If you’ve logged into your familiar testing platform recently and noticed a new name staring back at you, you’re not alone. Thousands of teachers, administrators, and students have been searching for answers about Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic and what this change actually means for their day-to-day classroom routines. The good news is that the panic many people feel when they see an unfamiliar brand name is largely unwarranted — but there’s also more to the story than the one-line explanations floating around online.
This guide is written for the people who actually use this tool every day: classroom teachers building quizzes between periods, district administrators managing rosters and data, IT coordinators troubleshooting login issues, and even homeschooling parents looking for standards-aligned practice questions. We’ll walk through exactly what Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic is, why the rebrand happened, what’s genuinely new, what hasn’t changed at all, and how to navigate the platform with confidence — including the integrations, security settings, and pricing details that most explainer articles skip entirely.
By the end of this article, you’ll understand not just the surface-level “name change” story, but the practical implications for your classroom, your district’s tech stack, and your day-to-day workflow.
What Is Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic?
At its core, Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic is a technology-enhanced assessment platform built for K-12 classrooms and districts. It allows teachers to create quizzes, tests, exit tickets, and benchmark assessments, while giving administrators the data they need to track standards mastery across schools.
Before the rebrand, this platform was known simply as Edulastic — a name that combined “Education” and “Elastic” to signal flexibility. Under that name, it built a strong reputation among teachers for its enormous item bank (more than 35,000 standards-aligned questions across math, language arts, science, and social studies), its 30+ technology-enhanced question types, and its ability to mirror the format of state standardized tests.
When the platform became part of the Pear Deck Learning family, it was renamed to align with the company’s broader product suite — Pear Deck for interactive lessons, and now Pear Assessment for testing and progress monitoring. The result is a more unified ecosystem where data, single sign-on, and user interfaces are designed to feel consistent across products.
For most users, the day-to-day experience hasn’t dramatically shifted. Teachers still build assessments the same way, students still take tests the same way, and the underlying question bank and reporting tools remain intact. What has changed is the branding, some terminology inside the platform, and — importantly — a handful of new features that weren’t available during the Edulastic era.
The Rebrand Story: Why Did Edulastic Become Pear Assessment?
Understanding the “why” behind any product rebrand helps make sense of what to expect going forward, and Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic is no exception.
The shift wasn’t a cosmetic decision made overnight. It was part of a larger strategy by Pear Deck Learning to consolidate multiple education technology tools under a single, recognizable brand. Before the rebrand, schools that used both Pear Deck (for interactive lessons) and Edulastic (for assessments) were essentially managing two separate products with two separate logins, two separate support systems, and two separate user interfaces — even though both tools were owned by the same company.
By renaming Edulastic to Pear Assessment, the company created a more cohesive product family. This wasn’t just about marketing consistency; it laid the groundwork for deeper integration between products. Teachers can now move between creating interactive lessons in Pear Deck and assessing student understanding in Pear Assessment with a more unified login experience and, increasingly, shared data about student performance.
The timing of the transition also coincided with a wave of feature updates. According to Pear Deck Learning’s own release notes, the company introduced a progressive web app (PWA) version of the secure testing kiosk around the same period as the rebrand, moved certain administrative controls (like Canvas roster syncing) from the teacher level to the district level, and renamed several settings and buttons within the platform for clarity — for example, renaming “Grading Rubric” to “Add Standard Aligned Rubric.”
So while the headline story is simple — “Edulastic is now called Pear Assessment” — the underlying reality is a broader modernization effort that touches login flows, integrations, AI-powered features, and the terminology you’ll see inside the dashboard.
What Changed vs. What Stayed the Same
This is the section most existing users care about most, and it’s also the section most other articles handle the worst. Here’s a clear breakdown.
What changed with Pear Assessment (formerly Edulastic):
The branding is the most obvious change — new logo, new color scheme, and “Pear Assessment” replacing “Edulastic” throughout the interface, emails, and help documentation. You’ll also notice some renamed settings inside the platform. For example, what used to be called the “Grading Rubric” option is now labeled “Add Standard Aligned Rubric” under the Scoring section when editing an item.
New AI-powered features have also been introduced. The platform now includes an AI Question Generator, which can create a full package of customizable lessons, practice sets, and tests on a given topic in under a minute. There’s also an Assisted Rubric feature that helps teachers grade open-ended responses more efficiently, using AI to suggest scores based on student answers and the context the rubric provides.
