Apple School Manager (ASM) is a platform for deploying Apple devices, and managing the users and content (including books and apps) on them in an educational environment. Deploying Apple School Manager with a mobile device management (MDM) solution lets you maintain control over devices and perform further maintenance and management to ensure that they are up-to-date, fit for purpose, and not misused.
This guide provides you with a complete overview of Apple School Manager, including when and why it should be used, and the benefits its features bring educational organizations that deploy iPads, iPhones, Macs, and Apple TVs to their staff and students. It also explains how MDM platforms fit into the Apple education ecosystem.
What is Apple School Manager?
Apple School Manager (ASM) is a web-based console that lets you deploy Apple devices in schools and other educational institutions. It includes the functionality of Apple Business Manager (ABM) that works with devices running iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, and MacOS, as well as additional education-focused terminology and features (for example, grouping users in classes and providing student, teacher, and staff roles).
From ASM’s centralized school device management solution, you can set up and customize the Setup Assistant with your own text and branding, integrate your institution’s user accounts (with support for Student Information Systems (SIS) such as Google Workspace and Microsoft Entra ID), and integrate them with the Apple IDs that students and staff will use to sign in to devices. You can also purchase and distribute content such as apps and books from the Apple App Store.
It’s also possible to set up iPads for sharing among multiple users (something that isn’t available to regular Apple accounts) and assign devices to MDM servers so that further management tasks, such as assigning security policies and remote monitoring, can be performed. Devices set up with mobile device management through Apple School Manager are locked to it, discouraging theft and ensuring devices remain under your supervision.
Key features and benefits of Apple School Manager
Apple School Manager builds on the features provided by Apple Business Manager with education-specific features for device management in schools. These include:
- Device management: Apple devices can be configured to be assigned to your ASM account as soon as they are unboxed and connected using Automatic Device Enrollment (ADE). By entering your sales information into ASM, devices will be automatically enrolled in ADE and assigned to the MDM server specified in your configuration. This removes the need for your IT department to manually unbox each device, set it up, then pack it up and ship it out again — you can just ship them straight to your staff and students.
- User account management: Centralized user account management and synchronization with SIS, means that you can ensure that devices are only used by students. It also allows you to group students, staff, and instructors so that specific content can be assigned where it is needed, and that oversight is maintained.
- App and content distribution: Efficient app and content distribution is made possible with bulk purchases and mass assignment of content to devices. This ensures that students have access to the educational apps and books they need, and that access to other content can be restricted.
- Integration with other Apple services: As user accounts are linked to a managed Apple ID, it can be used to sign into other Apple services and apps like iTunes, iCloud, Classwork, and Schoolwork.
Getting started with Apple School Manager
Using Apple devices in education with ASM requires an account at school.apple.com. To enroll devices and use Automatic Device Enrollment, you will also have to meet the prerequisites and requirements set out by Apple. Once you have an Apple School Manager account, you can add devices using the Apple Configurator if you are adding existing devices in your organization or not using ADE.
Once this is done you can integrate your existing authentication providers, manage Apple IDs, and purchase and assign content to your users and devices.
ASM integration with SIS and LMS
Student Information Systems (SIS) handles records such as user accounts, enrollment, attendance, classes, and other administrative data, while Learning Management Systems (LMS) are used to manage and distribute learning content as well as provide access to student assignments, tests, and other interactive educational functions.
Apple School Manager integrates with a number of Student Information Systems and acts as an LMS for distributing content. For additional LMS functionality, you will need to find one that integrates with your chosen SIS (or use a combined SIS and LMS such as Infinite Campus).
Device management for schools: MDM integration
Mobile device management is a powerful tool in education technology: it allows for the ongoing monitoring and fine-grained management of Apple devices.
Maintaining control over devices is important, especially in an educational context where they are likely to be shared between students and taken off campus. IT management in schools depends on being able to remotely monitor devices for misuse, all while respecting user privacy and remaining compliant with data privacy laws (especially where minors are involved).
Apple education tools: Apple Classroom and Schoolwork
The purpose of ASM on Apple devices in education is primarily to deliver learning content. For further educational functionality, Apple provides two additional apps that can be deployed to devices:
- Apple Classroom provides tools for instructors to create lessons and guide students through them by remotely controlling their iPads.
- Apple Schoolwork is used by instructors to create assignments, collaborate on and share teaching materials, and track progress.
Choosing an MDM to work alongside Apple School Manager
When choosing a mobile device management platform to pair with Apple School Manager, you must make sure it both supports ADM integration and provides the additional MDM functionality you specifically require in your educational organization.
NinjaOne provides an education-focused MDM solution that integrates with ASM and lets you centrally manage your entire educational IT infrastructure, as well as remotely monitor and manage your staff and student devices, reducing the cost and complexity of education technology at scale.
