These updates and timeline are written as of 5/13/21
G Suite for Education is now Google Workspace for Education. You likely have questions about this change, and as a premier Google partner, we have answers. Here are the top questions our customers are asking about this Google for Education update.
When does the new pricing take effect?
The new pricing goes live for institutions on April 14th. At this time, Google Workspace for Education will become four different editions, each with a unique feature set and pricing:
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Education Fundamentals (previously the free edition of G Suite for Education)
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Education Standard
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Teaching and Learning Upgrade
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Education Plus (previously G Suite Enterprise for Education)
Why is Google changing the way they offer Google for Education?
Google believes in the power of flexibility and choice. Therefore, Google Workspace for Education is now more customized for institutions, offering the feature set you need and nothing less or more. This flexibility comes with a more agile cost model that better meets schools where they are at in their Google for Education journey.
I have Google Enterprise for Education now, will I get grandfathered into Google Workspace Plus automatically?
Yes, if you have G Suite Enterprise for Education now, you’ll be grandfathered into Google Workplace for Education Plus at the rate/terms you locked in for your G Suite Enterprise for Education purchase. You don’t need to do anything and your subscription will renew with the new Google for Education Plus features and benefits at the cost you paid for G Suite Enterprise for Education, with the price lock (if you purchased before October 31, 2020). Said another way, G Suite Enterprise for Education will be renamed Google Workspace for Education Plus and they are the same product.
I already have G Suite Enterprise for Education and have assigned licenses, will I need to re-assign them after the new editions are live?
You will not need to reassign licenses when the editions go live on April 14th.
In the past, G Suite Enterprise for Education was determined by staff numbers, how will the new editions of Google Workspace for Education licensing be determined?
Google Workspace for Education Standard and Google Workspace for Education Plus will be purchased based on student enrollment. Organizations will receive one free staff license for every four student licenses. The Google Workspace for Education Teaching and Learning Upgrade is available to purchase for any number of staff licenses needed.
How will student enrollment be determined when purchasing Google Workspace for Education Standard and Google Workspace for Education Plus?
Google will continue to use the NCES database to determine the student enrollment of organizations in North America.
For Education Plus, how much faster is the support we receive?
The external standard service-level agreement is the same, however, it gives you a higher priority with the Google Workspace support team.
Is there a minimum license purchase for Google Workspace for Education?
To purchase the Workspace for Education Standard or the Workspace for Education Plus editions you must order a minimum of 50 licenses. There is no minimum license requirement for the Teaching and Learning Upgrade edition. However, you will receive four student licenses for every one teacher license your order.
Do you know which edition of Google Workspace for Education you need?
Take our 2-minute, 18-question assessment to match your organization’s technology needs with the right Google Workspace for Education edition.
What Google Workspace edition(s) can be “mixed?”
Standard and Plus are full domains license models. The Teaching and Learning Upgrade can be added to any EDU domain with no minimum purchase requirements.
For organizations that have already upgraded to G Suite Enterprise for Education, is there an option to shift subscriptions to the new Editions (Standard, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, and Plus)?
The option is available for organizations during the renewal process. If you’ve already purchased G Suite Enterprise for Education, you will want to keep your current subscription at the discounted rate. You also must stay with the same reseller to continue to get the discounted rate.
Is anything changing with Google’s Terms and Conditions?
Only the name of the edition at this time is changing and a Master Services Agreement (MSA) will be sent to the Google Admins and reseller partners.
Is there an update on when temporary recordings will be available?
There is no date given at this time but premium recordings will be offered until temporary recordings are released.
Is there a trial of the new editions available for organizations interested in trying the services before committing to an option?
Trials will continue to be available to educational organizations through your reseller. Beginning April 14th, 2021, trials are 60 days long and limited to 50 licenses.
We have already purchased Google Workspace for Education Plus (formally G Suite Enterprise for Education), when can we expect live streaming to be available for external domains?
Live streaming for external domains is on track to release in the last half of 2021.
What Google Workspace trials are offered?
All three SKUs of Google Workspace for education have a trial. For Standard and Plus, Amplified IT will work with you to activate the trials. However, for Teaching & Learning, you can activate it yourself through the Google Admin console.
How long is the trial period, and what does it include?
Each trial is 60 days, and includes 50 licenses with access to all SKU features. The number of licenses cannot be increased.
Can I sign-up for multiple trials at a time?
Yes. You may sign-up for 2 trials to be activated simultaneously. However, the Plus SKU is made up of both Standard and Teaching & Learning. If you would like to see everything Google Workspace can do, we suggest that you trial Plus only.
Even if you are trialing multiple SKUs at a time, licenses will still not exceed 50.
What are lockout periods?
At the end of your trial, whether you cancel it before it ends or it expires after the 60 days, you have 21 days to purchase a Google Workspace SKU before you enter a lockout period. If you enter a lockout period, you will not be able to purchase a Google Workspace SKU for 84 days while Google completes their data deletion process.
If you are interested in acquiring Google Workspace for your school or district, we encourage you to purchase within 13 days of the end of your trial.
What if I’ve had a Google Workspace trial before through Google or another vendor?
Only one vendor is able to place an order on your behalf at a time. If you have already had a Google Workspace trial, you will need to make your purchase through the vendor that activated it, or end your trial services with them to allow Amplified IT to place the order for you.
What do I do if I want a quote?
If you want a quote, complete the trial request form or contact your regional account manager (RAM).
What is the turnaround time for getting a trial activated?
After you complete the trial request form, you will receive an email within 24 hours with next steps.
If you are not in our reseller console, you will be asked for a transfer token. In this case, the time it takes to activate the trials depends on how quickly the transfer token is sent to us.
What if I don’t have a Google for Education domain or Google Workspace Fundamentals set up?
In order to participate in a trial, your school or district must have a Google Workspace for Education domain and must have Fundamentals set up. If you have not done so already, begin by creating an account and completing the application here.
What if I have purchased Google Workspace or Google Voice through another vendor?
If you have Google Workspace or Google Voice through another vendor, contact orders@amplifiedit.com. Our team of experts will assess your vendor partnership and give your customized next steps.
We know you may have questions beyond this list. As a Premier Google for Education partner, we are here to support your institute through this transition. Contact us if you have additional questions.
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Catherine Weers
Onboarding & Engagement Consultant -
About the Author:
Catherine lives in Virginia Beach, walking distance to the Chesapeake Bay where she is Amplified IT’s Google for Education Onboarding and Engagement Consultant. Catherine joined the Amplified IT team in 2017 after serving in public schools for 13 years as a teacher in addition to various technology roles. Her current role as Onboarding and Engagement Consultant allows ample opportunity to empower schools, while sharing best practices to get the most out of the cloud solutions they adopt. In her spare time, you can find her at the beach with her family, likely chasing her 2 young daughters and petting all the dogs.