Educator Help Center

In most cases, this situation is related to how practice tests are being used rather than the tests themselves.How are practice tests structured?Each HSE subject includes four practice tests. The recommended structure is: Students take Practice Test 1 at the beginning of the first level. They take additional practice tests after completing each subsequent level. After Practice Test 4, the cycle returns to Practice Test 1. Because practice tests are designed to follow instructional levels, there should typically be a meaningful amount of time between attempts.Why might students be memorizing answers?Practice tests are meant to measure progress after instruction.If they are: Assigned too frequently Used repeatedly without students completing new instructional content Given as general assignments instead of level-based progress checks Students may begin remembering specific answers rather than demonstrating skill growth. This reduces the effectiveness of the assessment.What if students are taking practice tests on their own?If students are independently accessing practice tests often enough to memorize answers, schools can disable that option.A school administrator can update this setting in the LMS: Go to the Administration tab Select School Information Scroll to Practice Test Options Check the box for: “Do not allow students to take practice tests outside of their lesson plans.” Click Save This ensures teachers control when practice tests are assigned and completed.Recommended Next Steps Review how practice tests are currently scheduled in your program. Ensure they are spaced appropriately between instructional levels. If needed, have your school administrator adjust practice test access settings. Spacing practice tests properly helps maintain their purpose as meaningful progress checks rather than memorization exercises.

By default, all test codes are set to Available status. To allow students to use the codes, you must change their status to Assigned to Student. Simply click the Available button next to a code to update its status to Assigned to Student. It is recommended to then share the Assigned code with the student via email, text, or other method.  The Code Type filter, located in the Test Administration tab, makes it easier to select the appropriate codes for distribution. "Full-single" or codes starting with "F" are valid for the full-length OPT (OPT12). "Single" or codes starting with "S" are valid for the half-length OPTs. When students enter a full-length code, they will automatically access the full-length test (OPT12). Half-length codes, however, will cycle through your selected test versions.

The HiSET® OPT12 is the only full-length practice test developed and normed by PSI®. It closely mirrors the official HiSET® test, both in the number of questions and time duration, offering an accurate simulation of the actual exam. This test is an additional tool for assessing readiness for the official HiSET® test. The Code Type filter in the Test Administration tab streamlines the process of assigning the full-length practice test. To view or assign full-length test codes, select “Full-single” from the dropdown menu. All codes beginning with "F" are valid for the HiSET® OPT12 full-length practice test. Click the Available button next to a code to update its status to Assigned to Student. It is recommended to then share the Assigned code with the student via email, text, or other method.  After creating an account or adding the code to an existing account, students can choose their preferred language and select the subject they wish to test in.

The HiSET® Official Practice Test, developed and normed by PSI®, provides accurate score predictions of test-taker readiness for the HiSET® Exam. Both the full-length and half-length tests offer test takers valuable, firsthand experience with the types of questions they will encounter on the official HiSET® Exam. The half-length HiSET® Official Practice Test is available in both English and Spanish and costs $2.50 per administration. The full-length HiSET® Official Practice Test (OPT12) is available exclusively in English and costs $5.00 per administration. Learn more about purchasing HiSET® OPT administrations by visiting https://www.essentialed.com/educators/hiset-opt.

When users attempt to log in and are redirected to another site, it's usually because the password entered does not match the account they're trying to access. The system interprets this mismatch as a possible attempt to access a different account linked to the same username or email address. In such cases, we recommend using the "Forgot Password?" link on the login page to reset your password through email. Educators can also reach out to Educator Support at support@essentialed.com for assistance resetting their passwords.

When users attempt to log in and are redirected to another site, it's usually because the password entered does not match the account they're trying to access. The system interprets this mismatch as a possible attempt to access a different account linked to the same username or email address. In such cases, we recommend using the "Forgot Password?" link on the login page to reset your password through email. Learn how to reset a student's password.

The following video provides Essential Education users with a walkthrough of how to reactivate multiple students at once. Links to similar help center articles: How do I reactivate a student account?

The following video provides Essential Education users with a walkthrough of how to complete a bulk student upload from Essential Education’s template spreadsheet. Links to similar help center articles: How do I add multiple students at once How do I add, edit, or deactivate a student

The following video provides Essential Education users with a walkthrough of how to add, update, and deactivate teacher accounts and classes. Links to similar help center articles: How do I add, edit, or deactivate a teacher? How do I add, edit, or deactivate a class?

Disclaimer - Through Essential Education’s partnership with Mindplay, educators do not need to explicitly add teacher accounts inside of Mindplay’s system.  The single sign-on integration will allow user to access MindPlay through their Essential Education account. To assign MindPlay to a teacher account:  1. From the Administration tab, click on the Teachers button. 2. Using the Search By filter, type in the teacher's last name and first name.  3. Click the Submit button to search.   4. Locate the teacher you wish to edit and click the Edit link next to their name to open the Teacher Profile page.  5. Check the box next to MindPlay under Additional Courses. 9. Click the Save & Close button. When the teacher changes their product to MindPlay, a MindPlay account will automatically be created for them via the single sign-on.

