Ello's main product is Ello 2.0, an at-home app that a parent sets up and consents to for their own child. For teachers and librarians, there's Classroom Mode, a free version for shared devices.
A note on availability: new Classroom Mode signups are paused until further notice while we work on the next version. If your classroom or library is already set up, nothing changes for you.
What is Classroom Mode?
A free version of Ello for teachers and librarians. Children read from Ello's book library on a shared device, with no student accounts, no logins, and no account-level or child-identifying personal information collected. It's built for classrooms, reading groups, and library sessions.
How is Classroom Mode different from the at-home app?
No student accounts or logins.
Full library access for everyone.
No personalization. Books aren't tailored to a child's level or interests.
No individual progress tracking. Nothing is saved between sessions.
Speech recognition only, to check whether a word was read correctly and offer pronunciation support.
No generative AI or LLMs in live operation. The conversational AI tutor isn't part of Classroom Mode.
Because nothing ties a session to a named child, the retention periods in How Do I Manage My Child's Data and Help Improve Ello? apply to the at-home app only. For how the at-home AI tutor keeps children safe, see Does Ello Use AI, and How Is My Child Kept Safe?
Can my school buy Ello for its students?
Not today. Ello doesn't contract with schools, districts, or Local Educational Agencies, and there isn't a school-managed version of Ello 2.0. Accounts are created by a parent or guardian for their own child. If your school is interested, contact our support team and we'll tell you honestly what's possible. See Contact Support and Response Times.
Is Ello a FERPA "School Official"?
No. Ello doesn't act as a FERPA "School Official". Educational records aren't entered into the product: Ello doesn't hold grades, IEPs, assessment records, or any other student record from a school system.
Can a school give consent on behalf of parents?
No. Responsibility for verifiable parental consent doesn't transfer to a school. For the at-home app, Ello gets consent directly from the parent or guardian before collecting anything from a child. See How Do I Manage My Child's Data and Help Improve Ello?
What devices does Classroom Mode run on?
The same devices as Ello 2.0. A tablet works best for shared reading. See Which Devices Work with Ello 2.0, and What If It Can't Hear My Child?
I received a Read with Ello purchase code. How do I redeem it?
Contact our support team. Our team handles these codes directly. See Contact Support and Response Times.
How do I get Classroom Mode?
We're not onboarding new classrooms or libraries right now. If you'd like to hear when signups reopen, contact our support team and we'll keep you posted. Our school offerings are still evolving, so check with us for the latest. See Contact Support and Response Times.