Accessibility has improved as well. The platform integrated Microsoft Immersive Reader, added audio response question types (allowing students to answer verbally, currently an Enterprise-tier feature), and gave administrators the ability to bulk-configure which students receive Text-to-Speech accommodations on assignments.
Video-based assessments have also expanded — teachers can now build formative assessments directly from YouTube videos, a feature that was in early development during the late Edulastic era but has since matured significantly.
On the technical side, a progressive web app (PWA) version of the secure testing kiosk was introduced, offering the same functionality as the original ChromeOS Kiosk app but with broader device compatibility. Canvas roster syncing was also moved from individual teacher accounts to the district level, giving administrators more centralized control. pear assessment teacher login
What stayed the same:
Despite all of this, the core experience that made Edulastic popular hasn’t gone anywhere. Your login credentials still work — there’s no need to create a new account or re-register. The massive item bank of 35,000+ standards-aligned questions is still there, covering math, ELA, science, and social studies. The 30+ technology-enhanced question types, including multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, drag-and-drop, and graphing questions, remain unchanged in how they function.
The Live Class Board — the real-time view that lets teachers monitor student progress during an assessment — still works exactly as it did before. Release Scores settings (the four options for controlling when and how students see their results and feedback) are unchanged. Standards-based grading scales, partial credit options, and built-in calculators (basic, scientific, and Desmos graphing) all carry over directly.
In short: if you were comfortable using Edulastic, you’ll be comfortable using Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic — the learning curve is minimal, and most of what you’ll notice is new capability layered on top of a familiar foundation.
Key Features Walkthrough
To get the most out of Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic, it helps to understand how its core features actually work in practice, not just what they’re called.
Creating Assessments: Teachers can build assessments from scratch using the item bank, by authoring their own questions, or by using the AI Question Generator to produce a complete set of practice materials on a topic almost instantly. Existing materials — like worksheets or old tests — can be uploaded and converted into interactive lessons, practice sets, and trackable assessments, which is a major time-saver for teachers transitioning from paper-based testing.
Question Authoring: The authoring tool supports more than 30 technology-enhanced question types. Multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank are the most common, but the platform also supports more complex formats involving multimedia — video, audio, images, and mathematical symbols can all be embedded directly into questions.
The Live Class Board: This is one of the platform’s standout features. During an assessment, teachers can see in real time which students have started, which are struggling, and which have finished — both during the test and afterward for review. It’s also where teachers manage score release settings if they chose not to release scores automatically.
Release Scores Settings: When configuring a test, teachers choose from several options for how results are shared: don’t release scores at all, release scores only, release scores along with student answers, or release scores with both student and correct answers. If a teacher wants full control, they can select “Do Not Release Scores or Response” and then manually release results later from the Live Class Board once they’ve reviewed the data.
Standards Alignment and Reporting: Every question in the bank is tagged to specific academic standards, which means reports automatically show mastery levels by standard — not just an overall score. This is particularly valuable for schools using common interim assessments or benchmark testing that mirrors state exams.
AI-Embedded Tools: The Question Generator and Assisted Rubric are the two flagship AI features. The Question Generator can produce differentiated practice sets for multiple student groups on the same topic, while the Assisted Rubric helps speed up grading for open-ended or written responses — a task that traditionally consumed hours of teacher time.
Logging In and Accessing Your Account After the Switch
One of the most common sources of confusion around Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic is simply figuring out how to log in after the name change. Here’s what you need to know.
If you previously had an Edulastic account, your login credentials carry over automatically — there’s no new registration process required. Depending on your district’s setup, you may access the platform in one of several ways:
If your school uses Clever, you can log in through Clever’s Instant Login feature, which provides single sign-on access without needing to remember a separate password. Pear Assessment is also compatible with Clever Secure Sync, meaning rosters and account provisioning happen automatically on the backend.
If your district manages access through a portal like Webdesk or a similar dashboard, look for a tile labeled “Pear Assessment” — it will function identically to the old Edulastic tile, just with updated branding.
For secure testing environments, students may need to use the Pear Assessment Kiosk App (now available as a progressive web app) rather than logging in through a standard browser. This is particularly relevant for high-stakes assessments where Kiosk Mode or a Safe Exam Browser is required.
If you encounter a “Sorry, Something Went Wrong” error or a spinning loading wheel on the login screen, this is typically a known, temporary issue rather than a sign that your account has been lost or deleted. Refreshing the page, clearing your browser cache, or trying a different supported browser usually resolves it. If problems persist, your district’s help desk or the official Pear Assessment Help Center is the right place to start.
