School Specialty (SCOO) 10-Q 2004 Q0 Quarterly report

Exhibit 12.1

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

(Dollars in Thousands)

	Nine Months Ended January 24, 2004		Fiscal Year (1)
			2003		2002		2001		2000		1999
Earnings
Income before income taxes
Plus:	$	76,720	$	66,037	$	36,300	$	21,006	$	33,635	$	17,615
Fixed Charges		15,620		20,840		20,052		18,941		15,003		14,084
Amortization of capitalized interest		36		48		28		—		—		—
Less interest capitalized during period		—		—		240		—		—		—
	$	92,376	$	86,925	$	56,140	$	39,947	$	48,638	$	31,699
Fixed Charges
Interest (expensed or capitalized)	$	12,318	$	16,042	$	15,964	$	16,393	$	12,767	$	12,267
Estimated portion of rent expense representative of interest		1,928		2,675		2,519		1,958		1,661		1,349
Amortization of deferred financing fees		1,374		2,123		1,569		590		575		468
	$	15,620	$	20,840	$	20,052	$	18,941	$	15,003	$	14,084
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges		5.9		4.2		2.8		2.1		3.2		2.3

(1) All fiscal years presented were 52 weeks, except for fiscal 2000, which had 53 weeks.