2022 Learning Engineering Tools Competition
Official Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THE COMPETITION. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

Goal

The Learning Engineering Tools Competition 2022 (the “Competition”) is focused on the discovery of new tools and technologies that can address pressing challenges in education, facilitate the improvement of student outcomes, and advance Learning Engineering.

Competition Sponsor and Administrator

The Learning Agency LLC (the “Sponsor” or “we” or “us”), which is located at 715 H Street NE PWB 93369, Washington, DC 20002, is the sponsor and administrator of the Competition. For legal purposes, the financial supporters of the Competition (the “Financial Supporters”) are not sponsors, and are just providing financial support for the Competition and the grants and as such, are not responsible for the implementation of the Competition or the enforcement of these Official Rules (as modified from time to time, the “Rules”). Sponsor is working with Georgia State University and its cooperative research-organization (collectively, the “Academic Partner”) to facilitate the administration of the Competition. In addition to other involvement in the Competition, the Academic Partner will directly award and distribute grants to select winners while other grants will be awarded and distributed by Sponsor. Winner will be notified as to which Sponsor or Academic Partner is awarding the grant upon notification of winning. You acknowledge that neither the Academic Partner nor the Sponsor will be responsible or liable for any acts and omissions of the other.

Eligibility

Subject to these Rules, individuals and entities from all countries and with any background who satisfy the eligibility requirements are eligible to compete in the Competition, including students, teachers, researchers, small and large companies and not-for-profit foundations (collectively, the “Entrants” or “you”). To the extent possible, the Sponsor will work with all Entrants to attempt to overcome any issues that may arise due to the international aspect of the Competition; however, each Entrant bears the ultimate responsibility for adherence to any applicable laws and compliance with these Rules.

Individuals and entities residing in Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, or Syria, or the Crimea, Donetsk or Luhansk region of Ukraine, are not eligible to participate in the Competition.

Individuals

To be eligible to participate in the Competition and be awarded a grant as an individual, you must (a) be at least eighteen 18 years old, (b) be able to receive payments legally from the United States in US dollars, (c) be competing in a jurisdiction in which the Competition is not prohibited by applicable law; (d) have a bank account into which funds can legally be deposited from the United States in US dollars (or if part of a Team, the Team or a participant on the Team has a bank account); (e) not have withdrawn, been terminated, or disqualified from the Competition; and (f) be fully in compliance with these Rules.

Entity

To be eligible to participate in the Competition and be awarded a grant as an Entrant that is an entity, you must (a) be validly existing, duly organized, and in good standing in the jurisdiction of your organization, (b) be able to receive payments legally from the United States in US dollars, (c) be competing in a jurisdiction in which the Competition is not prohibited by applicable law; (d) have a bank account into which funds can legally be deposited from the United States in US dollars; (e) not have withdrawn, been terminated, or disqualified from the Competition; and (f) be in full compliance with these Rules.

Teams

Individuals and entities, otherwise eligible to participate in the Competition and be awarded a grant, may form and submit a team entry (a “Team”). Each team member must be clearly identified on the team’s submission form for the team to be eligible and must identify the single point of contact for the team (the “Team Lead”). Team grants, as determined by the Sponsor, will be distributed to the designated Team Lead for further distribution to team members. In the event a dispute regarding the identity of the Entrant who actually submitted the entry cannot be resolved to the Sponsor’s satisfaction, the affected entry will be deemed ineligible.

Ineligible

Employees of the Sponsor and each of the Financial Supporters, Competition and fulfillment agencies, directors, and officers, and each of their respective immediate family members and persons living in their same household (whether legally related or not), are not eligible to participate in the Competition or be awarded a grant.

It will be our sole decision as to whether any eligibility requirement has or has not been met. We may require evidence or confirmation from Entrants at any time, including before awarding grants.

Official Rules

Participation in this Competition constitutes each Entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to the Rules and Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Competition.

These Official Rules are subject to change at any time. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to notify you of any changes to these Rules, including by posting the modified Rules on our website at https://tools-competition.org/ (the “Site”). Your continued participation in the Competition after the posting of changes constitutes your binding acceptance of such changes. You should check our Site frequently for any updates to the Rules. IF AT ANY TIME YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS COMPETITION OR THESE RULES, PLEASE IMMEDIATELY WITHDRAFT FROM, AND TERMINATE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN, THE COMPETITION.

Competition Period

The Competition begins and ends according to the below schedule. Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device for the Competition.

* Timeline is subject to change.
** All events will occur virtually unless otherwise noted.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

Theme and Criteria

The Competition seeks to leverage technology, data, and learning science to meet the urgFent needs of learners across generations.

