Short breaks (a few days to a week)
Mark the days off on your child's learning calendar, on the Calendar tab of their student profile. It takes a few taps, and it keeps their daily goal, level, streak, and rewards honest: a day marked off asks nothing of them and doesn't count against them.
Their assignments, lessons, and progress wait for them in TimeBack. There's no need to make up the days and no need to tell us.
Days off don't lower what each subject needs before the next MAP test; they pack it into fewer days. See Your learning calendar.
Traveling but Want to Keep Learning
Your child can learn from anywhere with a Mac or Windows laptop and internet access. iPads and Chromebooks do not work with TimeBack.
If you are bringing a different computer than usual, download the TimeBack App on it before you leave. See "How to Download and Install TimeBack" for help.
Progress tracks normally in TimeBack. If your child is in a MAP Growth testing window, tests unlock at 4 AM daily in your local time zone.
Traveling During MAP Growth Testing
MAP testing days are fixed learning days, and so is the week before each testing window, Monday to Friday. They can't be marked off, and a pause can't cover them. That run-up is what gets the most out of the test.
If travel falls in a testing window, tell us as early as you can. Your child may be able to test during the makeup week, or on the road with a compatible device and stable internet.
Missing a subject's test matters: if the same subject is missed in two testing windows in a row, whether it wasn't eligible or simply wasn't taken, enrollment ends.
Extended Breaks (Multiple Weeks or Longer)
You can pause your subscription. All you need to do is follow the steps below:
Log in to your parent portal and click "Manage Account."
Locate and click your student's active subscription and click the "Pause Subscription" button.
A window will pop up allowing you to select your pause date and exact return date.
Confirming this will schedule or immediately pause your subscription from your selected date until your selected resume date, shifting your billing schedule forward so no payments are lost.
If you return earlier than planned, you can click the "End Pause Now" button in the Parent Portal to resume your subscription immediately.
How billing works during a pause
When you pause, the billing clock stops, so you aren't charged for the weeks your child is offline. Your billing schedule shifts forward, so no paid days are lost. When the pause ends, any remaining paid days are used first. For example, if you pause with 8 paid days left, those 8 days are used before your next billing date. Your next charge is the standard monthly price, adjusted for any credits on your account.
Good to know before you pause
You can pause for between 3 weeks and about 3 months, within 12 months.
Your child's learning calendar has to be set up before you can pause.
A pause can't cover a MAP testing window or the Monday–Friday week before one. The date picker marks those days while you choose.
Paused days appear on the learning calendar automatically, so you don't need to mark them. Changing the pause is what changes them.
Plans change. You can end the pause early or extend it.
Pausing doesn't lower what each subject needs before the next MAP test. See Your learning calendar.
Returning After a Break
Talk to Alphie, our smart AI assistant, in the Parent Portal. If he can't sort it out, he'll connect you with our team. We will reactivate your child's account and confirm their learning plan is current.
Returning within 90 days: All progress is preserved. They pick up where they left off.
Returning after 90 days: Learning data resets and your child goes through mapping and rebuilding (placement) again to re-establish placement.
Common Questions
Do I need to notify you if my child misses a day or two?
No need to tell us. Mark the days off on your child's learning calendar, on the Calendar tab of their student profile. It takes a few taps, and it keeps their daily goal, level, streak, and rewards honest: a day marked off asks nothing of them and doesn't count against them.
Can my child work ahead to bank days before a trip?
Yes. Your child can complete all available lessons on any given day, and TimeBack refreshes throughout the day with new content.
What if we are gone for two or three weeks?
If you have a compatible device, we encourage your child to keep learning while away, even on a lighter schedule. If that is not possible, they can simply resume when you return.
You can also pause your subscription if you will be gone for 3 weeks to 3 months. All you need to do is follow the steps for the extended breaks guide.
My child is sick today. What should I do?
Turn today off on the Calendar tab, and let them rest. Today's goals drop to zero and the day won't count against their streak; anything they've already earned still counts. If they're in a testing window and miss a test day, they can take it in the retake week.
We need to step away for a while. Will we lose everything?
If your child returns within 90 days, all progress is preserved. After 90 days, they will go through mapping and rebuilding (placement) again. Either way, reach out, and we will make sure the transition back goes smoothly.
Do days off change what my child needs for the next MAP test?
They change the shape of it, not the size. Each subject still needs 75% of its XP target for the term, or the full learning-time target of 25 minutes a day. Fewer days means more work on each of the days that remain.
What happens if we cancel our subscription?
Your child will retain access to the platform through the end of the current billing period, ensuring uninterrupted learning until the paid month concludes.
Progress data is retained for 90 days after cancellation, allowing your child to resume their learning exactly where they left off if you re-enroll within this period.
After 90 days, progress data is no longer available, and your child will need to retake the diagnostic assessment to determine their updated placement.