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spark pollClassroom response system
Classroom Response System for Teachers
Ask a question, see every student's answer in real time. Free for teachers, forever — no app to install, no clickers, and no per-seat fees.
Free tool from Close the Gap Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Start free as a teacher
Start free as a teacher
Create your free account with one email. Build your first question in under a minute.
No credit card. One email, no password — we send a one-time magic link. Free for teachers, forever.
- Always free for educators
- Works on any device with a browser
- No student accounts required
- Built and funded by a nonprofit
60 seconds to live
How a Spark Poll session works
There is nothing to install and nothing for students to download. You go from idea to live results in about a minute.
- 1
Create a question
Pick from six question types: multiple choice, word cloud, open response, ranking, scales, or pin-on-map.
- 2
Students join
They scan a QR code or enter a 6-digit code on any device. No account, no app, no friction.
- 3
Watch answers land
Responses appear live in under a second, so you can check for understanding on the spot and adjust.
What it is
What a classroom response system does
A classroom response system lets you ask the whole room a question and instantly see how everyone answered — the heart of formative assessment. Instead of cold-calling or guessing whether a concept landed, you get real-time student responses you can act on before the lesson moves on.
Spark Poll exists to make that kind of in-the-moment feedback free and accessible for every classroom. It is a nonprofit project, so the features teachers rely on — live polls, quizzes, word clouds, and exit tickets — stay free rather than getting locked behind a paid tier.
Six ways to ask
Every question type you need, free
Mix and match formats in a single session — a quick poll to open, a word cloud to surface thinking, an exit ticket to close.
Single select
Multiple-choice with a live results bar chart.
Word cloud
Open words cluster and grow as the room answers.
Open ended
Long-form responses land in a live feed.
Ranking
Students rank options; you see the consensus order.
Scales
Sentiment and agreement on a sliding scale.
Pin on map
Drop pins on a map for geography and origins.
In the classroom
What teachers use it for
Live formative assessment
Drop a quick check mid-lesson and adjust your pacing before moving on.
Digital exit tickets
End class with a one-question pulse on what actually landed.
Anonymous check-for-understanding
Let students answer honestly without raising a hand.
Bell-ringers & do-nows
Open class with a poll that gets every student thinking.
Review games before a test
Run a fast, low-stakes quiz that makes review feel like play.
Hear the quiet students
Word clouds and the open feed surface voices that never raise a hand.
Frequently asked
Questions teachers ask first
Is Spark Poll really free?
Yes. Spark Poll is built by Close the Gap Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The core classroom features are free for every teacher — no trial clock, no per-seat fees, no credit card.
Do students need to create accounts?
No. Students join from any device with a 6-digit code or QR link. No login, no app to install, and no personal information required to answer.
What devices does it work on?
Anything with a web browser — phones, Chromebooks, laptops, and tablets. The presenter view is built for the projector or front-of-room screen.
Do I need clickers or special hardware?
No clickers and no receivers. Students respond on the devices they already have, so there is nothing to buy, charge, or hand out.
Is it suitable for K-12 and higher ed?
Both. Use it for bell-ringers and exit tickets in a K-12 classroom, or for live formative checks during a college lecture.
Who builds and funds Spark Poll?
Close the Gap Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has reached more than a million students since 2019. Spark Poll is its free gift to teachers.
About the nonprofit
Spark Poll is built by Close the Gap Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to expand access to free, high-quality tools for educators and the students they serve. Spark Poll is part of that mission — a classroom response system that any teacher can use at no cost.
Start checking for understanding today
Create your free teacher account and run your first live poll in minutes.