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Adding Students and Creating Student Accounts

How to Add Students to Your Class and Create Accounts

Table of Contents

ReadTheory offers several ways to add students to your class, depending on whether they are new to the platform or already have an account.

Choosing the right option from the start helps prevent duplicate accounts, which can cause students to lose access to their assignments and progress.

📢 Tip: Whenever possible, create student accounts with an email address, even if students will sign in with a username and password. This is the best way to prevent duplicate accounts from being created down the road.

Not Sure Which Option to Use? Start Here.

My students...

Best option

Do not have school email addresses

Option 1: Unique Username and Password

Have school email addresses but will not use SSO

Option 1: Username and Password (be sure to include the email)

Sign in with Google, Microsoft, Clever, or ClassLink

Option 2: Single Sign-On (SSO)

Already have a ReadTheory account from a previous class

Option 3: Join via Class Code

How to Get Started

  1. Select the class you would like to update.
  2. Select Add New Students or Create Accounts! (Create Accounts! Will only appear if this is the first time adding students to the class.) add new students or create accounts
  3. Choose the option that best fits your students from the options below.

Option 1: Create Accounts with a Unique Username and Password

Best for: Students who do not have school email addresses or who will not be using Single Sign-On (SSO).

With this option, you create a unique username and password for each student. Students will use those credentials to sign in to ReadTheory.

Steps for Option 1:

  1. Navigate to the class you would like to update and select Add New Students.add new students or create accounts
  2. Choose how you would like to enter student information:
    • Fill in the spreadsheet directly on the platform by typing each student's information into the provided fields, ormanually email

    • Select Import from CSV to upload your own CSV file. Choose Download Example CSV to download a pre-formatted template. Fill out the template with your student information, then select Upload CSV to import it. This is a good option for larger class sizes. csv manual
  3. For each student, enter their name. Create usernames and passwords, or let the platform generate them for you. type manually option 1
  4. Enter the student's email address if they have one. Including an email address is strongly recommended. It allows ReadTheory to recognize the student if they ever sign in with Google, Microsoft, Clever, or ClassLink. Without it, ReadTheory may create a duplicate account instead.
  5. Choose Add new student to add multiple students. add new student manual
  6. Select Save and Continue. save and continue-1
  7. Student login credentials (login cards) will be emailed to you. Be sure to check your spam/junk folders.

Students will sign in to their accounts by entering the unique username and password provided on their login card.

⚠️ Important: If a student's account does not have an email address, they must always sign in using their ReadTheory username and password. Signing in with Google or another SSO option may create a new, empty account that is not connected to your class or their existing progress.

Option 2: Create Accounts with Single Sign-On (SSO)

Best for: Schools that use Google, Microsoft, Clever, or ClassLink.

SSO-linked accounts are the most reliable way to avoid duplicate accounts and login issues. When set up correctly, ReadTheory will always recognize the student, no matter how they sign in.

Steps for Option 2:

  1. Navigate to the class you would like to update, then select Add Students or Create Accounts! add new students or create accounts
  2. Choose how you would like to enter student information:
    • Fill in the spreadsheet directly on the platform by typing each student's information into the provided fields, or
    • Select Import from CSV to upload your own CSV file. Choose Download Example CSV to download a pre-formatted template. Fill out the template with your student information, then select Upload CSV to import it. This is a good option for larger class sizes.
  3. Enter the student's first and last name. enter first name and last name
  4. Enter the student's email address and username. Set the username to exactly match the email address. This is what allows ReadTheory to connect the student's SSO login to their account. enter email and username as same
  5. The platform will create a password for the student, but you are welcome to change it. This gives students a backup way to sign in if SSO is ever unavailable. enter password
  6. Choose Add new student to add multiple students. add new student (1)
  7. Select Save and Continue. save and continue-1
  8. Student login credentials (login cards) will be emailed to you. Be sure to check your spam/junk folders.

Students sign in by selecting "Sign in with [Google / Microsoft / Clever / ClassLink]" on the login page.

Option 3: Add a Student Who Already Has an Account

Best for: Students who used ReadTheory with a previous teacher or who already created their own account.

If a student already has a ReadTheory account, please do not create a new one for them. Instead, have the student join your class using your class code. This links them to your class and keeps all of their existing progress intact.

Steps for Option 3:

Share the class code with students, and students will follow the instructions below. 

class code-1

Student Instructions

  1. Sign in to their existing ReadTheory account and select their name in the upper-right corner of the screen. select name in top corner
  2. Select My Teachers. select my teachers
  3. Enter the class code provided by the teacher and select Join. enter class code

Once completed, the student will be connected to your class.

Troubleshooting

Seeing a "username taken" or "username already exists" error?

This typically means the student already has a ReadTheory account. Check out our troubleshooting guide for help: Username Taken or Already Exists Error