Google Workspace for Education
Google Workspace
As of 2022, local homeschool groups can create their own Google Workspace for Education accounts without obtaining codes from state or regional organizations.
For instructions on how to access the service, read Google’s help article “Get started with Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals for homeschools.” The two most important instructions are that groups must obtain or already own their own domain name, and they must include “(Homeschool)” at the end of their name when applying for the service.
Privacy Concerns
Privacy has been a longtime concern for parents—homeschooling parents especially. Google Workspace for Education’s privacy policies assure users that Google does not own their data, will not sell or share it, will keep the data only as long as the users request it, and will not use the data for advertising or show any ads in Google Classroom.
However, please keep in mind that Google does collect a significant amount of data from its users. Data collected includes which programs are being used, how they are being used, and information on the group directors, students, and teachers using the programs. This data can potentially come from anything being stored on Google by users, as well as from their activity on other apps, their browsers, and their devices. So, although Google Workspace for Education is a voluntary and free program, your homeschool group should consider the cost when deciding whether to use it.