Disclaimer - Through Essential Education’s partnership with Mindplay, educators do not need to explicitly add student accounts inside of Mindplay’s system.  The single sign-on integration will allow user to access MindPlay through their Essential Education account. To assign MindPlay to a student account:  1. From the Administration tab, click on the Students button. 2. Using the Search By filter, type in the student's last name and first name.  3. Click the Submit button to search.   4. Locate the student you wish to edit and click the Edit link next to their name to open the Student Profile page.  5. Check the box next to MindPlay under Additional Courses. 9. Click the Save & Close button. When the student starts the MindPlay course from their homeroom, a MindPlay account will automatically be created for them via the single sign-on.

MindPlay usage data is integrated with the Study Time report in the Essential Education LMS. There are various other reports available within MindPlay to help you track your students’ progress, achievements, and needs. MindPlay offers a Quick Reference Guide for the MindPlay Reading Reports under the Resources tab. To download this guide: 1. Go to the Resources tab in MindPlay. 2. Select the Reports tag. 3. Click the download link next to Quick Reference Guide MindPlay Reading Reports.

Essential Education’s Student Progress Report shows your students’ progress in a specific subject area at a glance.  Data will begin to populate the Student Progress Report as your students work through their courses in our LMS. Upon logging in, select Student Progress on the Let’s Get Started page. From the Student Progress tab, Student Progress is the default report. Then, choose the parameters for your report.  For class-level information: Start with Class, followed by Course and View. If you are an administrator, you will need to select a Teacher before selecting a Class. Finally, Click See Report. For a specific student: Start with Student, followed by Course and Subject. Finally, Click See Report.     The report shows five specific pieces of data: students’ total study time, skill gains, and the most recent assessment score within the defined parameters as well as students’ last login date and an easily accessible link to the individualized learning plan. 1. Total study time represents the sum of all active study time the student has spent studying within the selected subject since their account was created. Click Details to pare down to their weekly or monthly study time data. 2. Skill gains represent the number of skills mastered within the selected subject. For TABE 11/12 Academy and CASAS GOALS Academy, it represents the number of skills mastered in the selected level. Click Details to open the Skill Mastery report for the selected student and subject. 3. Last log in indicates the last time students earned study time for actively working on the learning material. 4. Most recent assessment score displays students’ most recent assessment results in that subject/level in a bar graph. Click Details to view the Practice Test Overview, which shows the student’s highest score and three most recent scores in each subject area. GED® scores Honors: Green (175-200) Passing: Blue (155-174) Needs Study: Orange (140-154) Remediation: Red (100-139) HiSET® scores Honors: Green (15-20) Ready: Blue (10-14) Needs Study: Orange (0-9) 5. Click Open under the Individual Learning Plan to view the student’s learning plan, which demonstrates which content areas the student has completed or tested out of as well as all teacher assignments in the selected subject area. Click here to learn more about using the Skill Mastery report. Click here to learn more about using the Individualized Learning Plan report.

Essential Education’s Student Progress Report shows your students’ progress in a specific subject area at a glance.  Data will begin to populate the Student Progress Report as your students work through their courses in our LMS. Upon logging in, select Student Progress on the Let’s Get Started page. From the Student Progress tab, Student Progress is the default report. Then, choose the parameters for your report.  For class-level information: Start with Class, followed by Course and View. If you are an administrator, you will need to select a Teacher before selecting a Class. Finally, Click See Report. For a specific student: Start with Student, followed by Course and Subject. Finally, Click See Report.     The report shows five specific pieces of data: students’ total study time, skill gains, and the most recent assessment score within the defined parameters as well as students’ last login date and an easily accessible link to the individualized learning plan. 1. Total study time represents the sum of all active study time the student has spent studying within the selected subject since their account was created. Click Details to pare down to their weekly or monthly study time data. 2. Skill gains represent the number of skills mastered within the selected subject. For TABE 11/12 Academy and CASAS GOALS Academy, it represents the number of skills mastered in the selected level. Click Details to open the Skill Mastery report for the selected student and subject. 3. Last log in indicates the last time students earned study time for actively working on the learning material. 4. Most recent assessment score displays students’ most recent assessment results in that subject/level in a bar graph. Click Details to view the Practice Test Overview, which shows the student’s highest score and three most recent scores in each subject area. GED® scores Honors: Green (175-200) Passing: Blue (155-174) Needs Study: Orange (140-154) Remediation: Red (100-139) HiSET® scores Honors: Green (15-20) Ready: Blue (10-14) Needs Study: Orange (0-9) 5. Click Open under the Individual Learning Plan to view the student’s learning plan, which demonstrates which content areas the student has completed or tested out of as well as all teacher assignments in the selected subject area. Click here to learn more about using the Skill Mastery report. Click here to learn more about using the Individualized Learning Plan report.

You can now find all of our training materials and free resources for educators within the LMS. Visit the Training tab to register for a live training session with an Educator Support Specialist or access our on-demand training videos to familiarize yourself with the LMS. Visit the Free Resources tab to preview or download guides, handouts, and other lesson planning and instructional support resources.

In order to better serve your students, a Primary Teacher must now be selected for all student accounts. The primary teacher will be notified of important activities, such as essay submissions that require the attention of an educator or updates on issues with student accounts reported directly to Essential Education. To ease this transition, and for those who may not work with one particular teacher, an administrator can also now be selected as the primary teacher.

