The School add-on works with either OpenAI or Anthropic. You bring your own API key, the key is stored encrypted on your server, and every AI request goes directly from your site to the provider. No information is passed back to PressPrimer.
All AI integration settings are managed under Assignments > Settings > Integrations.
Choosing a Provider
Two providers are supported:
- OpenAI (GPT models)
- Anthropic (Claude models)
Only one provider can be active at a time. You can switch providers whenever you like — your API key for each provider is preserved so you can switch back without re-entering it. Note that the provider and model are set at the site level, and cannot be overridden for individual assignments or instructors.
Adding an API Key
- Navigate to Assignments > Settings > Integrations.
- Choose an AI Provider.
- Paste your API key into the API Key field. The key will be automatically saved exit the field.
Once saved, the key is stored encrypted in your WordPress database. The UI displays only a masked version (e.g., sk-...abc1) so the full key is never shown again.
Choosing a Model
After saving a valid API key, the Model dropdown populates with models your key has access to. Each provider offers multiple models with different speed, quality, and cost characteristics:
- Faster, cheaper models (for example,
gpt-5.4-miniorclaude-haiku) are good choices for high-volume use, and will typically cost about 1 cent to grade a 1,000 word assignment. - Higher-quality models (for example,
gpt-5.4-proorclaude-opus) produce better feedback but cost more per request, typically around 5 cents to grade a 1,000 word assignment.
The model list reflects what your API key can call. If a newer model isn’t shown, your account may not have access to it yet or your API account might not have available credit.
Testing the Connection
After saving your key, click Test Connection to verify that School can reach the provider. A successful test confirms that your key is valid and that the model list is available. If the test fails, you’ll see an error message with the reason (for example, invalid key, rate limited, or network error).
Where to Get an API Key
- OpenAI: Visit https://platform.openai.com/api-keys and create a new secret key in the API Keys section
- Anthropic: Visit https://console.anthropic.com/settings/keys and create a new key in the API Keys section
Both providers charge based on usage. Review their pricing before enabling AI features at scale.
Privacy Note
When a teacher clicks an AI button, School sends the student’s submission text (plus the assignment prompt and rubric structure when applicable) to your selected provider. Student names, email addresses, and other personally identifying information are not transmitted. Both OpenAI and Anthropic have their own privacy policies covering how they handle data sent to their APIs; review those policies to understand their data practices.