Getting ready for back to school: a summer checklist for Jamf School administrators
Ensure a smooth start to the new school year with this comprehensive Jamf School preparation guide.
Updated August 3, 2026 (originally published August 14, 2025)
Summer gives Jamf School admins a head start on the new year. A few focused hours now sets up a calm, confident week one. Here's the checklist, sorted into five buckets: renew, review, test, document and learn more.
Renew
These expire yearly. Set a recurring reminder twice a year so nothing lapses.
APNs certificate
Organization > Settings > Apple Push Notification Service. Without it, Jamf School can't send commands to devices.
Please note: MFA trouble in the Apple Push Certificates Portal is an Apple account issue, not a Jamf School one; contact Apple support directly for this issue.
Apps and Books token
Organization > Settings > Content (Volume Purchasing). Required for app and book distribution through Apple School Manager.
Automated Device Enrollment token
Organization > Settings > Automated Device Enrollment. Needed for automated enrollment through Apple School Manager.
Review
Start with your inventory. Use the "Last Connected" filter to find inactive devices, trash the obsolete ones to free up licenses and dig into any that should be active but aren't checking in. That's often a certificate or network issue worth catching now.
Build Smart Groups for:
- Devices needing OS updates (Operating System equals macOS, max version set to your target)
- Devices without escrowed Bootstrap tokens (Bootstrap Token Stored equals No)
- Non-ADE enrolled devices
Instead of using the legacy Devices > Updates path for OS updates, use blueprints. Blueprints give you a deadline instead of a blind push. The Software Updates component now also shows Shared iPad availability, channel and supervision state up front. Minimum versions for enforcement: macOS 14+, iPadOS/iOS 17+, tvOS 18.4+. Rollout has been phased by region and cluster, so if you don't see a blueprints menu yet, it should be arriving on its own soon.
Also worth a look:
- Wi-Fi: rotate pre-shared keys and confirm 802.1x still works
- Certificates: check web content filter certs and any custom certs for upcoming expirations
- Apps: review vendor configs and update settings for anything you're adopting this year
Self Service+ tasks
If you're running Jamf Connect on managed Mac devices, note that Jamf Connect 3.x split the login window installer from the menu bar functionality (password sync, privilege elevation, Kerberos), which now lives in Self Service+.
Still deploying via an App Installer record? Move to package-based deployment with Self Service+ instead. As classic Self Service is no longer supported in Jamf School, use Jamf Teacher and Jamf Student for on-demand app installs.
Apple School Manager tasks
Finally, sync up Apple School Manager (ASM): remove outdated users and classes from both Jamf School and ASM, clear duplicates, verify sync settings and confirm your automated user removal settings are still doing what you expect.
Test
Walk through the full enrollment process yourself before devices reach students and teachers:
- User authentication and device enrollment
- Automatic owner assignment
- Wi-Fi and configuration profile deployment
- Smart Group assignments
- Required app and custom app configurations
Test any Wi-Fi or security changes on a small group before rolling them out school-wide and always test in a controlled environment before touching production.
Document
Update your deployment docs, note what changed over the summer while it's fresh and build a timeline for fall rollout. If anything's new this year, set aside time to train your staff on it.
Learn more
Jamf Account
Bookmark account.jamf.com and get in the habit of starting there. Jamf School logins are migrating to Jamf ID, so your Jamf Account is becoming the place you manage login credentials and two-factor authentication for your tenant, not just a login screen you pass through once a year. It's also your hub for training, certifications and support case history.
Jamf 140 Course
If you haven't taken it yet, the Jamf 140 Course is a free, self-paced certification course built specifically for K-12: Jamf School and Jamf Safe Internet. It's twenty lessons across five sections with guided simulations so you can practice before touching production.
Log in to Jamf Account; go to Training > Courses, and then look for Jamf 140.
Jamf Nation: K-12 EDU Admins group
The K-12 EDU Admins group is a Jamf Nation community group built specifically for admins running Jamf School in K-12. It's a good place to ask a question you're stuck on, see how other districts solved the same problem, or just see what everyone's dealing with heading into a new year.
Jamf Composer
A free training module covering Composer, the tool for repackaging vendor software into PKG or DMG installers you can deploy. Useful anytime a vendor hands you an installer that doesn't play nicely with automated deployment. Create packages with drag and drop.
PPPC Utility
PPPC Utility is a free, native macOS app for building Privacy Preferences Policy Control (PPPC) profiles visually instead of hand-writing XML. Export the result for deployment through Jamf School or Jamf Pro.
OrchardView
A native macOS app that pulls device data from Jamf Pro, Jamf School and Apple School/Business Manager into one dashboard. OrchardView is handy for a single view of inventory and AppleCare warranty status across a mixed environment.
Setup Manager
A modern, customizable Setup Assistant experience for Macs going through Automated Device Enrollment, Setup Manager is worth a look if you want more control over what students and staff see during first boot.
Setup checklist
The setup checklist is a guided first-login experience for Jamf-managed Macs that walks new users through enrollment and setup step by step, so devices are properly configured before anyone starts working.
iMazing Profile Editor
A free third-party tool for building and signing Apple configuration profiles without writing raw XML, including PPPC and other app-permission payloads on macOS. iMazing Profile Editor works alongside any MDM, not just Jamf.
Additional resources
- Checklist to Get Started with Claris Connect for Apple School Manager
- Claris Connect for Apple School Manager FAQ
- Jamf School Documentation
Happy summer preparation!
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