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Rule priority in Classroom Manager

Updated

A class can have class-specific rules and rules from one or more lists from your Rules Library. Most of the time these rules work together. When two rules disagree, Classroom Manager uses a set order to decide which one applies to students.

Rule priority order

When rules disagree, Classroom Manager applies them in this order:

  1. Locked policies: Your school's Locked policies in Linewize Filter always apply. No Classroom Manager rule can override them.

  2. Class-specific rules: Rules you create directly in a class apply before rules from a Rules Library list.

  3. The first list applied: When two active lists disagree, the rule from the list applied to the class first keeps working.

This means you can change access for one class without editing your lists. For example, if your list blocks YouTube, create a class-specific rule to allow YouTube for one lesson. Your other classes keep YouTube blocked.

Specific rules and broad rules

A rule for a specific website or app applies before a rule for its broader category. For example, if you allow YouTube and block Streaming Media, students can use YouTube but not other streaming websites.

Some rules overlap without disagreeing. For example, a YouTube Block rule alongside a Streaming Media Block rule both block YouTube. Classroom Manager doesn't show a warning for overlapping rules like these, because students get the same result either way.

How conflicts appear

When a rule conflicts with a rule that has higher priority, Classroom Manager keeps the existing rule working and doesn't apply the conflicting one. Rules from the same list that don't conflict still apply.

In the class's Active Rules tab:

  • A warning icon appears on the Active Rules tab and next to the list with the conflict.

  • When you expand the list, the rule that isn't applying appears grayed out with an Overridden label.

To resolve a conflict, see Resolve rule conflicts in a class.

Image 1: A class-specific rule overrides a rule in an active list.

When you delete a class-specific rule

If a class-specific rule was overriding a list rule, deleting it brings back the rule that applied before. For example, if your list blocks YouTube and you allowed it for one lesson, deleting the Allow rule blocks YouTube again.

Examples

These examples show which rule applies in common situations:

Table 1: Which rule applies in common situations.

Situation

What students get

Your list blocks YouTube. You create a class-specific rule to allow YouTube.

YouTube is allowed in this class only.

List A, applied first, blocks YouTube. List B, applied later, allows YouTube.

YouTube stays blocked.

You allow YouTube and block Streaming Media.

YouTube is allowed. Other streaming websites are blocked.

Your school's Locked policy blocks a website. You create a rule to allow it.

The website stays blocked.