How to Access, Complete, and Troubleshoot Enrollment Paperwork in Playground
Overview
Ensuring parents can easily access and complete enrollment paperwork in Playground is crucial for a smooth school onboarding process. This guide provides answers to common issues, steps to manage paperwork effectively, and troubleshooting solutions for accessing, completing, and verifying enrollment-related forms.
Understanding Form Visibility and Settings
Required Forms During Application
Forms marked as "Required during application process" are displayed to parents in the Enrollment Portal as they complete their application. However, forms set as "Not required" or "Required after application" will not appear until the application is submitted or the student is accepted. To address visibility issues, update the form settings to "Required during application."
File Reusability Across Applications
Families do not need to re-submit previously completed forms each time they apply for a listing. Playground retains valid forms, associating them with the student until they graduate or update their information.
Managing Roles and Permissions
Access Based on Role
Only guardians with the "Primary Guardian" role can access required forms and paperwork. For foster children, or similar cases, check the guardian’s permissions under My School → Guardians and update their role from "Family Member" to "Primary Guardian." This ensures full access to all paperwork.
Viewing and Sharing Enrollment Paperwork
Sharing Enrollment Paperwork
Administrators can share enrollment paperwork with parents by:
Going to the Paperwork tab in the Admin Dashboard.
Selecting a specific form or file request.
Clicking the "Share" button and choosing the audience (e.g., Everyone, specific programs, or classrooms).
Using targeted groups by enrolling students in a specific program. Administrators can verify how paperwork appears to guardians by clicking the Preview button.
Access through the Parent Portal
Parents can find required forms by logging into the Playground portal on a browser (e.g., Chrome or Safari) and navigating to the Paperwork tab. From there, they can:
Access Forms, Fillable PDFs, or File Requests with a "red badge" indicating pending items.
View previously completed documents under the "Applications" tab.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Forms Not Showing or Accessible
Ensure paperwork is linked to the enrollment listing and accessible to the correct user group.
Verify the guardian’s permissions using the steps mentioned above.
PDF Loading Errors
Parents may encounter issues such as "PDF will not load" due to:
Unstable internet connections.
Corporate networks with strict firewalls. Switching to a home Wi-Fi or cellular network typically resolves these issues.
Application Submission Issues
If parents claim to have filled out an application but it is not visible:
Confirm that they finalized the submission. Forms filled without submitting the overall application will not appear.
Other Considerations
Preview vs. Fillable Form Access: Administrators and parents should click "Add Submission" (on web) or the equivalent mobile option to access actual fillable forms instead of viewing previews.
Public Sharing of Forms: If a form is publicly shared, anyone (including non-enrolled families) can access and fill it out. Use targeted sharing to prevent this.
By following these steps, schools can ensure parents can access and complete all necessary documentation while minimizing potential issues. For further assistance, administrators can always verify settings through the Playground Admin Portal.