MindPlay Reading Ultra is a virtual reading program designed to help you deliver research-based reading instruction without extra effort.  Schedule a demo to see how MindPlay will help your students excel in reading and achieve their goals!

Essential Education offers two models of training for educators, live and on-demand, which can both be accessed in the Training tab in the LMS. Educators can access three levels of on-demand training videos- beginner, intermediate, and advanced user training. Educators are awarded certificates of participation for watching all videos in each level. Educators also have the option to register for four types of live training sessions- Getting Started, Next Steps, Using Reports, and Live Q & A. Educators are awarded certificates of attendance for participating in these live webinars. We recommend that all users complete at least the beginning and intermediate on-demand training videos or attend a "Getting Started" and "Next Steps" live training session.

Educators can pick and choose from any or all of our guides, workbooks, or handouts to help guide students and instruction under the Free Resouces tab in the LMS.

Time is calculated from login to log out; however, a student must have completed an “answer” or entry (clicked next) for the time to be calculated. If the student is in the middle of an activity or a test activity and does not complete it before exiting – the time will not be recorded (i.e. natural fluency test, expected fluency test must be completed).  Only the time for a completed activity (ENTER, click NEXT) is recorded.   If a student exits through the browser and not through the program exit button, the time will automatically stop recording after 3 minutes. Only the time for the last completed activity will be calculated.  If a student “walks away“ and does not log out, the student will be automatically logged out after 20 minutes and only the time for the last completed activity will be calculated. The MindPlay usage data is aggregated into the Study Time report in Essential Education. Learn how to run the Study Time report.

The MindPlay usage data is aggregated into the Study Time report in Essential Education. In order to generate other reports for students: 1. Select the box in the student's information line on the MindPlay dashboard.  2. In the drop-down menu that will appear, select desired report you would like to generate then click on the "Select A Report Or Action" tab. After making your selection, click the "Go" button.  3. Reports can be accessed by clicking on the "Reports" tab and then the "Most Recent" tab. You are able to generate reports on a class, school, or district level. These reports can also be generated by clicking on the box in the Class, School, or District's information line and then clicking on the "Select A Report Or Action" tab, then "Go".  To generate new reports in the "Reports" tab: 1. Select the "Create Reports" tab, and then the "Run Reports" button in the desired report section.  2. Select the desired Group Level of the report, then click the "Next" button.  3. Select the desired Schools, Classes, and/or Students to be included in your desired report, then click the "Next" button.  4. Select the “Most Recent” tab to view the report.

To access MindPlay as a teacher or administrator, change your active product to MindPlay Reading Coach in the Product tab. A MindPlay account will automatically be created for you via the single sign-on, and MindPlay will open in a new tab.  Learn how to switch products.

Students can access MindPlay by selecting MindPlay Reading Coach under the Adult Basic Education course group in the homeroom. They will be prompted to watch the Getting Started video the first time they access the course. Then, they can click "Start MindPlay" to launch the course. A MindPlay account will automatically be created for them via the single sign-on, and MindPlay will open in a new tab on the web browser. All students start with the universal screener in MindPlay to determine their starting level.

When students first begin the MindPlay Reading Coach course, they are prompted to take the universal screener. This screener assesses the student's mastery of comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and phonics. The comprehension screener begins at the 12th-grade level and quickly adapts based on the student's performance. Once students complete the universal screener, a customized learning plan will be generated in their MindPlay homeroom. After students complete the universal screener, they will receive a letter assignment, C (critical), A (approaching), or M (meeting), under the Reading Category column in your MindPlay Dashboard. The pie chart at the top of your dashboard will also begin to populate data with data that compares students' initial test results with their latest.

The Students option allows administrators and teachers to add or edit student profiles, as well as grant or remove access to various components of the system, or make them inactive altogether.  To add student accounts:  From the Administration tab, click on the Students button, then on the Add Student button.  2. Enter the student's first and last name, email address and/or username, and password. 3 To continue quickly entering more students, click the Save & Add New button.  4. Click the Save & Close button when you are finished.  You also have the option to enter additional information to help better manage student accounts. To edit student accounts:  From the Administration tab, click on the Students button. Using the Search By filter, type in the student's last name and first name.  Click the Submit button to search.   Locate the student you wish to edit and click the Edit link next to their name to open the Student Profile page.  5. Click on the Label field to choose from 24 color labels* to tag students. Labels can indicate anything: an assigned district, school, location, or anything you may need to help better organize your students. 6. Click on any Default Course from the dropdown list for students to only see one product at a time. 7. Click on any of the available Additional Courses that you want to give your students access to. If your school or organization has purchased more than one product, you can decide which ones your students can have access to using the check box to check one or multiple courses.  8. Click the Save & Close button.  *Labels are decided at the administrative level and should be communicated to all student users to avoid two student accounts using the same label for different purposes or mislabeling students.   To deactivate student accounts:  From the Administration tab, click on the Students button. Using the Search By filter, type in the student's last name and first name.  Click the Submit button to search.  Locate the student you wish to deactivate* and click the Edit link next to their name to open the Student Profile page.   5. Uncheck the Active box to deactivate their account.  6. Click the Save & Close button.  *Deactivating a student will not delete their account. The account will remain saved in the LMS and can be accessed once you make the student account "Active" again.  Learn more on how to reactivate a student account, delete a student account, or add multiple students at once.

