Teacher Created Materials

City-funded organization

Teacher Created Materials is a family-owned PreK-12 educational publisher founded in 1977 by former teacher Rachelle Cracchiolo and headquartered in Orange County, California, producing curriculum materials, trade books and professional-development resources in literacy, math, science and social studies under imprints including Free Spirit Publishing and Shell Education. In New York City it holds an active $7.8 million Department of Education contract as of August 2026 for "Textbooks and Ancillary Materials," awarded through the DOE's pre-approved vendor listing (a no-bid procurement path), and it has been awarded $27 million across 88 registered city contracts since 2000. Per Checkbook NYC, 90% of that contract value ($24 million) was awarded without a fresh competitive bid.

Industry (per city contracts)
Goods
City contracts (active)
$7,808,617 · 1 contract
Awarded all-time
$26,547,417 · 88 since 2000, incl. expired
Paid to date
$34,470,893
Won without a fresh bid
90% of contract value · $23,867,418 · 4 contracts

Holds contracts at

City contracts

Registered city contracts, largest first by current contract value (not amount spent): running now, then registered to start later, then ended. Totals count every registered contract. Each line shows its Checkbook contract ID. The tag on each row is how it was awarded (“no-bid” = non-competitive).

Sources