2026-2027 ITEEA Program and Teacher Excellence Awards Information and Eligibility

Submission Deadline November 1, 2026 

Dear Technology and Engineering Education Colleagues,

Applications are now open for the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) Program and Teacher Excellence Award, one of the profession's highest recognitions for outstanding K–12 Technology and Engineering Education programs.

Program Excellence Award

The Program Excellence Award recognizes exemplary elementary, middle, and high school programs that demonstrate excellence in curriculum, instruction, innovation, and student achievement while serving as models for other programs across the state, nation, and internationally. Award recipients are recognized at the CTEEA Conference on November 3, 2026, and the ITEEA Annual Conference March 31 - April 3, 2027, in Louisville, KY.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for the Program Excellence Award, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Your school must be an ITEEA Group Member, or the primary teacher identified in the nomination must be an ITEEA & CTEEA Professional Member.
• Your program must demonstrate a high-quality Technology and Engineering Education and/or Integrative STEM Education program with a well-developed curriculum and clearly documented effective instructional practices.
• Programs may be nominated at the elementary, middle school, or high school level.
• Both self-nominations and nominations by others are welcome.

Required Application Materials

Applicants should be prepared to submit:

• Your ITEEA Awards Nomination Code (available through Member Compass on the ITEEA website).
• Two letters of support from administrators, colleagues, parents, community members, or current/former students.
• At least four photographs showcasing students actively engaged in Technology and Engineering learning.
• Examples of instructional materials used within the program.
• Examples of student work that demonstrate the quality and impact of the program.

The application also asks applicants to describe:

• How the program supports the school's overall curriculum.
• Program philosophy and goals.
• Instructional strategies and classroom management.
• Assessment and communication of student learning.
• Support for diverse learners.
• Innovative teaching practices and use of resources.
• Connections between classroom learning and real-world technology and engineering.

Teacher Excellence Award

The Teacher Excellence Awards program was established to identify outstanding technology and engineering teachers deserving of recognition and who serve as models of excellence for their colleagues. Teacher Excellence Awards are available for elementary, middle, and high school teachers in each US state or territory and international regions, countries, or provinces. 

Who is eligible to be nominated?

• Self and peer nominations are welcome.
• The teacher must be (or become) a member of CTEEA & ITEEA.
• The teacher must be incorporating technology and engineering content and principles into the curriculum.
• The teacher must have a minimum of three years of teaching experience.  

The following materials must be included at the time of nomination:

• ITEEA "Awards Nomination Code" from nominee's Member Compass (to confirm membership)
• 2 Letters of Support
• 4 photos demonstrating the nominee's excellence
• Examples of nominee's instructional materials
• Examples of nominee's student work

VIEW ALL THE TEACHER EXCELLENCE QUESTIONS TO BE RESPONDED TO.

Application Deadline: November 1, 2026

If you have built a program you are proud of—or know of a colleague who deserves teacher recognition or whose program deserves recognition—I strongly encourage you to apply or nominate them. This award provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the outstanding work taking place in Technology and Engineering Education and to share exemplary practices with educators around the world.

For complete application details, eligibility requirements, and submission instructions, please visit the ITEEA Program Excellence Award webpage.

Best regards,

Gregory Kane

Gregory C. Kane, DTE

CTEEA/ITEEA State Champion