Navigating the Seattle Public Schools Student Portal: A Comprehensive Guide

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) provides a suite of online tools designed to keep students, parents, and guardians connected and informed. This article serves as a comprehensive guide to navigating the SPS student portal, understanding its various components, and effectively utilizing the resources available. From accessing schedules and grades to managing accounts and troubleshooting common issues, this guide aims to provide clarity and support for all users of the SPS student portal.

Understanding the Key Platforms

The Source: Your Central Hub

The Source is Seattle Public Schools’ online communication tool. It serves as a central hub for parents, guardians, and students. The Source allows access to crucial information such as:

Schedules
Attendance records
Assessment scores
Secondary student grades

To access the Source, visit the designated website and click the Sign Up! button.

Schoology: The Learning Management System

Schoology is Seattle Public Schools’ learning management system. It provides a platform for organizing content, engaging students, and connecting families. Through Schoology, parents can view courses, assignments, and calendars for all their students.

Accessing and Managing Your Accounts

Student Access: Microsoft 365 and the SPS Clever Student Portal

Students access Schoology using the SPS Clever Student Portal, using their Microsoft 365 credentials. Students actively enrolled in SPS receive a username and password from their school. To log on to student laptops, students enter their SPS username (Example: 1jrsmith) and password.

Read also: Neurodivergent Students

To access the Student Portal, students log in with Microsoft 365. If you share a computer with your family, please make sure you use different browsers (e.g., Chrome and Firefox).

Parent/Guardian Access: The Source and Schoology Access Codes

Parents and guardians need a Source account to log in to the Source and obtain their Schoology access code(s). They must sign up through the Schoology Access Code link found in their Source accounts. Students do not create Schoology accounts; they are automatically registered in their teachers’ Schoology courses.

Steps to Access Schoology as a Parent/Guardian:

Log in to the Source.
Locate the Schoology Access Code link.
Copy and paste or write down your Schoology access code.
Click Register.

Initial Setup and Navigation in Schoology

When you set up your account, you will be in Parent view. To switch to Student view, click the down-facing arrow from the top right and click your student’s name. A check mark will display next to their name, indicating you are in Student view. To see your student’s classes, click Courses.

Changing Language Settings

To change the Language settings in your Schoology account, navigate to the bottom of the page and click “English”. From here you can choose your desired language.

Microsoft 365 for SPS Students and Staff

Through an enterprise agreement with Microsoft, Seattle Public Schools provides Microsoft 365 services to students and staff.

Key Points Regarding Microsoft 365 Access:

SPS students have access to Microsoft 365 services as long as they are students of SPS.
When a student graduates, transfers, or is no longer enrolled, their account will eventually be disabled.
SPS employees have access to Microsoft 365 apps as long as they are an employee of SPS.
Within 30 days of their departure, their software will enter a Reduced Functionality mode, which will give users read-only access to their Microsoft files.
You can only install Microsoft 365 apps on personal/home devices for students and employees, and not to district-owned devices.
Microsoft 365 purchased for personal use is a consumer product.

In reduced functionality mode, Microsoft 365 remains installed on the computer, but users can only view and print their documents.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Login Problems

Clearing Cache: Approximately 30 minutes after information is updated, clear the cache on your browser, close, reopen and log in. If you have trouble, clear the cache on your browser, close and reopen TWICE and try again. Or try a different browser.
Username Issues: Confirm you are entering the correct username, with no spaces before or after. Example: 1student.
Password Issues: Typically, if you get the extra dots and cannot log on, it is because you have forgotten your password, have a stored password you have not updated, or someone else used your device and stored a password. Try clearing your cache, delete the dots and type in your password.
Keychain Issues: If you choose to use a Keychain to manage your Source password, at each log in, you may be asked if you would like to update the password. In order to use the stored password, you must select not now.

In most cases, clearing the cache on your browser, closing and reopening TWICE will resolve the problem.

Display Issues

When using an iPhone to view Source Grade Details, some users may notice assignments are out of order.

App Limitations

The Source app does not include SPS customizations found on parent Source accounts including Assessment Scores, Report Cards and Progress Reports. All notifications on the APP are all set to default on.

Password Reset

If you forgot your current password, but remember your previous password, you might be able to reset it with OneDrive.

Read also: Paying for SPU

If you have never logged onto the SPS Student Portal, need your username, or a password reset, contact a teacher, your counselor or the school librarian. Your username is located on your parent or guardian’s Source account, near your photo.

Additional Resources and Programs

Library Link Program

All students in Kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as teachers and staff all Seattle Public Schools are eligible for a Library Link account. Accounts are created automatically using student and teacher data provided to the Library by Seattle Public Schools.

Account Details:

Students: 990, followed by zeroes and your Student ID number to create a 13-digit number.
Teachers and Staff: 991, followed by zeroes, followed by your SPS Employee ID number to create a 13-digit number.
PIN: The last 4 digits of your Library Link account number.

Library Link student accounts are limited to online resources only and may not be used to check out physical Library materials. Students are encouraged to visit any Seattle Public Library location and apply for a free Library card. Your regular Seattle Public Library card is still valid and can be used to access all the Library Link resources as well as additional free resources such as checking out physical Library materials and using computers at the Library. If you don't have a regular Library card, your student ID will allow you to access the Library's electronic resources.

School Choice and Open Enrollment

Every Seattle Public Schools (SPS) student is assigned to their attendance area school based on where they live. Students may apply to attend a different school through the Open Enrollment for School Choice process.

Key Dates for Open Enrollment:

Open Enrollment for School Choice: Jan.
On-time Submissions: Open Enrollment for School Choice submissions by Jan. 31 are on-time and considered for tiebreakers.
Late Applications: Late applications accepted until March 31.

Families can apply to request that their student attend a different school through the Open Enrollment for School Choice process.

Tips for Effective Use

Different Browsers: If you share a personal device with your student, please use different browsers to log in to Schoology. Microsoft 365 caches the information of the person logged in to the device so if you use the same browser as your student, you may accidentally log in to their account.
Regularly Clear Cache: To ensure you are seeing the most up-to-date information, regularly clear your browser's cache.
Utilize Parent View: As a parent or guardian, familiarize yourself with the Parent view in Schoology to effectively monitor your student's progress.

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