Students

Your iPad will come connected to the internet—you will not need a WiFi connection or hotspot device. The internet connection is provided by T-Mobile, at no cost to you. Once you receive your iPad, you will be able to visit websites and do classwork immediately.
To be sure you’re connected to the internet, a WiFi icon should appear at the top of your screen:

If your iPad isn’t connecting to the internet, here are two things you can try:

A. Make sure cellular data is turned on.
1. Go to Settings. 
2. Select Cellular Data. 
3. Turn on Cellular Data. 
4. Tap Cellular Data Options. 
5. Verify that LTE and data roaming are turned on.

If you’re still having trouble connecting your iPad to the internet, call T-Mobile at 1-800-375-1126. Tell them that you are part of the New York City Department of Education Rapid Response Program. Also, please have your iPad’s Integrated Circuit Card Identifier (ICCID) ready. To find this, go to Settings > General > About > ICCID.


B. Cancel the CrowdStrike Download

1. Locate the CrowdStrike app. It is red with a white falcon.
2. Press and hold the CrowdStrike app icon.
3. A menu will appear. Tap Cancel Download.
4. Canceling the download will prompt other apps to update.
5. You can access the internet while your apps update. Open your browser and go to a website to make sure you are connected.

Your iPad has built-in content filtering. This means that you will not be able to access adult content on the iPad. Filtering rules are compliant with the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). Schools may also put a third-party blocker on the tablets to decrypt and filter https traffic in accordance with their rules.

Your iPad will come with the apps you need to complete assignments and connect with your school. You will not be able to access the app store or download any additional apps.


These are the apps that should be on your iPad:


* Office 365 apps (Teams, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, One Drive, One Note)
* Google apps (Classroom, Meet, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Gmail, Hangouts, Translate, Chrome, Docs)
* Library apps (SimpleE, Queens Library)
* Security apps (Cisco Security/Connector Umbrella, Crowdstrike)
* Other (Flipgrid, i-Ready, Amplify Science, Adobe Acrobat, RBdigital, Overdrive, *ImagineLearning, myON, Axis 360, Freegal Music)

If You Need a Specific App:

If you would like to request an educational app be placed on your iPad, fill out the Tech Support Form for families.

-For all Microsoft apps, you should sign in with your DOE student account.

-For all Google or G Suite apps, sign in with your DOE student account or the Google address your school may have given you already.

-You cannot use your personal Apple ID. Your iPad is for educational–not personal–use on

Using Multiple Accounts in Google Classroom: You can switch between your @nycstudents.net account and your school-specific G Suite domain account in Google Classroom. Here’s how:

1. Open the Google Classroom app.
2. Sign in with one of your two accounts.
3. If you sign in with your @nycstudents.net account first, you will be prompted to verify your account credentials. Please follow all prompts.
4. Once you successfully sign into Google Classroom, you will see a colored circle with your first initial in the upper right corner. Click on the circle.
5. Click Add another account.
6. Enter account credentials for your second account. 

Problems with Google Passcode:

Some students have reported issues with a Google passcode. If you are experiencing this issue, it is probably because your school has a G Suite policy that mandates that all devices have a passcode. Your school will need to turn off this setting. To turn it off, reach out to your school and ask them to turn off the passcode requirement. Tell them to talk to their Google Admin or call the DOE Service Desk at 718-935-5100. 

*Call AppleCare Support for the NYCDOE:

-ONLY call to ask about setting up your iPad or accessing learning applications once you receive the device. Do not call to check on the status of your device request. See iPad Distribution for information and timelines around devices.

1-800-919-2775. When prompted, enter the PIN: 692363 (NYCDOE). 

Or send an email to AppleCare at 
acnycdoe@group.apple.com. Please include the device’s serial number and a brief description of the issue.

Fill out the Technical Support for Families form
Call the DOE Service Desk at 718-935-5100.

If you want to print a version of this information, visit the iPad FAQ PDF
(Open external link).