Discovery Education, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Discovery Education 401(k) Plan
Charlotte, NCEducational Services548 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$4,523Employer $ per active participant
$13,591Employee $ saved per active participant
0.13%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$72.6MNet plan assets, end of year
$59,119Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity46.2 / 5092th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost17.0 / 2568th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving14.7 / 1598th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features10 / 10Auto-enrollment, Default investment
Total score88 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Educational Services plans with 500–2,499 active participants (144 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 92th |
| Lower admin cost | 68th |
| Employee saving | 98th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 37% |
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Red flags from the filing
No red flags were reported on this filing's compliance questions.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Discovery Education put in about $4,523 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($1,225). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $2,480,692 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $7,454,547 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $1,961,996 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $71,325 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $796 |
| Benefits paid out | $10,415,912 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $40.0M / $72.6M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 487 / 610 |
| Participants with account balances | 1,228 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Melissa G. Critcher |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Fidelity Investments Institutional | $62,605 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251020171838NAL0000532531001, received 2025-10-20, EIN 36-2298050, plan #003, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.