Was there life before Google? Migrating your school to Google Workspace for Education

Yes, there was life before Google, and I can barely remember it. Migrating your school to Google Workspace for Education, the product once called G Suite for Education, takes four jobs: get approved, set up accounts, copy mail and files, and train your people.

Shared calendars keep assignment due dates organized. Slides, Docs, and Sheets made collaboration normal. Moving from Outlook to Gmail made a world of difference for me, because adding an item to my calendar from an email saved a ton of time. That is why this move is worth doing well, and why the planning matters more than the button clicks.

What do you need before you start a migration?

Start with eligibility. Google requires K-12 schools to be government-recognized, accredited schools delivering instruction, with an active website. After you submit your request and verify your domain, Google says approval is typically resolved within 14 business days. Keep a scanned copy of your accreditation document ready.

Then settle the edition. Education Fundamentals is at no charge for qualifying institutions. If you are leaving Microsoft because Office 365 A1 retires on January 1, 2028, you have time, but your renewal date decides how much. Our Google vs. Microsoft comparison covers that choice.

Why one domain for teachers and students is still the right call

Some schools give teachers and students separate domains. I think that is bad advice, and I learned it the hard way. With separate domains, I could not create a Google Group with my students. When students shared Docs with "anyone in my organization," the educators were left out, because we sat in a different domain. Classroom files also ended up separate from my students.

Use one domain and separate people with organizational units. Google says an approved school gets a single tenant, and it applies age-based settings through organizational units or access groups. You get different rules for staff and students without breaking collaboration.

Plan the accounts before you move the mail, because every later problem traces back to them.Ernie Delgado, BeyondK12

How do you move mail and files into Google Workspace?

The right tool depends on your source and your size. Google's product matrix points most Microsoft 365 schools to the data import tool in the Admin console. It copies data, so nothing in Exchange Online or OneDrive is deleted or modified.

How many users one Google data import can take

Files keep their format, so a PDF stays a PDF. Permissions come across, with some changes: a OneDrive Writer becomes an Editor, and a Reader becomes a Viewer. You can bring up to 180 versions of a file. Decide what old material deserves the trip, because it all lands in your pool.

1. Inventory what you have. List users, shared mailboxes, calendars, and file locations. Decide what stays behind.
2. Build accounts and organizational units. The import tool does not create users, so each person needs a Workspace account and license first.
3. Set age labels and services. Mark staff as 18 and over, and turn on Gmail, Calendar, and Drive for the people you are importing.
4. Pilot with a small group. Move a few volunteers, including someone with a messy mailbox, and read the import report.
5. Move everyone during a quiet window. Use a school break, and tell families and vendors about any address change.
6. Train, then support. Schedule hands-on sessions before the switch and drop-in help for the two weeks after it.

What goes wrong in a school migration?

How should you train staff for the switch?

The tool is the easy part. People need to know where their files went, how sharing works, and what to do on Monday morning. Start with the jobs they do every day: send a message, find a file, post an assignment.

Google's certifications give you a free ladder for teachers who want more. The Level 1 and Level 2 exams are free in all available languages and valid for 36 months. The Gemini certification for K-12 educators is also free and valid for 3 years. Our professional development team can build the sessions around your own timeline.

Where to start this week

Pull a list of your users and your largest mailboxes, and check your renewal date. That one afternoon tells you which tool you need and how much time you have. If your staff are still using personal accounts for school work, this is also the moment to bring them inside the domain.

Gemini arrives with your new accounts, so decide how your school will use it before launch. The free AI Readiness Assessment takes eight questions and shows where your policy, people, and guardrails stand. So my question to you is the same one I asked in 2015: what are you waiting for?

Related reading: Simple steps to become a Google school in 2026 and Ways to manage student and teacher logins: email accounts, SSO, MFA, and offboarding.

Questions school leaders ask

Is G Suite for Education the same as Google Workspace for Education?+

Yes. G Suite for Education is now Google Workspace for Education. The current lineup is Education Fundamentals, listed at no charge for qualifying institutions, and the paid Education Plus edition, with add-ons for more teaching tools and AI.

How long does it take to get approved?+

Google says approval requests are typically resolved within 14 business days after you submit your request and verify your domain. Have a scanned copy of your accreditation document ready, because Google asks for it to confirm eligibility.

Can we move from Microsoft 365 to Google without losing mail?+

The data import tool copies email, calendar, and contacts from Exchange Online without deleting or modifying the source. Files come over from OneDrive and SharePoint Online through the same tool. Not every feature carries over, so review Google's list of what imports before you promise staff anything.

How much storage do we get after migrating?+

Every edition starts with 100 TB of pooled storage for the whole school. Google says Education Plus adds 20 GB to the pool per license, and the pool is shared by mail, Drive, and Photos. Check how much data you plan to bring across before you start.

Should teachers and students have separate domains?+

I recommend one domain. Separate domains get in the way of sharing and Groups. Use organizational units inside one domain to apply different settings to staff and students.

Sources

1. Google Workspace Admin Help, Get started with Google Workspace for Education (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
2. Google Workspace Admin Help, Qualifications for Google Workspace for Education (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
3. Google Workspace Admin Help, Google Workspace migration product matrix (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
4. Google Workspace Admin Help, Use the default data import method for Exchange Online (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
5. Google Workspace Admin Help, Use the advanced data import method for Exchange Online (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
6. Google Workspace Admin Help, Use the default data import method for OneDrive (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
7. Google Workspace Admin Help, What's imported from Exchange Online? (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
8. Google Workspace Admin Help, What's imported from OneDrive? (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
9. Google Workspace Admin Help, Duration of a migration (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
10. Google Workspace Admin Help, Control access to Google services by age (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
11. Google Workspace Admin Help, Overview of Google Workspace for Education storage (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
12. Google Workspace Admin Help, Understand storage availability and usage (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
13. Google for Education, Compare editions (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
14. Google for Education Help, Google Certified Educator Level 1 and Level 2 certification FAQs (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
15. Google for Education Help, Gemini certifications FAQs (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
16. Microsoft Learn, Microsoft 365 Education portfolio evolution (November 2026) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)

EDErnie DelgadoFounder and CEO of BeyondK12. 35 years in education technology, founder of Beyond Technology Education in 2001, host of the BeyondK12 podcast.About BeyondK12