Integrations: Clever, Canvas, Google Classroom, and More
For IT coordinators and tech-savvy teachers, understanding how Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic fits into your existing ecosystem of tools is essential.
Clever: The platform offers single sign-on through Clever Instant Login and supports automatic rostering and account provisioning through Clever Secure Sync. It’s also compatible with Clever Library, making it easy for students to access the tool alongside other classroom apps from a single dashboard.
Canvas: One of the more significant backend changes involved Canvas integration. Previously, Canvas syncing could be managed at the individual teacher level, but this has now been moved to the district level. District administrators can sync rosters from Canvas under Manage District settings, specifically within District Policies and the Third-Party Integrations section. This centralization gives IT departments more consistent control over how rosters flow between systems, reducing the risk of mismatched or duplicate student records.
Google Classroom and ClassLink: While not as heavily documented in official release notes, the platform continues to support common education SSO standards, meaning most districts using Google Workspace for Education or ClassLink for identity management should find integration straightforward, often configured at the district admin level rather than requiring individual teacher setup.
For administrators evaluating whether a transition will disrupt existing workflows, the short answer is that most integrations carry over, but it’s worth checking your district’s specific Canvas sync settings if your school relied on teacher-level syncing previously, since that responsibility has shifted.
Kiosk Mode, Safe Exam Browser, and Security Considerations
Security is one of the most important — and most under-discussed — aspects of any assessment platform, and Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic has specific settings designed to protect the integrity of high-stakes testing.
Kiosk Mode: This locks down the testing environment so students can’t access other tabs, applications, or websites during an exam. Teachers or administrators can enable or disable Kiosk Mode within assignment settings, often labeled as “Require Safe Exam Browser (SEB)/Kiosk Mode.”
Closed-Browser and Navigation Restrictions: Beyond Kiosk Mode, teachers can configure additional anti-cheat settings. A “Closed-browser” setting ensures no other tabs are open, with warnings issued to students who attempt to open new tabs, and tests can be configured to lock automatically if a student navigates away. “Restrict Question Navigation” prevents students from going backward through a test once they’ve moved on from a question — useful for high-stakes assessments where answer-changing after seeing later questions could be a concern.
Browser and Device Considerations: Not all browser and device combinations offer the same level of security. Chrome on a Chromebook or Edge on a Windows machine tend to be the most reliable combinations for high-stakes testing, since they fully support Kiosk Mode. Firefox, by contrast, does not support Kiosk Mode, which matters significantly for any proctored assessment. Mobile devices can work for casual practice but are generally considered less ideal for formal testing due to screen size and navigation constraints.
Password Protection: Teachers can also require a password for test access, which is useful for ensuring that only students who are physically present in the classroom receive the credentials needed to begin — helping prevent remote test-taking from unauthorized locations.
Even with these tools, no system is completely immune to determined students attempting to bypass restrictions, so districts running high-stakes assessments should combine platform settings with in-person proctoring for the best results.
Pricing and Plans
A frequently overlooked aspect of Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic is what’s actually free versus what requires a paid or district-level plan.
For individual teachers and homeschooling parents, a free tier provides access to the core item bank, basic question authoring, and standard reporting — more than enough for everyday quizzes, exit tickets, and practice assignments. This makes it a popular choice for homeschool educators who need vetted, standards-aligned questions without a budget.
District and Enterprise-level plans unlock additional capabilities, including some of the newer AI features like audio response questions, advanced accommodations management (such as bulk Text-to-Speech configuration), centralized Canvas syncing, and enhanced administrative reporting across schools and grade levels.
If you’re a teacher using the free version and wondering why a colleague has access to features you don’t see, the difference is often tied to whether your district has adopted an Enterprise agreement with Pear Deck Learning. For specific pricing details relevant to your school or district, reaching out directly to Pear Deck Learning for a demo or quote is the most accurate path, since enterprise pricing for education tools is typically customized based on district size and needs.
Pear Assessment vs. Other Classroom Assessment Tools
If you’re deciding whether to stick with Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic or explore alternatives, it helps to understand how it compares to other popular tools.
Compared to Google Forms, Pear Assessment offers far more robust standards alignment, automatic scoring across complex question types, and detailed reporting tied to specific learning standards — something Google Forms simply isn’t designed for. The tradeoff is that Google Forms is simpler for quick, informal surveys or non-graded check-ins.