 There are a few exercises allowing students to write an extended response, giving you an opportunity to evaluate their writing skills. The Essays option gives you quick access to view and grade essay submissions from extended response practice tests in writing.  When evaluated correctly, the extended responses should accurately predict official scoring on the high school equivalency tests. However, the accuracy of student response scores is dependent on the grader’s knowledge and training. We highly recommend a thorough review of Essential Education’s Guide to Student Responses before instructors take on the task of evaluating student responses. Each student’s Primary Teacher is responsible for grading student essays by default. Schools also have the option to purchase Essential Education’s Essay Grading service. Our essay graders return grades and feedback for all essays within 72 hours of submission. To purchase this add-on, please contact our Sales Support Team at 800-931-8069 x3 or at info@essentialed.com. To review or grade student essays: From the Administration tab, select the Essays button. 2. Adjust the Filter By options such as Class, Student Name, and adjust Graded (yes or no) as appropriate to narrow down the Essay List. Click Submit to refresh to result in the Essay List. 3. Click the View & Grade button next to the appropriate assessment and student name. 4. Review the essay prompt and student response, then complete the rubric below. 5. Be sure to click Save at the bottom of the page when you are finished. 

Only district level administrators can add, edit, or deactivate a school administrator. If your school is not a part of a district in Essential Education, the purchaser or a current school administrator can request via email for another person to be added or removed as a school administrator. Please send an email to support@essentialed.com for assistance. To add an administrator to a school: From the Administration tab, select the School Information button, and locate the school to which you would like to add an administrator. 2. Click the Edit link next to the appropriate school name. 3. Click the Add button below the list of current administrators. 4. Enter the administrator's first and last name, email, and password. a) Note: administrator accounts require a strong password. They need to be at least 10 characters long, with both lowercase and uppercase letters, as well as a number. 5. To continue quickly entering more administrators, click the Save & Add New button. 6. Click the Save & Close button when you are finished.    To edit an administrator’s account or remove their access to the system: From the Administration tab, select the School Information button. 2. Click the Edit button next to the appropriate administrator’s name underneath the Administrators heading. 3. Make any appropriate changes, such as the school to which they belong (if applicable), or uncheck the Active box to remove access. 4. Similar to student and teacher accounts, you can send an email with login credentials to the administrator if needed. 5. Click the Save & Close button when you are finished.

Reactivating students is a necessary part of good enrollment management. This means locating an inactive profile and making it active again. Reactivating an account would allow the returning student to continue their work, and it will reduce the likelihood of the same student having multiple accounts. There are two methods to reactivate Student accounts. Reactivate multiple Student accounts at once: From the Administration tab, select the Students button.  2. Using the Filter By options, be sure to select “No” under the Active filter to display a list of inactive students. 3. Select the Submit button to see the search results.  Note: If desired, teachers can use the Search By fields to narrow down the Student List by Name, Username/Email, or Phone Number. 4. Check the box next to each student’s name whom you wish to reactivate.  5. Use the Change Selected Record Status dropdown menu to make the selected Student accounts active by selecting “Make Active.” 6. Click Make Active again in the pop-up window to confirm you want to make the selected record(s) active. Reactivate a single Student account: From the Administration tab, select the Students button.  2. Using the Filter By options, be sure to select “No” under the Active filter to display a list of inactive students. 3. Select the Submit button to see the search results.  4. Select the Edit link next to the student’s name.  5. In the Student Profile, check the box next to Active. 6. Click the Save button at the bottom of the page.

The Educator Support team manages account deletions and follows a protocol to ensure the proper accounts are deleted. First, download the Extended Students Export report by following the numbered steps below.    From the Administration tab, select the Students button.  2. Using the Filter By options, be sure to select the appropriate student account status under the Active filter to display a list of active, inactive, or all students. 3. Select the Submit button to see the search results.  4. Select the Export List button to download the spreadsheet. Second, highlight entries on the spreadsheet of students you want permanently deleted.  Third, if you are an administrator, email your request and the attached spreadsheet to support@essentialed.com. If you are not an administrator, email the spreadsheet and your request to one of your admins for approval.  Inform your admin to forward their stated approval, your request, and the attached spreadsheet to support@essentialed.com. The support team will take it from there. 

Visit www.whatismybrowser.com to automatically find out what default browser you are using to access the internet.  Learn more about clearing your browser cache and installing a new browser.

