Key Points
- Apple School Manager (ASM) is a web-based portal designed for schools to deploy, manage and supervise Apple devices (iPads, Macs, Apple TVs) and student/staff accounts at scale.
- ASM offers key features like Automatic Device Enrollment (ADE), managed Apple IDs, device supervision, bulk app/book purchasing and class-grouping for teachers and students.
- ASM integrates with your Student Information System (SIS) and Learning Management System (LMS) to sync users, classes and content, enabling a unified education-tech ecosystem.
- ASM is meant to be paired with a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution (such as NinjaOne’s MDM) to enforce policies, monitor devices remotely and complete full lifecycle management.
- Getting started includes creating your ASM account, adding or migrating devices (new or existing) via Apple Configurator or ADE, and assigning devices to your MDM server to automate setup and supervision.
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 enables you to 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, as well as 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. For a quick visual summary, check out our video companion: Apple School Manager: A Quick Guide.
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).
Apple School Manager vs. Apple Business Manager
While both platforms manage Apple devices, ASM includes additional tools built specifically for education—such as role-based class grouping, shared iPads for students, and classroom app integration. This makes ASM the ideal choice for schools and districts managing large numbers of Apple devices.
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 (a feature not available with regular Apple accounts) and assign devices to MDM servers allowing further management tasks, such as assigning security policies and remote monitoring. 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 eliminates the need for your IT department to manually unbox, set up, then repack each device for shipping. You can simply ship them directly to your staff and students.
- User account management: Centralized user account management and synchronization with SIS, ensures 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 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, while also allowing access to other content can be restricted.
- Integration with other Apple services: As user accounts are linked to a managed Apple ID, they can be used to sign into other Apple services and apps like iTunes, iCloud, Classwork, and Schoolwork.
Getting started with Apple School Manager
Setting up Apple School Manager is straightforward and can be completed in just a few steps, even for schools without a full IT department. Once registered at school.apple.com, your IT admin can connect existing devices, import user data, and automate setup through ADE or Apple Configurator.
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) handle 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. Modern educational institutions benefit from understanding the full spectrum of tools for learning and development that create comprehensive digital learning environments.
Apple School Manager integrates with a number of Student Information Systems and serves 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).
For the best results, ensure your SIS or LMS supports daily synchronization and automatic roster updates. This guarantees that user data—such as class assignments and access permissions—stays current across all connected devices.
Device management for schools: MDM integration
Pairing Apple School Manager with a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution like NinjaOne ensures centralized policy control, visibility, and compliance across your entire device fleet. MDM integration automates updates, enforces security baselines, and allows remote troubleshooting—critical for schools managing hundreds of iPads or Macs.
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 essential, 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).
For a broader overview of MDM functionality, see our guide: What Is MDM and How It Works.
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 offers an education-focused MDM solution that integrates with ASM and lets you centrally manage your entire educational IT infrastructure, and remotely monitor and manage your staff and student devices, thereby reducing the cost and complexity of education technology at scale.
Curious how NinjaOne simplifies device management? Explore our MDM FAQ page for answers to most common questions about how we can help IT teams stay in control.
