For: School Admins
Accessible via the TalkingPoints for Schools web application
What are grade-level classes? 🏫
Grade-level classes are classes that TalkingPoints creates automatically, using information shared by the school's student information system (SIS). These classes help schools communicate with students and staff by grade.
Grade-level classes only exist inside TalkingPoints. While they are generated from information shared by the SIS, they are not part of the school's SIS.
How are grade-level classes created? ⚙️
Every night, TalkingPoints checks the student data shared by the SIS. Each student's grade information from that nightly sync is used to sort them into the right grade-level class.
A few things to know:
If a student doesn't have a grade listed, they cannot be added to a grade-level class.
If the SIS doesn't share grade data at all, no grade-level classes are created.
If the SIS uses a label that isn't recognized (like "Grade 99"), an "Other" class is created, and those students are added there.
What grade-level classes are available? 📋
TalkingPoints uses one standard list of grades:
Pre-K
TK
K
Grades 1–12
Other
How are grade-level classes named? 🏷️
Each class is named Grade [number or title]. For example: Grade 3, Grade 9.
How are students sorted into grade-level classes? 🎯
Each student is matched to the class that fits their grade. For example, a student in first grade is placed into Grade 1.
If a student's grade doesn't match the standard list (like "Grade 99"), they are placed in the Other grade-level class.
Can I create my own grade-level class? ➕
No. Custom grade levels cannot be created. Students can be mapped to any of the grades already supported: Pre-K, TK, K, Grades 1–12, or Other.
Can I change how a grade maps to a grade-level class? 🔄
Users with District Admin-level permissions can create custom mappings to the standard list of grade-level classes. These custom mappings would apply to all schools in a district partnership.
Learn more details on how to create custom grade-level mappings here.
Who can access grade-level classes? 🔑
Grade-level classes are a particularly helpful tool when School Admins message in the TalkingPoints for Schools web application.
School Admins can also add other staff members by hand. Here's how:
Staff with the Non-Rostered role at a specific school are automatically added to every grade-level class in that school.
How can I send a message to a specific grade-level class?
You can learn more details on how to send a message as a School Admin here. When searching for a grade-level class to send a message or an announcement to, all you need to type in is "Grade" and all options available to you at your school will appear.