Competition Tracks

Entrants will be required to select one of the following track(s) in which their submission will be primarily evaluated. Different tracks may have different total grant amounts, depending on funder priorities. Certain tracks may be more or less competitive than others depending on final funding allocation and the number of Entrants in each track.

All tracks are open to proposals that target Pre-K to secondary grades. The competition tracks include:

• Transforming assessments to collect new measures, drive quality, and reduce cost. This track looks at tools that capture traditionally unmeasured elements of learning and development or generally improve the quality of assessment to better meet the needs of educators, children, and families. All forms of assessment, including stealth assessment, are encouraged. There are three competitive priorities for proposals that (a) include non-academic measures such as codeswitching, agency, identity, and creativity in early childhood education (b) include non-academic measures in elementary and secondary education and (c) support math learning across Pre-K to secondary education.
• Strengthening teacher development and support. This track looks at tools that cultivate or support prospective, developing, and established teachers to improve their practice and maximize learning for all. Tools that support retention, satisfaction and effectiveness across schools are encouraged.
• Facilitating faster, better, and cheaper learning science research. This track looks at tools that accelerate the learning science research process in order to improve learning interventions. Tools may facilitate A/B testing and randomized controlled trials, improve research design, promote replication, or release knowledge and data for external research. There is a competitive priority for proposals that support math learning.
• Accelerating learning for all. This track looks at tools that accelerate outcomes in literacy and math and increase relevance of instruction to prepare students for college and career. There is a competitive priority for proposals that support math learning.

Submissions will be evaluated within their designated track based on Sponsor’s chosen criteria, which may be published and revised from time to time by Sponsor. Examples of such criteria may include:

• Potential impact and likelihood to improve learning
• Attention to equity to support learning of historically marginalized populations
• Demand from students, teachers and parents
• Ability to support rapid experimentation and continuous improvement
• Ability to scale to additional users and/or domains
• Team passion and readiness to execute

Size of the Grant

Entrants are encouraged to seek grants in the prize level that is best suited for their specific capabilities and needs. Entrants will be subject to different requirements depending on the prize level in which they are competing. Entrants seeking grants in the highest prize level will be subject to the most rigorous requirements and aggressive deliverables.

Entrants should use the eligibility quiz made available by Sponsor to help decide the most appropriate prize level in which to compete (the “Eligibility Quiz”).

Prize levels include:

• Catalyst Phase Grants: $50,000
  These grants are aimed at new Entrants, including students, teachers, civic technologists, or those who need that initial spark of support to get started. This may also include Entrants with an existing tool with a non-existent or limited user base. To be competitive for a Catalyst Phase Grant, Entrants must have:
  • A detailed description of the tool or technology
  • A detailed execution plan
  • Commit to implement an evaluation plan over the year following the grant
  • For early childhood education assessment focused proposals, entrants must provide assurance that their tool or technology will be accessible for no more than at cost to users.
  • For Learning Science Research Track:
    • An assurance that their tool or technology will be made available to users for no more than “at cost.”

• Growth Phase Grants: $100,000
  These grants are designed for teams that have a minimum viable product with some users. To be competitive for a Growth Phase Grant, Entrants must have:
  • A detailed description of the new tool or technology.
  • A detailed execution plan
  • Commit to implement an evaluation plan over the year following the award
  • For early childhood education assessment focused proposals, entrants must provide assurance that their tool or technology will be accessible for no more than at cost to users.
  • For Accelerated Learning Track , Assessment Track, and Strengthening Teacher Development Track
    • A minimum viable product with some existing users
    • An outside researcher that has agreed to partner for the project or evidence that the tool could enable research from multiple external researchers.
  • For Learning Science Research Track:
    • A minimum viable product upon which the new tool can build
    • An assurance that their tool or technology will be accessible for no more than at cost to users.

• Transform Phase Grants: $250,000
  These grants are designed for established platforms with more than 10,000 users. To be competitive for a Transform Phase Grant, Entrants must have:
  • A detailed description of the new tool or technology.
  • A detailed execution plan
  • Commit to implement an evaluation plan over the year following the grant
  • For early childhood education assessment focused proposals, entrants must provide assurance that their tool or technology will be accessible for no more than at cost to users.
  • For Accelerated Learning Track, Assessment Track, and Strengthening Teacher Development Tracks :
    
    • An existing platform upon which the new tool would live with at least 10,000 active users.
    • An outside researcher that has agreed to partner for the project or evidence that the tool could enable research from multiple external researchers.
  • For Learning Science Research Track:
    • Partnership with a digital learning platform with at least 10,000 users or access to a comparable dataset.
    • An assurance that their tool or technology will be accessible for no more than at cost to users.

