School Specialty 401(k) match, vesting and fees
What School Specialty's 401(k) plan says about matching contributions
Plan features
Match, vesting and enrollment details have not been published from this plan's audit report yet. The figures below come from the structured filing.
| Recordkeeper | Principal Life Insurance Company | Schedule C ↗ |
| Independent auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP (unmodified opinion, limited scope) | Schedule H ↗ |
| Plan type and status | 401(k) · Active | Form 5500 ↗ |
How the plan compares
Plan year 2025 medians for 79 defined-contribution plans in wholesale trade with 1,000 to 4,999 participants.
| School Specialty: employer contribution per participant | $1,407 | |
| Peer median | $2,178 |
| School Specialty: average balance | $84,621 | |
| Peer median | $89,313 |
| School Specialty: admin expenses ÷ assets | 0.19% | |
| Peer median | 0.14% |
Admin expenses are the plan's reported administrative expenses divided by its assets; they do not include fund expense ratios.
Plan history
Plan assets went from $81.8M at the end of plan year 2021 to $110M at the end of plan year 2025.
| Plan year | Participants | Assets | Employer contributions | Per participant | Admin expense ratio | Match formula | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,329 | $110M | $1.8M | $1,407 | 0.19% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2024 | 1,512 | $99M | $2.2M | $1,460 | 0.27% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2023 | 1,668 | $86.7M | $2.3M | $1,421 | 0.29% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2022 | 1,746 | $69.9M | $1M | $630 | 0.29% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
| 2021 | 1,713 | $81.8M | $901K | $562 | 0.28% | Not published | Form 5500 ↗ |
Common questions
Does School Specialty match 401(k) contributions?
The match terms for the School Specialty 401(k) Plan have not been published from its filing yet. The plan year 2025 filing reports $1.8M in employer contributions, about $1,407 per participant. That total includes any match and profit-sharing; it is not a match formula.
When is the School Specialty 401(k) match vested?
The vesting schedule for the School Specialty 401(k) Plan is not in the data published so far. Your Summary Plan Description states it.
Who manages the School Specialty 401(k)?
The recordkeeper listed on Schedule C of the plan year 2025 filing is Principal Life Insurance Company. The plan administrator is School Specialty, LLC.
I left School Specialty. How do I find my old 401(k)?
Your account stays in the plan until you move it. Contact the plan administrator (School Specialty, LLC, (888) 388-3224) or the recordkeeper, Principal Life Insurance Company. The School Specialty old 401(k) page lists the contacts from every plan filing. Find an old School Specialty 401(k)
Data from the public Form 5500 annual reports School Specialty filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (plan years 2021 and 2022 and 2023 and 2024 and 2025) and, where noted, the attached independent auditor's report. Plan terms may have changed since the filing; check your current Summary Plan Description. PlanFacts is not affiliated with School Specialty. Not financial advice. Report a correction · Methodology