How do I add Class Companion as a trusted app in Google Workspace for Education?

Class Companion supports authenticating with Google.

If your school or district has school-administered Google accounts for students under 18, and your students use these accounts to log into Class Companion, your IT admin will need to add Class Companion as a trusted third-party configured app.

Share this help center article with your school or district IT department to ensure Class Companion is marked as trusted. Only the Google Workspace for Education admin can mark Class Companion as trusted.

Google Workspace for Education admin

Only the Google Workspace for Education admin can mark Class Companion as trusted. You can  review Google’s guidance  on how to confirm third-party settings, but here’s a quick summary of how Google Workspace admins can add Class Companion as a trusted app:

Now, you will have successfully added Class Companion as a trusted app and can ensure uninterrupted access for all your Google Workspace for Education users.

What happens if I do nothing?

Starting October 23, 2023, users designated as under 18 won't be able to sign in to Class Companion using their school-administered Google credentials. However, students can always join a class through an internet browser by signing up with an email address instead of using Google.

Need further assistance? Browse the FAQs below or visit  Google Support  for more information.

FAQs

What if I don't use Google? Does this still impact me?

If you do not use Google Workspace for Education, this will not impact you. Nothing is changing for you, and your students will be able to use Class Companion as they always have.

Are my students going to lose access to Class Companion because of Google's change?

You and your students are not losing access to Class Companion. If you are a teacher and you or your students cannot log into Class Companion with your school-administered Google credentials, you can sign in with email address and password instead. We also recommend that you contact your school or district administrators to let them know that Class Companion is critical to your instruction and should be added as a trusted app.

How do I know if my district or school has identified Class Companion as 'trusted' in Google?

You can contact your Google Workspace for Education admin and ask if Class Companion has a trusted status. Unfortunately, Class Companion cannot verify your privacy settings in Google Workspace for Education. If after October 23, 2023, your students cannot log into Class Companion with their school-administered Google credentials, contact your IT department and ask about marking Class Companion as trusted.

In the meantime, students can always join a class through an internet browser by signing up using an email address and password.

Does Class Companion meet my state and district's requirements for student data privacy and data protection?

We take data privacy very seriously. We adhere to federal safety and privacy legislation such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

We meet data privacy compliance for some of the most stringent states like California, Texas, and New York and strive to accommodate as many state and district-specific requirements as possible.

 Here are resources and instructions  for privacy agreements for each state to ensure compliance when using Class Companion.

Who can help me fix this in my school or district?

Only Google Workspace for Education administrators can review and confirm access settings for Class Companion in their Google Admin Console. Teachers do not have the required permissions to confirm third-party app settings.

If you’re unsure of who the Google Workspace for Education administrator for your organization is, here are some people you could approach to find out:

What if my school or district does not approve Class Companion as 'trusted' in Google? Will I still be able to use Class Companion?

Yes, you will still be able to use Class Companion. This just means your students will not be able to sign in to Class Companion using their school-administered Google credentials. Students will always be able to access classes and assignments by signing in using an email address and password.

If your school or district will not mark Class Companion as trusted because of student data and privacy concerns, we can help! Class Companion offers district-level data privacy and security to meet your specific requirements.

Your IT department or another administrator can reach out to  [email protected]  to inquire about getting state and district-specific signed SDPAs. We meet state-wide student privacy requirements in some of the most stringent states like CA, TX, and NY.

I use Class Companion on an individual account and not through a school and district account. Do I need to take any action?

These Google changes impact any teachers who allow their students to log into Class Companion with their school-administered Google credentials. If you have an individual Class Companion account and use Google for your students to log in, forward this support article to your IT department to ask them to mark Class Companion as trusted so this method of student login won’t be interrupted for you.