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School Specialty was founded in 1959.

In a statement through a public relations representative on Tuesday, School Specialty CEO Ryan Bohr said the plan is to gradually integrate the businesses together to β€œensure a seamless experience” and to ensure both organizations grow through a β€œBetter Together” experience.

Bohr called School Specialty a β€œleading provider” of learning environments, supplies and science curriculum, that curates products for hundreds of brands. Nasco has a similar business model, offering hands-on activity-based resources that support instruction in science, math, arts, agriculture, health and career and technical education. It also sells supplies to school districts.

β€œThis acquisition will expand the range of solutions available to educators by combining School Specialty’s broad, future-ready product assortment with Nasco Education’s 80-year legacy of specialized, curated, experiential learning material,” Bohr said in the statement.

School Specialty serves five of every six school districts nationally, Bohr said. It has corporate offices, manufacturing sites and fulfillment centers in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois.

β€œThe acquisition is designed to position us for the future,” Bohr said in the statement. β€œBy combining our strengths, we create a valuable opportunity to leverage our existing operations, strengthen earnings, and reinvest in innovations that drive educational impact.”

As to the name of the Fort Atkinson business, Bohr did not rule out a change in the future but for now said it will remain Nasco.

β€œIn the immediate term, both organizations will operate independently and the Nasco name will remain. Customers will continue working with the same contacts, account managers, and customer service teams they rely on today,” Bohr said.

Bohr said, however, that going forward β€œwe will thoughtfully explore operational synergies that create efficiencies and enhance the customer experience.”

Bohr said School Specialty saw this as a β€œsignificant opportunity” for customers as they estimated that β€œnearly two-thirds” of Nasco customers are also School Specialty customers.

β€œCombining our companies will bring procurement efficiencies to our customers and expand the scope of products available to them, making buying easier, faster, and more efficient for educators,” Bohr said.

Nasco reduced its workforce through layoffs in 2025. There are no plans to reduce the workforce further, Bohr said. He said that in the β€œimmediate term” there will be no changes in operations of either company.

The deal was closed on Dec. 1.