Supplemental Grant for District Partnerships. In addition to the prize levels, Growth or Transform Phase competitors in the Learning Science Research track are eligible to receive a supplemental grant of $100,000 if they partner with a district or consortium of districts with at least 10,000 students of which the majority come from historically marginalized populations to conduct research leveraging the new proposed solution. The partnership must include:

• co-design of research questions
• data collection from at least 3,000 students by Year 2
• strategy to incorporate the findings from the research into district instruction or program

Note: The Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, increase the amount of any grants.

Entries

Initial entries of solutions to the Competition must be submitted using the online portal before the deadline indicated above.

All proposals must be original to the Entrant (or the applicable Team). By submitting a proposal, Entrant represents that such proposal and any information in the proposal does not violate the rights of any third party.

In participating in the Competition, you agree (i) to provide true, accurate, current, and complete information about yourself (and your team as applicable) and (ii) to maintain and promptly update such information, including your proposal, to keep it true, accurate, current and complete at all times.

You understand that any material misrepresentation, including omissions, may disqualify you from the Competition and consideration for a grant.

Cancellation of the Competition

The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, extend or suspend this Competition should any virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, fraud or other causes beyond its reasonable control corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Competition, and no compensation will be payable.

Process

The Competition will have a three-phase review, each with increasingly intensive requirements.

• Phase 1: Initial screen. Entrants will submit a description of their proposal using a designated form that includes the prize level requested and a description of themselves and/or their team. Entrants are encouraged to take the Eligibility Quiz that will help them determine the most appropriate prize level to request.

  A certain number of Entrants will be asked to continue to Phase 2. We have not put a limit on the number of Entrants that could be asked to continue to Phase 2 because we want the flexibility to be able to give as many meritorious proposals as possible the opportunity to succeed.

• Phase 2 Detailed proposal. Submit a detailed proposal, including a budget and plan for execution. The judges will review and select a certain number of finalists. We have not put a limit on the number of finalists because we want the flexibility to support as many meritorious proposals as possible.

• Phase 3 Pitch. Finalists prepare a pitch and present to a panel of judges. Judges will provide recommendations for the winners. Using these recommendations and other considerations, the Sponsor will make the final determination of the winners and the amount of the grant to be awarded.

• Product Review Day: Winners will give presentations to demonstrate early progress to fellow winners and others in the field.

Grants

All grants will be paid as follows. 50% will be paid after winners are announced. The remaining 50% may be paid after Product Review Day, depending on whether the winner has made sufficient progress based on their plan for execution by the Product Review Day as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

The Sponsor’s decision regarding the winners of a grant, the size of the grant and whether winners will receive the second half of their grants are final and binding in all respects.

The grants shall be paid by check or direct deposit or as otherwise agreed between a winner and the Sponsor.

Notification of Winners

All potential winners will be notified via email, on or about the date indicated above. “Notification” is deemed to have occurred immediately upon sending of an e-mail. In order for a potential winner to claim their grant, the potential winner must respond within two (2) days of Notification and may be required to sign and return additional documents within five (5) days of the date of Notification. Failure to comply within this time period, or if grant notification is returned as non-deliverable or not returned properly executed, or if a potential winner is found to be ineligible, or not in compliance with these Rules, it will result in the potential winner forfeiting the grant and being disqualified and an alternate potential winner being selected from among remaining eligible Entrants.

Competition Publicity

By participating in the Competition, and to the extent not prohibited by law or regulation, you grant the Sponsor a non-exclusive right (a) to use your name and likeness in connection with this Competition, including on our Site and marketing materials and (b) the right to publish and otherwise display your initial proposal. Being selected for Phase 3 or acceptance of a grant constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law or regulation) to use such winners’ names, likenesses, biographical data and statements for advertising and publicity purposes without notice or additional compensation.

If you submit a photograph or video clip in connection with the Competition (collectively, “Photograph”):

• You warrant that you are the person in the Photograph or have prior approval from the person in the Photograph that it may be submitted in connection with the Competition;
• You agree that we have the right to publish and communicate to the public the Photographs in any media including, but not limited to, online, at all times without restriction or limitation throughout the world and not only for the purposes of the Competition
• You acknowledge that we may edit the Photographs in our sole discretion;
• You agree that we have the right to use entrants’ names, likenesses and other personal information in conjunction with the Photographs; and
• You unconditionally waive your right to seek or obtain an injunction to prevent or restrict our use of the Photographs.

