that went private under Apollo Global Management, one of the world's largest alternative investment firms, managing over $650 billion in assets. McGraw-Hill provides core curriculum in ELA, math, science, and social studies to LMSD middle schoolers via digital platforms. Apollo Global is known primarily for private credit, real estate, and insurance — its ownership of a K–12 publisher reflects the financial attractiveness of the $12 billion U.S. K–12 curriculum market and the data it generates.

The Full Picture

The Good

  • Established curriculum content reviewed by educators over decades — genuine academic rigor
  • Digital platforms provide at-home access to textbook content
  • Broad subject coverage — McGraw-Hill offers math, ELA, science, and social studies curricula
  • Teacher planning tools and standards alignment built in
  • Some McGraw-Hill digital products include accessibility features (text-to-speech, language support)

The Bad

  • Apollo Global Management is the world's third-largest alternative investment firm — its ownership of a K–12 publisher is a financial bet, not an educational mission
  • Digital curriculum licensing means perpetual subscription costs — no longer possible to own a textbook
  • Every lesson page view, quiz response, and time-on-task metric is collected for each student
  • The shift from physical to digital curriculum was driven by firm investors seeking recurring revenue, not by evidence that digital delivery improves learning
  • Digital textbooks cannot be highlighted with a pencil, dog-eared, or read comfortably without screen exposure

The Worse

  • Apollo Global Management's investment in McGraw-Hill is predicated on the recurring revenue value of mandatory curriculum adoption — school districts have almost no leverage once they adopt a platform mid-curriculum cycle
  • McGraw-Hill previously attempted a merger with Cengage (another firm-owned curriculum publisher) that was blocked by the DOJ on antitrust grounds — consolidation in curriculum publishing reduces competition and raises prices
  • A firm's 5–7 year hold timeline means McGraw-Hill could be sold, merged, or taken public while LMSD is mid-curriculum — creating disruption for students and teachers
  • Apollo-owned companies have faced criticism for cost-cutting that reduces product quality — curriculum editorial staff have been reduced under firm ownership

Privacy Deep-Dive

Firm Ownership

Apollo Global Management — $650B+ AUM; primary businesses in credit, real estate, and insurance

Data Collected

Student login, page views, assignment submissions, quiz scores, time on task — per lesson, per session

FERPA

McGraw-Hill acts as school official; DPA required; student data not sold

License Model

Annual digital license — content access expires at contract end

Merger History

DOJ blocked McGraw-Hill/Cengage merger in 2020 — monopoly risk in curriculum publishing is real

Data Retention

Student academic records retained per district contract; district must request deletion

Monopoly concern: The DOJ blocked a McGraw-Hill/Cengage merger in 2020 specifically because it would have given two firm-owned publishers near-total control of the U.S. higher-ed curriculum market. The same consolidation pressures exist in K–12. Ask LMSD what its alternative curriculum options are if McGraw-Hill raises prices significantly.

What It Replaces in the Classroom

Digital McGraw-Hill textbook
↓ on a screen
Physical textbook — no license expiration, no engagement tracking, no screen time
Online curriculum module
↓ on a screen
Teacher-led instruction with primary sources, physical materials, and student discussion
Digital assessment
↓ on a screen
Paper assessment reviewed by the teacher who knows the student
Subscription curriculum
↓ on a screen
Open-source curriculum materials (e.g., Illustrative Mathematics, EL Education) with no vendor lock-in

Questions for the District

What is LMSD's annual licensing cost for McGraw-Hill digital products, and what was the cost of physical textbooks before digitization?
Does LMSD have a physical textbook backup if the McGraw-Hill digital license is not renewed?
What specific data does McGraw-Hill collect on each student, and does the DPA prohibit Apollo Global from accessing this data?
Has LMSD evaluated open-source or non-firm-owned curriculum alternatives to McGraw-Hill?
What is the district's plan if McGraw-Hill is sold, merged, or significantly changes its pricing under Apollo's ownership?

Sources

  • Apollo Global Management portfolio — apollo.com
  • McGraw-Hill Privacy Policy — mheducation.com/privacy
  • DOJ blocks McGraw-Hill/Cengage merger (2020) — U.S. Department of Justice press release
  • LMSD COPPA Vendor List — lmsd.org

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