These awards honor teachers who have designed their classrooms to be truly learner-centered where personalization and student engagement are evident every day.

Finalists and a winner will be honored in the following grade bands:

• Primary (PreK-2)

• Intermediate (3-5)

• Middle (6-8)

• High School (9-12)

Finalist Selection Criteria:

• Hallmarks of a student-centered classroom are evident within the classroom culture through a shared vision, class code, SOPs, goal setting, etc.

• Students own their learning which is evidenced by their use of roadmaps, data notebooks, proficiency scales, learning plans/choice boards, etc.

• Students have multiple pathways to learn through the use of learning plans/choice boards, choice of assessments, designing assessments, etc.

• The teacher uses data to organize small group instruction based on student needs.

This award celebrates the instructional coach who best embodies innovation, fosters a culture of growth among staff, and supports teachers with bringing the instructional model to life.

Finalist Selection Criteria:

• Exercises and models a growth mindset

• Takes risks in the pursuit of personalization

• Seamlessly adapts or adjusts to challenges

• Supports and empowers teachers to innovate

• Facilitates sharing of emerging strategies among colleagues

This award elevates the principal who has effectively led change efforts to bring the instructional model to life in classrooms school-wide.

Finalist Selection Criteria:

• Focuses on making the instructional model come alive in classrooms

• Effectively leads second-order change at the school level

• Facilitates innovation and collaboration at the school level

• Coaches teachers towards having a student-centered classroom

• Collaborates with other school-based leaders to share best practices

This award praises the district leader who has successfully brought about second-order change using the Convergence Framework.

Finalist Selection Criteria:

• Prioritizes bringing the instructional model to life throughout the district

• Leads second-order change at the district level

• Facilitates innovation and collaboration at the district level

• Ensures Convergence is an integral part of the day-to-day in the district

• Collaborates with other district leaders to share best practices

This award credits the district that has developed a true modern curriculum, reflecting student competencies to enhance personalized learning, 21st-century rigor, and authentic learning experiences.

Finalist Selection Criteria:

• Inventory of content is analyzed and gaps are filled

• Continuum of learning is created

• Priority standards are determined

• Learning progressions/proficiency scales are developed and used throughout the district

• Unit plans bring together learning plans

• Learning plans provide personalized pathways

• Students demonstrate mastery

This award goes to the district who has designed, developed, and deployed a digital ecosystem that reflects the integration of hardware, software, and content to enhance personalized learning.

The Innovation Award is designed to recognize individuals or organizations who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the student experience.
Such as providing opportunities for varied pathways, developing new learning models, seeking to create equity for all students, and aligning to the competencies graduates need to succeed in today’s world.

The Innovation Award is a new category designed to highlight innovative programs and practices happening across our Network.

Selection Criteria:
• An innovative solution was created to answer a need or challenge in the context of personalized/competency-based learning.

• Positive results have been documented from this program, practice, partnership, policy, or activity.

• Demonstrates an Increase in: opportunity, engagement, pathway, choice, or agency for students or teachers/staff.

• This program/opportunity is an exemplar Innovation and provides a best practice to share across the Network.

The Infinity Award is designed to highlight best practices of districts in Stages 6-7 and beyond.

Infinity Examples:

• District creates systems to regularly assess and address the ongoing changes and needs of society, creating a pathway to update district vision, instructional model, and curriculum for modern learning.

• New technologies are explored and integrated into the student experience, seeking to provide the skills needed for the future of work.

• Continued evolution of the personalized learning experience for students is evident.

• Innovative offerings/approaches have been developed for teacher support, professional development, and teacher agency.