Canvas for Parents & Guardians

What is Canvas?

Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS) with integrated learning products that support a dynamic, digital learning environment to meet the unique instructional needs of teachers and their students.

K-12 school districts and higher education institutions from around the world use Learning Management Systems as a single platform for students and teachers to interact around coursework.

An LMS also provides visibility and tools for parents, school leaders, and division leaders to support effective teaching, learning, and communication.

Why use Canvas?

Our decision to adopt Canvas was largely driven by parent feedback, which included a desire to have more visibility into the day-to-day learning environment and a simple platform to access information.

Canvas provides and supports:

  • A consistent experience for students and parents.
  • Greater efficiency in teacher workflow.
  • The instructional goals in Imagine Tomorrow, the division strategic plan.
  • Teachers, school administrators, and district administrators with tools for collaborating around the curriculum to create the best learning experiences for students.
How will Canvas be used?

Teachers will be using Canvas to personalize instruction and provide engaging and relevant content that supports student-driven learning.

Students may access their Canvas courses anytime and anywhere using their CCPS credentials. Parents may view their child’s courses in an observer role.

Print and video directions for setting up your Parent Canvas account can be accessed from the "Parent Account Creation" tab above.

Create a Parent or Guardian Account

This page will provide you with directions to create a Canvas account using a desktop browser. While the Parent mobile app provides an on-the-go glimpse of course calendars and due dates, Canvas provides a much richer observer experience on desktop browsers, where much more content is available to view using an interface similar to a student’s. We encourage you to access Canvas via a desktop browser to view more content and communicate with your student’s teachers.

Before beginning to create an account in Canvas, please ensure that you are using a supported browser. Canvas supports the current and first previous releases of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

Instruction Manual
Video Instructions
Multiple Students Account
Navigating Canvas as an Observer
Navigating Canvas

Communication

Canvas provides an effective means of communication between home and school. Both students and parents can contact instructors through the Canvas Inbox. Additionally, parents can receive course updates and be notified of inbox activity through notification preferences, which can be set to provide immediate notification or to provide a daily or weekly summary.

Before beginning to create an account in Canvas, please ensure that you are using a supported browser. Canvas supports the current and first previous releases of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

Inbox & Notifications Instructions
Inbox & Notifications Instructions - Spanish
Video Instructions - Accessing the Inbox
Video Instructions - Turning on Canvas Notifications

Student App Setup

Canvas allows students to access their courses using a mobile device. Students can submit assignments, participate in discussions, and view course materials. The app also provides access to course calendars, to-do items, notifications, and Inbox messages.

Canvas Student requires a Canvas account and is available for both Android and iOS devices.

Student Mobile App Setup - English
Student Mobile App Setup - Spanish
Canvas Guides for Mobile Apps

Parent Mobile APP

Canvas allows parents to access information about their students’ courses using both the website and the mobile app. Please bear in mind, however, that the parent experience in the mobile app is limited compared to that of a desktop browser. We strongly recommend that parents and guardians create their accounts on a desktop browser using the instructions found here.

Canvas Parent requires a Canvas account and is available for both Android and iOS devices.

Parent Mobile App Setup - English
Parent Mobile App Setup - Spanish
Canvas Guides for Mobile Apps