If you are using Essential Education on a mobile device like a smartphone or tablet, you will need to tilt your phone or tablet sideways to the left so it is in landscape mode.  If you continue to see a “Tilt your phone or tablet to the left” message, this means you need to enable screen rotation on your phone. Select your phone’s operating system type from the list below to view step-by-step instructions.  To enable screen rotation on an Android device:  Open the quick menu. You can access the quick menu on most Android smartphones and tablets by swiping down on your phone screen.  Touch the auto-rotate/rotate lock icon. Look for the icon that looks like a padlock labeled “Portrait.” When it looks like it does in the above image, the screen will be locked and will not rotate when you turn your phone or tablet sideways. When you touch this icon, it will turn the auto-rotate function on. The icon will turn blue and say “auto rotate”.  Return to your Essential Education homeroom. Once you have returned to your Essential Education account, try rotating your mobile device. The “Tilt your phone or tablet to the left” message should disappear, and your homeroom will appear in your phone's browser.    To enable screen rotation on an Apple device:  Open the control center. On most iPhones and iPads, you can access the quick menu by swiping down on your phone from the upper right corner of the screen. If you have an older model, try swiping up from the bottom of the screen. Touch the auto-rotate/portrait orientation icon. Look for the white icon with a red padlock and an arrow forming a circle around it. When it looks like it does in the above image, the screen will be locked and not rotate when you turn your phone or tablet sideways. When you touch this icon, it will turn the auto-rotate function on. The icon will turn gray, and the padlock and arrow will turn white instead of red.  Return to your Essential Education homeroom. Once you have returned to your Essential Education account, try rotating your mobile device. The “Tilt your phone or tablet to the left” message should disappear, and your homeroom will appear in your phone's browser.

All web browsers enable you to set your cookie preferences before you start surfing. Quickly find out which browser you’re using to access the internet.  In Chrome:  Open the Google Chrome browser. Click the Customize and control Google Chrome button (three stacked dots) in the upper-right corner of the screen. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. Click on the Privacy and security option. Select Cookies and other site data. Select the radio button next to Block all cookies. Now all cookies should be blocked on your Google Chrome browser. Some sites may not work properly with all cookies blocked.   In Firefox: Open the Mozilla Firefox browser. Click the Open menu button (three stacked horizontal lines) in the upper-right corner of the screen. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. Select Privacy & Security from the menu on the left side of the page. In the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, select the radio button next to Custom. Uncheck Cookies. Now all cookies should be blocked on your Firefox browser. Some sites may not work properly with all cookies blocked.   In Microsoft Edge: Open the Microsoft Edge browser. Click the Open menu button (three dots) in the upper-right corner of the screen. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. Select Cookies and site permissions from the menu on the left side of the page. Select Manage and delete cookies and site data. Toggle Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended) off. Now all cookies should be blocked on your Microsoft Edge browser. Some sites may not work properly with all cookies blocked.

This is the default tab upon logging in. From the Administration tab, users can:  Create and manage teacher profiles (Admins only) Create and manage classes  Create, manage, and customize student profiles  Review and grade student essay submissions (When GED Academy or HiSET Academy is the active product) Send and receive messages within the LMS

The Correlations option organizes learning content based on alignment. This data is helpful to creating a robust and diverse lesson plan to master a specific skill or standard.  From the Content Maps tab, Correlations is the default content category. These are highlighted in orange when selected. Choose the parameters for your report under View and click See Report. Use the blue assignment title link to preview that assignment or use the blue Assign link to add an assignment to a specific class or student. *The content displayed in the Correlations is dependent on the Product selected in the Product tab. Learn how to switch products.  

The View Practice Tests option shows practice tests. This data is helpful to creating a robust and diverse lesson plan to prepare for testing. From the Content Maps tab, click the View Practice Tests button. These are highlighted in orange when selected. In GED & HiSET Academy (HSE Academies), students will take Practice Test 1 at the beginning of each subject, and they are typically prompted to take Practice Test 2 at the end of pre-HSE, Practice Test 3 at the end of HSE prep, and Practice Test 4 at the end of Advanced HSE.  In TABE 11/12 & CASAS GOALS Academy, practice tests are level specific, and students will typically only be prompted to take test 1 at the end of each level they complete.  For each practice test, choose from the following links: Take Test lets you experience taking the test from a student’s perspective. View Summary provides a complete overview of the questions and answers. Assign is useful for students who need additional attempts outside of the learning plan. This is recommended for students who have an upcoming official exam within a few days.  *The content displayed in the View Practice Tests is dependent on the Product selected in the Product tab. Learn how to switch products.

The Scope and Sequence option shows learning content in sequential order. This data is helpful to learning about how students progress in their studies.  From the Content Maps tab, click the Scope and Sequence button. These are highlighted in orange when selected. Choose the parameters for your report under View and click See Report. Use the blue assignment title link to preview that assignment or use the blue Assign link to add an assignment to a specific class or student.   *The content displayed in the Scope & Sequence is dependent on the Product selected in the Product tab. Learn how to switch products.

Please watch this short video to learn more about Essential Education’s accessibility features, or click here to download Essential Education’s complete accessibility overview.

