ClassDojo

What Is ClassDojo?

ClassDojo is a K-12 education platform that connects teachers, families, students, and school leaders. It supports individual classrooms as well as school and district-wide communication. The software can expand beyond basic classroom communication into a broader education ecosystem. Its offerings include ‘ClassDojo Plus’, ‘Dojo Islands’, ‘Dojo Tutor’, and ‘Dojo Sparks’. These products extend ClassDojo’s offerings into family engagement, learning, tutoring, and student experiences.

For school and district leaders, ClassDojo offers administrative controls, engagement analytics, SIS integration, and secure login options. Its newer capabilities also support older students and schoolwide communication, making it relevant beyond elementary classrooms.

What Is ClassDojo Best For?

ClassDojo stands out for its ‘Events’ feature, which helps update families on all that goes on in the school using one common calendar. Teachers can input events into the calendar, while ClassDojo sends automatic notifications to parents before the event takes place. This way, it also reduces the need for exchanging messages and paper flyers. This feature is especially useful for multiple-branch elementary schools with schedules full of recurring events and trips. It also helps coordinate parent-teacher interviews involving dozens of families at once.

How Much Does ClassDojo Cost?

ClassDojo’s core school and district platform is free, while paid add-ons are available for districts requiring additional support. ClassDojo cost is estimated at $500–$5,000/year for optional district-level features, based on comparable K-12 communication and classroom-management platforms.

The vendor also offers a custom priced premium tier, ‘ClassDojo Plus’.

In addition to the base subscription costs, organizations should account for the following potential expenses:

• Implementation And Onboarding: $500–$3,000, depending on school size or district complexity
• Custom Professional Development And Training: $1,000–$5,000, depending on the number of sessions, educators, and customization requirements
• Premium District Add-Ons: can fall around $2,500–$10,000+/year, depending on the additional support and services required

Disclaimer: Pricing references are based on publicly available third-party information and industry benchmarks. Actual costs may vary.

ClassDojo Integrations

The software supports integration with Canva.

How Does ClassDojo Work?

Here's how you can get started with the software:

• Log in to the platform and access the dashboard
• Create a teacher account and set up a class, or connect through your school's SIS via rostering
• Configure class settings, including language preferences and notification options for families
• Invite parents and students to join the class using a shared code or QR link
• Set up Points categories to track behavior and skills specific to the classroom
• Share updates through Class Story posts, adding photos, videos, or documents from the school day
• Send direct or group Messages to families, with automatic translation applied for non-English speakers
• Add Events to the shared calendar so families receive automatic reminders ahead of time
• Review Progress Reports and point history to track student growth over the term

Who Is ClassDojo For?

ClassDojo serves educational institutions and settings across the K–12 sector, including:

• Elementary schools
• Middle schools
• Preschools and pre-K programs
• Public school districts
• Private schools

ClassDojo Use Cases

Based on our analysis of user reviews and ClassDojo features, we have identified key scenarios where this software is a good fit for teachers, parents, and school leaders:

1. Teachers Keeping Families Updated Across Multiple Channels

Teachers often repeat the same classroom updates across emails, messaging apps, and paper notices. ClassDojo centralizes teacher-family communication through direct messages, ‘Stories’, and scheduled ‘Events’. Users can also translate messages into more than 190 languages. This helps teachers communicate consistently with families without managing separate channels. Teachers can keep routine announcements, conversations, and event information organized within one communication hub.

2. Parents Looking For More Visibility Into Their Child’s School Experience

Families may only hear about classroom activities when students mention them at home. ClassDojo lets teachers share photos, videos, and announcements through private ‘Class Stories’. Parents can follow classroom updates without receiving public social media posts. This gives families a more regular view of their child's school experience. Regular updates can help parents stay informed about classroom activities even when children provide limited details at home.

3. Teachers Building Digital Portfolios Of Student Work

Teachers may find it difficult to build a clear record of student work throughout the year. ‘ClassDojo Portfolios’ feature lets students submit photos, videos, drawings, and journal entries. Teachers can review submissions before approving them, allowing them to decide what becomes visible to parents. Over time, these submissions create a digital record of student work that teachers can use to track progress, while giving parents insights into their child’s work. Organized submissions can also make it easier to demonstrate student progress across different activities and assignments.

4. Teacher Assigning Activities In Classrooms With Shared Devices

Students using shared devices can face unnecessary friction when accessing and submitting classroom work. ClassDojo allows teachers to send activities directly to students through its ‘Activity Center’. Students can respond using photos, videos, drawings, and other formats. Its QR-code login also reduces the need for students to remember usernames or passwords. Quick access and multiple submission formats can make classroom activities easier to manage when students share devices.

5. School Leaders Managing Schoolwide Communication And Events

School events can be missed by parents when reminders depend on messages or printed notices. ClassDojo lets teachers add events to the calendar and provides automatic reminders. Families can receive event information through the same platform they use for classroom updates. This reduces reliance on separate calendars or reminder systems. Centralized event communication can give families a consistent place to check upcoming school activities and important dates.

Is ClassDojo Right For You?

ClassDojo is a practical fit for schools looking for easy family communication solutions. Alongside classroom updates and family communication, its student-facing tools encourage participation through points, rewards, and other game-like experiences. This gives teachers a way to keep families informed while also encouraging students to stay engaged with their classroom activities and progress.

The software is approved as iKeepSafe COPPA Safe Harbor and FERPA compliant. Also, the company complies with GDPR regulations in Europe and is a part of the ‘Student Data Privacy Consortium’. The software is currently used by over 45 million students and parents across 180 countries. Examples of organizations that use the software are the New Brighten Elementary and Passaic High School.

Not sure whether ClassDojo meets your needs? Call us at (661) 384-7070 for personalized advice.