Compared to Quizizz and Kahoot, which are often used for gamified, low-stakes review activities, Pear Assessment is built more for formal assessment — benchmark testing, common assessments across a grade level, and standards-based reporting that administrators can use for instructional planning. Quizizz and Kahoot tend to win on engagement and game-show style formats but lack the depth of standards-aligned item banks.
Compared to IXL, which focuses heavily on adaptive practice and skill-building, Pear Assessment is more oriented toward formal assessment creation and administration — teachers building their own tests, common assessments, and benchmark exams that mirror state testing formats, rather than ongoing adaptive practice.
For schools that need a single tool capable of handling daily formative checks, common interim assessments, and benchmark testing that closely mirrors state exams — all while integrating with existing rostering systems like Clever and Canvas — Pear Assessment remains a strong choice, especially for districts already invested in the broader Pear Deck Learning ecosystem.
Pros and Cons Based on Real User Feedback
Looking at how educators rate this platform across major review sites gives a more grounded picture than marketing copy alone. Pear Assessment (still listed under the Edulastic name on some review platforms) holds consistently strong ratings — around 4.6 out of 5 on both G2 and Capterra, and roughly 4 out of 5 on Common Sense Education, based on feedback from a platform used by hundreds of thousands of teachers worldwide.
Pros most commonly cited by users:
Teachers frequently highlight the time savings from automatic grading, especially for multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. The variety of technology-enhanced question types is praised for keeping students engaged while also preparing them for the format of state tests. The standards-aligned item bank is consistently called out as a major strength, particularly for schools running common assessments across multiple classrooms.
Cons most commonly cited by users:
The most frequently mentioned concern relates to test security. Without Kiosk Mode or a Safe Exam Browser enabled, some students have found ways to switch tabs, search for answers online, or in rare cases manipulate the page to access answer information. This underscores the importance of properly configuring anti-cheat settings for any high-stakes assessment. Some users also note that Firefox’s lack of Kiosk Mode support can create friction for schools that haven’t standardized on Chrome or Edge devices. A smaller number of reviews mention that the interface, while generally intuitive, can feel overwhelming for first-time users due to the sheer number of settings and customization options available.
Final Thoughts
The transition to Pear Assessment formerly Edulastic represents far more than a simple rebrand — it’s part of a broader effort to unify Pear Deck Learning’s product family while introducing meaningful new capabilities like AI-powered question generation, assisted grading rubrics, and improved accessibility features. At the same time, the core experience that made the platform popular among teachers — its massive standards-aligned item bank, flexible question types, real-time class monitoring, and detailed reporting — remains fully intact.
For existing users, the practical takeaway is reassuring: your login still works, your data is still there, and the skills you’ve already built using the platform transfer directly. For new users, whether you’re a classroom teacher, a district administrator, or a homeschooling parent, Pear Assessment (formerly Edulastic) offers a genuinely capable, well-reviewed tool for building and managing assessments that align with real academic standards — provided you take the time to configure security settings appropriately for any high-stakes use.
Whether you’re navigating the name change for the first time or evaluating the platform fresh, understanding both what’s changed and what hasn’t will help you get the most out of every test, quiz, and assignment you build.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pear Assessment the same as Edulastic?
Yes. Pear Assessment is simply the new name for Edulastic following its integration into the Pear Deck Learning product family. The core platform, login credentials, and item bank remain the same.
Do I need to create a new account after the rebrand?
No. Existing Edulastic accounts and login credentials carry over automatically to Pear Assessment — no re-registration is needed.
What new features were added during the rebrand?
Key additions include an AI Question Generator, an Assisted Rubric for grading open-ended responses, audio response questions, video-based assessments from YouTube, and Microsoft Immersive Reader integration.
Will my old assessments and gradebook data still be available?
Yes. All existing data, including past assessments, item banks, and gradebook information, transfers directly into Pear Assessment without any manual migration required.
Is Pear Assessment free to use?
A free tier is available for individual teachers and homeschooling parents, offering access to the core item bank and basic features. Enterprise-level features require a district-level plan.
Why does Firefox cause issues with Kiosk Mode?
Firefox does not support the Kiosk Mode functionality required for secure, locked-down testing. Chrome on a Chromebook or Edge on Windows are recommended for high-stakes assessments.
How does the Canvas integration work now?
Canvas roster syncing has moved from individual teacher accounts to the district level, managed by administrators under District Policies and Third-Party Integrations settings.