Essential Education’s courses are designed for all learners, with careful attention to the needs of those who do not benefit from traditional classroom teaching. Because of this, our lessons are built from the ground up with features to assist the broadest possible group of learners, including those affected by the following. Hearing disabilities Visual disabilities Physical disabilities Download 508 Compliance Overview (VPAT)

The Study Time report is where you will find the active engagement time of your students when working in Essential Education. The data in this report is helpful in determining if your students are engaging with their learning materials; meeting attendance or study time requirements; and gauging student participation. This is a class-level report. From the Reports tab, Study Time is the default report. These are highlighted in orange when selected. Choose the parameters for your report, starting with Class, followed by Start and End date. If no End date is selected, the report will pull data up to the current date.  Additional parameters include: Change Location to see only In or Out of Class hours. Change Course to see hours from a different course or All Products. For reporting purposes, change Student Status to All. (This ensures data from students whose accounts may currently be inactive is included in the report.) If you are an administrator, you will need to select a Teacher first before Class. Finally, click See Report. The bar graph shows study time information within the defined parameters. Use the various Export features to get additional information: Export Total: download bar graph data into a spreadsheet. Export Details: download a spreadsheet with detailed activity to show the specific assignments students worked on. Export Daily: breakdown of total study time by day to help take daily attendance. Export Continuous Time: breakdown of total study time into blocks of time to show when students worked. Export by Subject: breakdown of total study time based by subject area. Click Who Hasn’t Studied to see which students have not earned any study time within specific intervals; this will allow you to identify students who are trending to drop or withdraw from the program. 

After logging into your account, you can change your email address and password by clicking My Account in the upper righthand corner of the page.  In the User Information tab, enter your valid email address in the Email Address field and click the Save button at the bottom of the page. To change your password, go to the Change Password tab, enter your new password first in the New Password field and again in the Confirm Password field. Click the Save button at the bottom of the page to implement this change.

When students start a subject in the HSE Academies, there are two options to determine which skills students have already mastered: the practice test, and the self-assessment. If a student answers questions pertaining to a certain skill correctly, that skill will be removed from their Learning Plan, and a customized Learning Plan will be generated based on their results. This empowers students to move at their own pace and learning level.   Practice Test The initial practice test is the same length and difficulty as all other practice tests in the learning platform; however, only this first test is untimed. Educators can view all of our Practice Tests by visiting the Content Maps tab and selecting View Practice Tests. Practice Test 1 in each subject is the initial test. This test establishes a baseline and offers visible measurement of improvement as students work through their Learning Plans.    Self-Assessment The self-assessment is a shorter survey that offers students the option to skip all questions and start with the broadest learning content at the lowest prep level, usually Pre-GED unless there is no Pre-GED level available as in GED Social Studies.  ABE Assessments: The questions in the self-assessment progress from simplest to most complex, and students are required to maintain at least 50% accuracy to continue with the assessment. If at any time a student drops below 50% accuracy, the assessment will end and place the student accordingly. This placement option often generates a longer Study Plan as fewer skills are typically removed via this assessment. Learn how to assign a specific placement test to your students.

LMS is the acronym for Learning Management System. In addition to being prescriptive learning platforms, all our ABE and HSE academies, as well as our workforce and college readiness solutions, are LMSs. This means that when used administratively, our platforms allow educators to:  Manage classes and student access Manage learning plans  Track student performance & progress Send and receive messages  Measure for skills gains Assess test readiness

Essential Education’s Dashboard shows your students’ course progress at-a-glance.  Data will begin to populate in the dashboard as your students begin working in our LMS. Three unique data maps show your students’ journey* to an HSE credential: Student Readiness, Student Activity (showing only for ABE), and Test Results.   Student Readiness This data map lets you know when your students are ready to register for the official HSE test they are studying. Student Readiness includes two graphs: School Readiness for the Test and Mean Practice Test Scores. Graphs are color-coded by subject. School Readiness for the Test is an aggregate of how your students have performed on any academy course Practice Test in the past 120 days. *Students must have you assigned as their Primary Teacher or be in one of your Classes to show on your Dashboard. Learn more about organizing students into classes. For the GED® Test Students Ready for the Test: Shows how many students scored 155 or better. Time to register! Students Almost Ready: Shows how many students have scored 145-154. Very close! Students Who Need More Study: Shows how many students have scored 100-144. For the HiSET® Exam Students Ready for the Test: Shows how many students scored 10 or better. Time to register! Students Almost Ready: Shows how many students have scored 8-9. Very close! Students Who Need More Study: Shows how many students have scored 0-7.   Student Activity How much time are your students studying?  The Student Activity data map summarizes your students’ activity in the program. This data map includes two graphs: Students Logged In and Study Time per Student. Students Logged In tells you how many students have used the program in the last 90 days. The Who Hasn’t Logged In feature* allows you to identify which students you need to encourage to continue studying. Study Time per Student shows the average student study time for the last four weeks. Click the Study Time Details feature to get more information from the Study Time Report. *See the Generating Reports section of this guide for more information.   Test Results Celebrate your students’ successes with the Test Results data map. This data map shows official HSE test scores entered in one of our three Offline Academies by students, teachers, and administrators. Test Results show two graphs: Your Students Who Passed the Test and Mean Test Scores.  Your Students Who Passed the Test provides a snapshot of how many students you have reported that passed the entire official HSE test in the past three, six and twelve months periods. Mean Test Scores shows the mean scores for each of the different HSE subject tests that your students have taken. Click the Enter Test Detail feature to enter standardized test scores for a particular student.

