You can use Guided Access to help students stay on task. Here are instructions on how to set it up and some features that might be helpful.

1. Open Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access > toggle Guided Access on

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2. Next, set up a Guided Access Passcode - I suggest that each building comes up with a centralized 4 digit code - otherwise, I would suggest using your extension  - it will ask you to confirm the passcode 

Note: once the iPad has Guided Access turned on and the Guided Access Passcode is no longer known the iPad will be locked. Please put in a ticket to me immediately and DO NOT try to restart the iPad. After a restart the iPad will no longer be connected to wifi and I won't be able to unlock by sending a command. 

3. To turn on Guided Access open the app that you want the student to be "locked" in then triple-click the home button. NOTE: iPad 10 users will triple click the power button (button in the top of the iPad).  To turn off Guided Access triple click again (iPad 10 users will triple click the power button) and input the Guided Access Passcode. Tap on End in the top left-hand corner or Resume to continue.

4. There are many other options to utilize in Guided Access. Here are a few:

Tap on Options in the bottom right-hand corner. If any of these options are toggled on they will reduce certain functions of the iPad. 

When toggled on gray:

Sleep/Wake Button - will disable student from putting iPad to sleep

Volume Buttons - can't change volume using the side buttons

Motion - to prevent the iPad from switching from Portrait to landscape or from responding to other motions

Software Keyboards - disables keyboards

Touch - no touch recognized by iPad - this feature will most likely always need to be toggled to green for students to use the iPad (iReady etc)

Dictionary Lookup - disables Dictionary feature

Time Limit - no time limits set

I will highlight two very useful features: Time and Touch

Time - toggle to green and set the desired time. Once the time limit has been reached the iPad will be locked into Guided Access and the student will no longer be able to use the iPad until unlocked by triple-clicking the home button and inputting of Guided Access Passcode.

Touch - toggle to green 

You will see a message on the button "Circle areas on the screen you would like to disable". This is a helpful feature if a student needs to have access to Safari but you want them to access only one website. 

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You can see that I highlighted the top of Safari's web page where the address bar and the tab options are. This space on the iPad is now no longer responsive to touch. The student will be locked into the National Geographic for Kids (in my example) and won't be able to open a new tab or type in a new website address. To remove the highlighted area tap on the X in the top left-hand corner.