diff --git a/js/modelHelpers.js b/js/modelHelpers.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b19f81d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/js/modelHelpers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/**
+ * Toggle a className in the _classes attribute of any Backbone.Model
+ * @param model {Backbone.Model} Model with a _classes attribute to modify
+ * @param className {string} Name or names of class to add/remove to _classes attribute, space separated list
+ * @param hasClass {boolean|null|undefined} true to add a class, false to remove, null or undefined to toggle
+ */
+export function toggleModelClass(model, className, hasClass) {
+  // split the string of classes into an array of classNames
+  const currentClassNames = (model.get('_classes') || '').split(' ').filter(Boolean);
+  // capture all existing classes as a unique list
+  const classesObject = currentClassNames.reduce((classesObject, className) => ({ ...classesObject, [className]: true }), {});
+  // update the list according to arguments
+  const shouldToggleExisting = (hasClass === null || hasClass === undefined);
+  // allow multiple classes to be added and removed together
+  className
+    .split(' ')
+    .filter(Boolean)
+    .forEach(className => {
+      // toggle class
+      classesObject[className] = shouldToggleExisting
+        ? !classesObject[className]
+        : Boolean(hasClass);
+    });
+  // flatten back into a string of classes
+  const outputClasses = Object
+    .entries(classesObject)
+    .filter(([, hasClass]) => hasClass)
+    .map(([className]) => className)
+    .join(' ');
+  // update the model
+  model.set('_classes', outputClasses);
+}
diff --git a/js/models/adaptModel.js b/js/models/adaptModel.js
index e97387de..ba7af3fd 100644
--- a/js/models/adaptModel.js
+++ b/js/models/adaptModel.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import data from 'core/js/data';
 import ModelEvent from 'core/js/modelEvent';
 import LockingModel from 'core/js/models/lockingModel';
 import logging from 'core/js/logging';
+import { toggleModelClass } from '../modelHelpers';
 
 export default class AdaptModel extends LockingModel {
 
@@ -116,6 +117,16 @@ export default class AdaptModel extends LockingModel {
     ];
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Toggle a className in the _classes attribute
+   * @param className {string} Name or names of class to add/remove to _classes attribute, space separated list
+   * @param hasClass {boolean|null|undefined} true to add a class, false to remove, null or undefined to toggle
+   */
+  toggleClass(className, hasClass) {
+    toggleModelClass(this, className, hasClass);
+    return this;
+  }
+
   setupModel() {
     if (this.hasManagedChildren) {
       this.setupChildListeners();
diff --git a/js/models/itemModel.js b/js/models/itemModel.js
index dca9c549..035facd7 100644
--- a/js/models/itemModel.js
+++ b/js/models/itemModel.js
@@ -1,15 +1,27 @@
 import LockingModel from 'core/js/models/lockingModel';
+import { toggleModelClass } from '../modelHelpers';
 
 export default class ItemModel extends LockingModel {
 
   defaults() {
     return {
+      _classes: '',
       _isActive: false,
       _isVisited: false,
       _score: 0
     };
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Toggle a className in the _classes attribute
+   * @param className {string} Name or names of class to add/remove to _classes attribute, space separated list
+   * @param hasClass {boolean|null|undefined} true to add a class, false to remove, null or undefined to toggle
+   */
+  toggleClass(className, hasClass) {
+    toggleModelClass(this, className, hasClass);
+    return this;
+  }
+
   reset() {
     this.set({ _isActive: false, _isVisited: false });
   }