When your students have started studying in any of our courses, you can track their progress using different reports. Student Readiness, Skill Mastery, Student Overview, Learning Plan, Study Time, Student Summary, and Written Responses by clicking on the Reports tab.     Student Readiness (for HSE Academies only): This class-level report* helps you know when a student is prepared to take an official high school equivalency test by showing which students have scored high enough on our timed half-length practice tests. The class report is color-coded depending on which course you have selected. GED® scores Honors: Green (175-200) Passing: Blue (155-174) Needs Study: Yellow (140-154) Remediation: Red (100-139) HiSET® scores Honors: Blue (15-20) Passing: Green (10-14) Needs Study: Orange (0-9) Teachers can assign more practice tests to students to refresh their content knowledge and skill sets a day or two before an official exam. Learn more about how to assign a practice test. *Students must be assigned to a class before you can see them on this report.   Practice Test (for ABE Academies only): This class-level report helps you know when a student is prepared to take an adult basic education test by showing predictor scores for each specific study level. The class report is coded depending on the selected course. TABE 11/12 standards E: 458-510 M: 511-546 D: 547-583 A: 584+ CASAS GOALS standards B: <219 C: 220-234 D: 235+ Teachers can assign more practice tests to students to refresh their content knowledge and skill sets a day or two before an official exam. Learn more about how to assign a practice test.   Skill Mastery This report can be used for standards-based lesson planning and to check to see if a student is ready for the official exams. It combines scores from quizzes and practice tests to show you how your student or class is performing on HSE assessment targets and ABE practice tests. You can use this information to help you create targeted lesson plans in the classroom.  Select the Class, Student, and View then click the See Report button to view the report, and use the arrows next to a standard to reveal sub-categories. The report will show:  Ready (70%-100%) Almost Ready (50%-69%) Not Ready Yet (0 -49%) Not Started (No Data)   Student Overview This report allows you to check an individual student’s progress. Once you select the student’s name and click the See Report button, the student’s HomeRoom* elements are revealed. *Watch the HomeRoom Tutorial video on the LMS Training page in the Resources tab or at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVjlZTwvyk0   Learning Plan Use this report to view, customize, or assign additional lessons to your student’s learning plan. Select Student and Course options then click the See Assignments button to review the student’s completion of the units in each level and teacher assignments. To make specific units required or optional, click the “gear” icon under the student’s Learning Plan section. To see the sequence of lessons in each unit and assign certain lessons and practice tests for the student, click on the Add an Assignment or Assign a Practice Test features under the Teacher Assignments section.  You can un-assign a lesson, quiz, or practice test from the Reports tab in the Learning Plan section. After filter to your Student, Subject, and Course click the See Assignments button. You will see a list of all content items assigned for this student in the specific subject you choose.  Under the right column titled Teacher Assignments, you will find a remove option next to the Teacher Note. Simply click the remove link to un-assign.   Study Time Study Time measures the active engagement in lessons, quizzes and practice tests. This report allows you to increase student participation by closely tracking study time and activity in any of the offline academies.  To view your students’ activity for one or all courses click the See Report button, or export the report to a spreadsheet. Click either the Export Total, Export Daily, or Export Details buttons.  Export Total will provide a spreadsheet version of the bar chart information on the screen. Export Daily will break down the total study time by each day. Export Details will download a spreadsheet with detailed student activity for each day. Use the Who Hasn’t Logged In feature* to determine which students have not been studying. From the Who Hasn’t Logged In window, select the time range for Account Created and Hasn’t Logged In to identify those students.  *For optimal results, it is suggested to use this feature weekly. Students are most likely to return to their studies if they know you are checking in on them.   Student Summary Student Summary is an export-only report that shows time and score of each lesson, quiz and practice test attempt completed in all courses; students must click on the Submit button at the end of each lesson, quiz or practice test in order to count as completed.  Select Start and End time parameters and then click the Export button.   Written Responses (for HSE academies only): Written Responses gives you quick access to view and grade* essay submissions from extended response practice tests in writing. *Essential Education offers an essay grading service for a small fee.  Please contact sales support at info@essentialed.com

You shouldn’t use Microsoft’s Internet Explorer for your browser because it is a compatibility solution for Microsoft's operating systems rather than a web browser for day-to-day internet activity. This means they do not support new web standards and are not compatible with our cutting-edge online courses or Learning Management System (LMS). Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge versions older than 2023 do not support our courses. If using Microsoft Edge, please ensure you have the latest version installed for the best support and easy and fast online study. Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers best support our courses and LMS for easy and fast studying online and student/class management. Learn more on what browsers you should be using to access the internet.

When you log in as a school administrator, our Learning Management System (LMS) will open. The first thing you will see is an introduction video, then you will be directed to the Administration tab. From here, you can begin adding teachers and classes. Learn more on how to add teachers to the LMS.

When you log in as a teacher, our Learning Management System (LMS) will open. The first thing you will see is an introduction video, then you will be directed to the Administration tab. From here, you can begin adding students and classes. Learn more on how to add students to the LMS.

Most account profiles in the Learning Management System (LMS) have a separate Email Address field and Username field.  If the account profile has an email address but does not have a username, depending on your browser, you might notice an email address being autofilled into the Username field. This is caused by an autofill setting enabled on your browser. The data is considered a preview or recommendation from your browser of what should or can be used.   To resolve the autofill action, complete one of the following:  Option 1 (recommended):Access your special school website (URL) in a private browsing mode.  Learn how to open an incognito window in Chrome.  Learn how to open a private window in Firefox.  Option 2:Delete any autofill data from the Username field before saving the student profile.  Option 3:Disable the autofill setting in your browser. Completing this action will remove any saved username, passwords, addresses, etc. from any website you visit Learn how to disable autofill in Chrome.  Learn how to disable autofill in Firefox.  Learn more on what is a browser and which one should I use. 

