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Canvas LMS MCP Server

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TypeScript
Hybrid

Find Student Across Courses

find_student_across_courses
Read-only

Search your Canvas teaching courses, including past terms, for a student by name, login, or email. Returns every matching course with enrollment state and last activity.

Instructions

Search the caller's teaching courses — active and, by default, concluded (past-term) ones — for a student by name, login, or email, and report every matching course with the student's enrollment state and last activity. Set include_concluded: false to only search current courses. max_courses bounds how many of the caller's courses are scanned (most recent term first); when exceeded, truncated: true is set rather than silently dropping courses. A course that errors during the scan is skipped and reported in courses_failed rather than failing the whole call.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
max_coursesNoCap on the number of teaching courses scanned, most recent term first. Default 200.
search_termYesStudent name, login, or email to search for (at least 2 characters)
include_concludedNoAlso search courses with a concluded (completed) enrollment. Default true.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv1.18.11
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  2. Addedv1.18.3

TDQS

A4.7/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The annotations already mark this as read-only, but the description adds valuable behavioral detail beyond that: truncation behavior with `truncated: true`, course-scan ordering by most recent term, and per-course error handling via `courses_failed`. This is strong transparency, especially given the partial-failure semantics.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three dense sentences, with the core purpose front-loaded and every sentence contributing operational details. There is no filler, repetition of the name, or redundant restatement of the schema.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Despite having no output schema, the description explains what the caller can expect: matching courses, enrollment state, last activity, `truncated`, and `courses_failed`. Combined with the parameters and annotations, an agent has everything needed to invoke and interpret this tool correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The input schema already covers all three parameters, so the baseline is 3. The description adds meaning beyond the schema by explaining defaults (`include_concluded` defaults to true), the effect of `max_courses`, and how `truncated` is set when the cap is exceeded. This enriches parameter understanding.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb ('Search'), a specific resource ('the caller's teaching courses'), and a clear object ('a student by name, login, or email'). It also specifies what is reported, which distinguishes it from nearby search/list tools like search_users or list_course_users.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description gives clear context for when this tool is appropriate: searching across the caller's own teaching courses, including concluded ones by default. It does not explicitly name alternatives or exclusions, but the scope and behavior are precise enough for an agent to select it correctly.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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