Important Changes On the Way for MobyMax and Ellii!

Why is the MobyMax license structure changing?

The statewide Digital and Distance Learning team is responsible for administering state-supported distance learning platforms and renewing our licenses each spring. MobyMax initially presented us with a much higher quote for our current level of service. This prompted us to examine our monthly usage data, and we discovered that we can actually cut our costs by over 50% by changing to a seat-based structure.

Yes, it is true that this new structure will likely result in some additional administrative work for program staff. It is also possible that your program will need to reduce the number of individual learners with active MobyMax seats.

However, the significant savings on our MobyMax license will allow us to also offer Ellii as a state-supported platform. Ellii is designed for English learners, includes an ever-increasing collection of digital resources (many of which are more appropriate for adults than MobyMax and can easily be printed for in-person use), and also includes a self-study library which is ideal for supplemental distance learning. Ellii does not have a per-seat pricing structure, so programs will be able to offer access to Ellii to as many learners as needed. We anticipate that many of the learners currently using MobyMax could transition to using Ellii instead.

What will this mean for my program?

Each program or site will be allocated a designated number of state-supported MobyMax seats for the July 2025-June 2026 fiscal year. The allocations will be based on estimates from program staff and actual usage data from recent years. The per-program seat allocations will go into effect this July. After considering the details below, please designate one staff member from your program/site to complete this form by May 12. A Digital and Distance Learning Team member will follow up by May 30 to share the number of state-supported seats that will be allocated to your program.

• An active MobyMax seat is NOT the same as a learner account. Program staff may create as many learner accounts (usernames and passwords) as needed. Learner accounts will not count against your number of allocated seats until a staff member manually assigns a seat to a particular learner. The DL team will provide staff training for this process; see below.
• MobyMax seats are reusable. Therefore, if a learner with a seat leaves your program or stops using MobyMax, their seat can easily be reassigned to someone else. One or more designated staff members at each program will be given the ability to assign and reassign their allocated seats. The number of seats allocated is the total number of learners who can use MobyMax for distance learning at any one time (not the total number of learners who can use MobyMax over the course of the year).
• Staff and teacher logins will not be affected. All staff will be able to continue using their existing MobyMax accounts. New staff accounts can be added at any time, regardless of the number of learner seats allocated to your program.
• Programs or consortia who purchase their own MobyMax school license or learner seats will not be affected by seat allocations on the state-supported license. Check out the MobyMax pricing information here. If your program decides to purchase its own school license or seats, we would still like you to complete this form by May 12. Knowing that your program will not use state-supported seats will allow us to allocate more seats to other programs that need them.

How can I learn more?

DL team members will follow up with programs who complete the form to communicate more details about MobyMax seat allocations and administrative logistics. We will also communicate directly with consortium managers and publish information in the MN ABE Connect newsletter throughout the implementation of this change.

Online staff trainings will be held this summer, and training recordings and other resources will be made available. Likewise, more information about access to the state-supported Ellii license will be shared with managers, in the newsletter, and at Summer Institute. You are always welcome to contact [email protected] with questions, concerns, and comments.