ENTRY DEADLINE: 11:59 PM ET SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
With the 2026—27 school year approaching, Tech & Learning is back with the Awards of Excellence: Back to School to help readers find the most impressive products and solutions that will support their work in any learning environment.
Tech & Learning is seeking nominations for products that offer schools versatility, value, and solutions to specific problems to support innovative, effective teaching and learning. From security solutions to hardware, software, and non-tech instructional materials, this award recognizes both new and legacy technology that support effective teaching and learning practices in the new school year.
**NEW FOR 2026** The Awards of Excellence is now welcoming entries from all the following: Instructional Materials, Learning Manipulatives & Aids, and other Supplemental Educational Resources.
The entry deadline is set for 11:59 PM ET on Friday, September 4. Begin your entry by clicking the button below or continue to read through the awards site for more information on eligibility, benefits for entering, and information on the Awards of Excellence.
Winning an AOE for the best products and solutions for Back to School is more than just acknowledgement from Tech & Learning's editors, it's a fantastic way to showcase your products and their contributions to education.
Winning products will be showcased in a special edition of Tech & Learning distributed to the T&L readership (73,000), which is built of education professionals, district leaders, and school administrators.
All winners will receive a winners' package. This will include a fully licensed winner badge for in-house promotion, press release, and social graphic.
A Tech & Learning Award of Excellence is a highly recognized accolade provided only to the best products supporting education, based on evaluation by a panel of education-experts.
Why Enter?
Hear from our judging panel, constructed of industry experts, district leaders and buyers, on why they value these awards as both a judge and as a reader!
"What I value the most from the awards, is that they're a great resource for not only finding new products, but also learning of upgrades/improvements to well known ones.
As a reader, the awards are trusted because they are judged by experienced educators from a variety of backgrounds."
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"What I appreciate most about the awards is the curated list of dependable tools for educators. As a judge, it's a great way to stay updated on what's new and impactful. For readers, it serves as a trusted resource for making buying decisions."
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"As a judge, I like being able to spend focused time researching a tool or solution and giving evaluative feedback.
As a reader, I love reading the judging comments - it helps readers know specifically what the judge liked about the product. I also like to know what's new in the industry, and what updates 'tried and true' products have."
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Discover more about the entry process and judging criteria below! 👇👇
Nominee Evaluation
Tech & Learning is looking for the brightest new products in the educational space — to help readers find the most impressive products and solutions that will support their work in any learning environment.
Each nominee will have to answer the following questions:
- What specific problem does this product solve?
- How is this product being used?
- How did your product exceptionally support teaching and learning in 2026?
- How does your product address the challenges facing education today?
So what does that mean in practice? It means our judges will be thinking about questions like:
- Is your product easy to use and does it include support for teachers as needed?
- Does your product simplify and enhance the teaching and learning experience?
- Is your product flexible enough to support both in-person and asynchronous teaching and learning?
- How is your product unique compared to others in the market?
- Can your product be easily integrated with existing products being used in schools?
Tech & Learning's panel of educators and judges will evaluate each of these answers, along with the product descriptions, images, and case studies.
Judging Process
The panel will score each entry against the following judging criteria: Performance; Reliability; Features; and Innovation. The products that score the highest across all the criteria will be named as winners in the 2026 Awards of Excellence: Back to School.
What are the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence: Back to School?
What are the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence: Back to School?
The Awards of Excellence are an award program recognizing innovation in the education industry. Tech & Learning magazine’s Awards of Excellence program for Back to School is a way to celebrate the most impressive products and solutions that support the work of teachers, students, and parents as they prepare for the new 2026—27 school year.
Who can enter?
Who can enter?
Any company that has a product that supports innovative, effective teaching and learning (it can be a new or legacy product).
Why should I enter?
Why should I enter?
Winning an Award of Excellence tells the industry that your product has been approved by the most important audience - the educators themselves. The top products will be selected and featured in a special edition of Tech & Learning magazine reaching over 73,000 edtech professionals.
When are entries due?
When are entries due?
All entries are due by 11:59 PM ET on September 4, 2026.
How much does it cost to enter?
How much does it cost to enter?
Single Entry: $625.00
2-4 Entries: $595.00
5+ Entries: $525.00
Please note that the pricing rates will automatically update in your cart when finalizing your entries. As outlined here, the prices given will depend on the number of entries you are submitting.
What are the categories?
What are the categories?
The categories are broken down into Primary (Tools for K-6 grade education), Secondary (7-12), and Higher Ed. You can enter the same product into multiple categories.
May I enter more than one product?
May I enter more than one product?
Yes. There are no limits to the number of products you may nominate. Each requires a nomination form and entry fee(s).
What do I need to enter?
What do I need to enter?
For your entry you will need:
- Your product name
- Your manufacturer name
- Category selection (Higher, Secondary or Primary Ed)
- Product pitch describing why your product deserves to be considered for the Back to School award. As well as answers to how your entry is currently being used, examples of specific problems that it solves, how it supports teaching, and how your product addresses challenges faced by education today. Please note, this entry will be read by the judges.
- Product web page (URL)
- A high res (300dpi) image of your product (less than 20mB)
- Any testimonials (optional)
If you are entering a product/solution on behalf of a client, please ensure that you enter the client’s company name as the manufacturer, and not your PR/marcoms company.
If you would like to maximize your Back to School entry, you can select one of our marketing packages in the registration form. You can amplify your nominated product through our product spotlight packages, or through our smart social offerings. Just select the relevant package when submitting your entry and our sales team will be in touch with further details.
When will winners be announced?
When will winners be announced?
Winners will be announced in September 2026 and featured in a special issue of Tech & Learning.
Contact Details
Editorial Questions
Content Director, Tech & Learning
Christine Weiser
christine.weiser@futurenet.com