Bringing a new learning tool into your school can feel intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be.This guide is for educators who want to introduce Speakable at their school or district for the first time. Whether you’re exploring a pilot, buying a license, or just figuring out where to start, this article will walk you through everything you need to know—from building the case to completing the purchase.
Understand Privacy Requirements
Before your school can move forward with a purchase or free trial, your administrator or IT department may ask how Speakable handles student data.
Here’s what you need to know:
Speakable is fully compliant with:
FERPA: We qualify as a school official and operate under the control of the district.
COPPA: We use the school consent model for students under 13—no individual forms needed once a DPA is signed.
SOPPA (Illinois) and other state privacy laws.
Speakable never:
Sells or shares student data for advertising
Uses data for profiling
Collects unnecessary personal information
When is a DPA (Data Privacy Agreement) needed?
Most public schools and districts require a signed DPA before using a tool like Speakable. This agreement outlines how data is collected, stored, and protected.
Speakable supports three DPA options:
SDPC Agreement (preferred and fastest for most districts)
Speakable’s standard DPA
Your district’s custom DPA (we’ll review and sign it)
Learn more: Student Data Privacy & District Approvals →
If you're not sure what your district requires, we’re happy to check on your behalf.
Find Out How Your School Buys
Understanding how your school or district typically handles payment, can help you navigate the purchasing process more easily.
Common payment methods include:
Purchase Order (PO): The most common route. Your district issues a PO after reviewing a quote from Speakable.
Check or ACH: These are often used after a PO is approved.
Credit Card (P-card): Some schools use this for smaller purchases or teacher-led pilots.
If you're unsure which method your school uses, ask your bookkeeper, office manager, or tech coordinator.
Choose to Subscribe or Order Access
Speakable offers two options depending on how you plan to purchase:
Option 1: Subscribe
Pay by credit card or ACH
Activate immediately
Renews annually unless canceled
Best for: Teachers or teams with purchasing authority or budget access
Option 2: Order Access
Request a formal quote
Share it with your admin or purchasing team
Submit a PO & sign the Order Form
We'll activate your account once the paperwork is received
Best for: Schools or districts using formal approval and PO-based purchasing
Make the Case
To get approval, you’ll likely need to present Speakable to a principal, curriculum coordinator, or district leader. We recommend preparing a short proposal that clearly explains the “why,” “how,” and “what success looks like.”
Here’s a sample outline you can adapt:
The Challenge
Students need more opportunities to practice real-world speaking and writing.
Teachers are spending too much time grading and struggling to give individualized feedback.
We lack a consistent way to track proficiency and progress toward ACTFL or WIDA goals.
Why Speakable
Speakable allows students to practice in and out of the classroom—and gives them instant feedback.
Teachers can automatically grade recordings, free responses, and conversations.
The platform supports proficiency-based instruction and helps us collect evidence of growth over time.
What We Hope to Achieve
Increase student fluency and engagement.
Save teachers hours of grading time.
Give leaders better insight into student performance across the program.
Feel free to modify this based on your classroom, department, or instructional goals.
Need Help? We’re Here for You
We know buying software isn’t always straightforward. Our team can help you:
Customize a proposal or share resources with your admin
Provide documentation for your district’s IT or legal team
Review or help you complete a DPA
Send a quote and walk you through the purchase process
Contact us anytime:
📧 Email: hello@speakable.io
📅 Book a call: Schedule a meeting
Summary: Your 5-Step Playbook
Understand privacy requirements and how Speakable supports them
Find out how your school buys (PO, check, or card)
Choose Subscribe or Order Access based on your approval process
Build a simple proposal to share with your school leader
Reach out for support—we’ll help every step of the way