FAQ: Permissions, Logos & Copyrights

What are your trademark and copyright policies?

Please read our General Policies of the Core Knowledge Foundation Regarding Trademark Licensing and Copyright Permissions document. We review trademark, licensing and copyright permission requests on an individual basis. Please direct any specific questions that you may have regarding these policies to permissions@coreknowlege.org.

What rules must we follow to sell a product that is based on and supports Core Knowledge?

First, please read our General Policies of the Core Knowledge Foundation Regarding Trademark Licensing and Copyright Permissions document.

If you are developing a product that aligns in some way with the content or supports the teaching of the content of the Core Knowledge Sequence or the Core Knowledge Preschool Sequence, you should request trademark licensing. For more information, download our request for trademark licensing form.

If you are developing a product that uses wording from the content of Core Knowledge books, including the subject headings from the Core Knowledge Sequence, or if you are interested in quoting a passage from one of the Core Knowledge books in a publication of your own, you should request copyright permission. For more information, download our request for copyright permission.

Is there a disclaimer that we are required to use?

Any required disclaimers will be provided by the Foundation on an individual basis should your trademark or copyright permission request(s) be approved.

Are the words "Core Knowledge" protected as a trademark?

Core Knowledge® is a registered trademark and cannot be used except by the Core Knowledge Foundation.

It is important to all of us that any school that indicates it is a "Core Knowledge School" represents a true commitment to and high fidelity of implementation of the Core Knowledge Sequence. Therefore, we limit the rights and use of the Core Knowledge name.

As a registered trademark, Core Knowledge® cannot be used as part of a school's name.

Friends of Core Knowledge (schools that have not yet achieved the Core Knowledge Official School designation) may use the following phrases on their website and in their promotional materials:

• “Our school [or school name] uses Core Knowledge®”
• “Our school [or school name] uses the Core Knowledge® Sequence”
• “Our school [or school name] uses the Core Knowledge® curriculum”
• “We are [or school name is] a Friend of Core Knowledge®”
• “Friend of Core Knowledge®”

Who is permitted to use trademarked Core Knowledge logos and how?

No one outside of the Core Knowledge Foundation is permitted to use the trademarked Core Knowledge logos.

Core Knowledge Official Schools and Core Knowledge Visitation Sites can use the Core Knowledge Official Schools logo, which will be provided upon achievement of the Official Schools status.

Schools that are Friends of Core Knowledge should continue to use only their school's logo until becoming an Official School.