If you're experiencing a problem that isn't covered in our Known Issues, please try these steps first to see if you can resolve the issue.  Still no luck? If these steps didn't resolve your problem, please contact our Educator Support Team so we can investigate. Call: (800) 931-8069 x 4 or Email: support@essentialed.com Not an educator? Contact a student advisor.  

If you're experiencing a problem that isn't covered in our Known Issues, please complete the following troubleshooting steps.  1. Verify you are using the latest version of a supported browser. Visit whatismybroswer.com to verify you are using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and follow the on-screen instruction to update your browser if necessary. 2. Clear your browser cache, cookies, and browsing history. Your browser can store information that slows or disrupts the loading process of web pages. Be sure to clear these regularly. 3. Apply any available software updates and restart your device. Always try updating and restarting your device first if you're having trouble logging in to your account. 4. Check your internet connection If restarting your device doesn't help, please try accessing your internet both on Wi-Fi and on your mobile data connection to see if the problem is because of a weak Wi-Fi or mobile data connection. Essential Education is aware of an issue preventing users from clicking on or typing in certain areas of the LMS when using Chrome with the Loom browser extension enabled. We recommend temporarily disabling the Loom browser extensions in Chrome to restore all functions in Essential Education. To check for and disable browser extensions: Click the three stacked docks in the upper right corner of the web browser. Select Settings from the dropdown menu. Click on the Extensions option. Click the blue toggle to turn off the extension. Still no luck? If these steps didn't resolve your trouble, please contact Educator Support for additional assistance. ​Students can reach out directly to our Student Help Team at 800-460-8150 ext. 1 or studenthelp@essentialed.com to troubleshoot one-on-one with a Student Help Specialist or visit our Student Help Center.

Yes, we do! Educator Training: beginning, intermediate, and advanced training sessions on demand.  Professional Development Webinars: Tuesday with Essential Education discusses the latest topics, teaching strategies, and trends in adult education. Teacher Toolkit: all the tools you need for hybrid learning. Distance Learning Series: the most common distance learning topics in adult education are covered in this six part downloadable courses.  Product Demos Quote Requests High School Equivalency Curriculum Blueprints: everything you need to prepare students for the GED® and HiSET tests. TABE 11/12 Curriculum Guide: everything you need to prepare your students for the TABE 11/12 test. The WIOA Manual: a guide for implementing WIOA in Adult Education Measurable Skill Gains Accelerator Handbooks: designed to accelerate student gains through Educational Functioning Levels. 2021 Product Catalog More Free Downloads

The Spanish version of our ABE and HSE Academies were designed to help English Language Learners (ELLs) build the language skills necessary to successfully take their ABE and HSE exams in English.  Our lessons that teach spelling, sentence structure, grammar, and vocabulary contain English content with supporting Spanish text such as definitions and explanations to help students develop English skills. Learn more about how to instruct students to change their language settings.

First, please access the internet using a browser that best supports our courses:   Next, make sure you are typing directly into the address bar of your browser and not the search bar:   To log in to your account from your district’s website:  If you are a district administrator, you will need to go to the special website just for your district. Our Support Specialist should have given you a website address that looks similar to this:  www.essentialed.com/manage/districtname. This website address is different from what your school administrators, teachers, and students use to log in. Learn more about where your school administrators, teachers, and students log in.  Go to your district’s website address. Enter your email and password. If you can’t remember your password, click the Forgot password? link. Click the Log In button. Make sure you enter your email address correctly and choose an email address that only you can access. If you log out and forget your password, you’ll need to be able to access your email to get back into your Essential Education account.

We’ve given your program’s website log in page an update! Don't worry, your login credentilas haven't changed.  Learn more about how to log in as a district administrator or how to log in as a school administrator or teacher. 

First, please access the internet using a browser that best supports our courses:  Next, make sure you are typing directly into the address bar of your browser and not the search bar: To log in to your account from your school's website: If you are a school administrator or teacher, you will need to go to the special website just for your school. Your students will also use this special website to log in. Learn more about how to instruct students on how to log in on their own. You should have received a website address that looks similar to this: www.essentialed.com/start/schoolname. Go to your school’s website address. Enter your email and password. If you can’t remember your password, click the Forgot password? link. Click the Log In button. Make sure you enter your email address correctly and choose an email address that only you can access. If you log out and forget your password, you’ll need to be able to access your email to get back into your Essential Education account.

First, instruct your students to access the internet using a browser that best supports our courses:   Next, make sure they are typing directly into the address bar of their browser and not the search bar:   To log in to their student account:  You will need to give each student the school's special website that looks similar to this: www.essentialed.com/start/schoolname.  Go to the school’s website address. Enter their email (or username) and password. If they can’t remember their password, have them click the Forgot password? link. Click the Log In button. Make sure that students enter their email address correctly and choose an email address that only they can access. If they log out and forget their password, they'll need to be able to access their email to get back into their Essential Education account. Learn more about how to instruct your students on using the in-class / out-of-class study time toggle options.