Schoology Learning release notes: January 2026

App installation placement selection improvements

We have resolved an issue whereby installing an app for users in Schoology was only successful if both the App Center dropdown menu and the User Profile navigation menu were selected. Previously, selecting only one placement, such as the dropdown menu, would prevent installation from completing as expected.

Key changes:

• End users now have a single checkbox for the Users realm and cannot select individual placements; apps will be installed in all publisher-selected locations.

• Resources are now grouped with the Users realm for both publishers and end users for improved clarity.

• Installation works with any placement chosen by the publisher.

Automated distribution of course templates moves to general availability

Map course templates directly to courses to automatically populate new sections from the template. Save time from manually sending templates to new sections, no matter how the sections are provisioned in Schoology.

Flags will persist after grading in Gradebook

All flags in the gradebook will continue to be displayed and associated with a material even after it has been graded. This will increase transparency in the grading process by reducing ambiguity and potential miscommunication between educators, students, and guardians. Admins will have the ability to opt-in for this functionality through Feature Options setting.

Manage user profile photos via auto-import

User profile photos can now be updated through the auto-import area of School Management’s Imports. System Administrators can now schedule updates to user profile photos through the existing auto-import screen.

PowerBuddy for Learning content filter improvements

Improvements include:

• PowerBuddy for Learning content filtering has a more comprehensive understanding of the description of the material. It does not rely only on the topic, but uses details of the description for accuracy.

• PowerBuddy for Learning redirects off-topic discussions that include offensive statements or questions; otherwise, it responds thoughtfully and in a learning-focused manner.

• PowerBuddy for Learning filters hate, violence, sexual, and self-harm content when the user input is aggressive. In less severe cases, it responds appropriately with an educational approach.

• PowerBuddy for Learning responds more gracefully with repetitive questions and constructs responses in a way that avoids frustration.

Re-introduction of sensitive content categories

Administrators can define types or categories of filtered content for individual users. This allows for pertinent notifications to reach specified individuals and reduces the number of notifications received across all staff. These updates are made in PowerBuddy Settings.

Support export content to Google Drive

Instructors can export generated content as PDF or Word files and save them directly to Google Drive.