Welcome to Phase II of the Tools Competition! The deadline for Phase II proposals is January 21, 2026.
We are eager to support you with a variety of resources and virtual events to help you strengthen your proposal and receive feedback from competition organizers. Please reference this page regularly for updates. Make sure to also explore our blog for even more resources and insights!
Resources
These resources were developed to help you understand expectations for a high-quality proposal, offer important tips to keep in mind, and illustrate how previous Tools Competition winners reflect some key elements in their work.
- Rubrics – In Phase II, your proposal will be evaluated using key criteria as indicated in your track’s rubric. We recommend developing your proposal alongside the rubric and the opportunity’s objectives, addressing each component clearly and thoroughly. Access your track’s rubric on your appropriate track page:
- Tip Sheet – Based on our review of Phase I abstract submissions, we’ve compiled a tip sheet with suggestions to keep in mind as you develop your Phase II proposal. Please carefully review all tips and ensure they are reflected in your proposal. View the tip sheet here.
- Safeguarding Edtech Users & Data Privacy – The Tools Competition prioritizes protecting edtech users and promoting responsible privacy and AI practices among competitors. We expect competitors to demonstrate how their tools uphold these standards and prioritize user safety. Learn more here.
- Accessibility – Learn how to design tools that are accessible to learners with diverse needs by applying universal design principles and inclusive development practices. These approaches help reduce barriers and improve usability for all learners. Read more here.
- Frontier AI Methods – Covering recent AI advances explored in the What’s Next: Advanced AI for EdTech webinar, this resource outlines how frontier models (reasoning, agentic, multimodal) can support learning while introducing new demands for evaluation, safety, and alignment. Learn more here.
Virtual Events
We’re hosting a series of interactive events to support competitors as they develop their Phase II proposals. All events will be recorded and shared on this page following each event. Please note that, unless otherwise noted, these events are only intended for competitors invited to participate in Phase II of the competition.
- Webinar: User-Centered and Accessible Design for Impactful Ed Tech (November 21st from 12 – 1pm ET). Join this webinar with experts from Axim Collaborative and CASTto learn user-centered design strategies, core accessibility principles, and practical examples your team can apply right away – open to all interested attendees, not limited to Phase II competitors.
- Register here.
- Phase II Info Sessions (December 1st & 2nd/times vary by day). Competition organizers will share more about the Phase II evaluation process and answer competitor questions.
- Register here.
- Developing a Learning Engineering Plan Webinar (December 9th from 11am-12 pm ET). Caitlin Mills, Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota, the competition’s academic partner, will cover how to use learning data to improve your tool, engage research partners to validate approaches, and contribute resources that advance the learning science community.
- Register here.
- Drop-in Group Office Hours. Our team will offer multiple informal office hours sessions starting in early January 2026 to answer competitors’ Phase II proposal questions.
- Register here.
Please be sure to check this page frequently through January 21st for new events, resources, and updates!
You can also access the Official Rules and FAQs for additional details.
The Tools Competition launches annually each Fall and seeks to accelerate breakthrough innovations in education, backing evidence-driven technologies that generate research insights and deliver real-world impact for learners worldwide.