Compliance with Laws

Each Entrant must fully comply with all applicable local, regional, national, and international laws, orders, directives, ordinances, treaties, rules, declarations, decrees, orders, enactments, judgments, regulations or other binding restrictions issued by any legislative, judicial or administrative body, whether effective before or after the effective date of the Competition. The Sponsor shall not be responsible for providing to any Entrant any advice or counsel, legal or otherwise, with regard thereto.

Taxes

Each Entrant shall be solely responsible and liable for all international, Federal, state, and local taxes arising from any grant that may be awarded.

For non-US citizens, Sponsor may withhold certain amounts from the grant as required by tax laws, reducing the total amount received by winning Entrants. The Sponsor will determine the withholding percentage after winning Entrants submit appropriate tax forms.

Privacy

Each Entrant agrees to the collection, processing and storage of his or her personal information by the Sponsor for purposes of this Competition and as otherwise described in any then-current posted privacy policy. We may use this information (a) in connection with the Competition, including for marketing, (b) as necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests (or those of a third party), (c) as necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation and (d) for any other purpose not prohibited by applicable law. We may share this information with others associated with the Competition and otherwise without restriction to the extent not prohibited by law. We will not sell your personal information. All personal information collected will be treated in accordance with all applicable law.

Confidential Information

No entries, proposals or other materials or information submitted or provided by Entrants to the Sponsor in connection with the Competition, including any proposals, documents and communications (collectively, the “Submitted Information”) will be considered confidential information, except as specifically provided in the terms of any then-current posted privacy policy. The Sponsor may disclose any Submitted Information to the Financial Sponsors and its employees, contractors, consultants, independent subject matter experts, judges and other organizations without restriction, including to evaluate proposals for the Competition. Please carefully consider the information included in the Submission Materials. If you have any doubt about the wisdom of disclosure of any confidential or proprietary information, you should consult with your legal counsel and take any steps you deem necessary to protect your confidential information or intellectual property.

Indemnification

Each Entrant and grant recipient agrees to release, defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor, the Academic Partner, the Financial Sponsors and each of their respective officers, employees, directors, parent and related companies, affiliates, subsidiaries and any other companies participating in the administration or fulfillment of the Competition (collectively, “Released Parties”) from liability of any kind or nature for any injuries, damages or losses of any kind or any other costs or expenses resulting from participation in this Competition, or acceptance, possession or use, misuse or award of a grant or parts thereof, including, without limitation, any injury, damage death, loss or accident to person or property.

The Released Parties are not responsible for any printing, typographical, mechanical, human or other errors in these Rules, in the administration of the Competition, in the announcement of the grant winners, and/or in any advertising or other associated Competitional materials in connection with the Competition. Further, the Released Parties are not responsible for technical, hardware, software, electronic, network, telephone or other communications malfunctions, errors or failures of any kind, errors in transmission, lost or unavailable network connections, telephone connections, dropped dial-up internet connections, interrupted broadband, cable, or wireless internet connections, cell phone dropped calls, unauthorized human intervention, traffic congestions, incomplete or inaccurate capture of entry information (regardless of cause) or failed, incomplete, garbled, jumbled or delayed transmissions which may limit or restrict an entrant’s ability to enter the Competition, including any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s phone or other electronic computing or telephone equipment, or other matter relating to or resulting from participation in this Competition.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Rules or the rights and obligations of Entrants, Sponsor or the Released Parties in connection with the Competition will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other state’s laws. The parties hereby consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts located in Washington, D.C. in any action to enforce (or otherwise relating to) these Rules or relating to the Competition. EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL ACTION, PROCEEDING, CAUSE OF ACTION OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY CLAIM OR OTHERWISE IN CONNECTION WITH THESE OFFICIAL RULES OR THE COMPETITION.

BY ENTERING THE COMPETITION, EACH ENTRANT AGREES THAT TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW: (A) ANY AND ALL DISPUTES, CLAIMS AND CAUSES OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR CONNECTED WITH THE COMPETITION, OR ANY GRANT AWARDED, WILL BE RESOLVED INDIVIDUALLY, WITHOUT RESORT TO ANY FORM OF CLASS ACTION; (B) ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND AWARDS WILL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL THIRD-PARTY, OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS INCURRED, (IF ANY), NOT TO EXCEED TWO HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS ($250.00), BUT IN NO EVENT WILL ATTORNEYS’ FEES BE AWARDED OR RECOVERABLE; (C) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ANY ENTRANT BE PERMITTED TO OBTAIN ANY AWARD FOR, AND ENTRANT HEREBY KNOWINGLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES ALL RIGHTS TO SEEK, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS, AND/OR ANY RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR OTHERWISE INCREASED; AND (D) ENTRANTS’ REMEDIES ARE LIMITED TO A CLAIM FOR MONEY DAMAGES (IF ANY) AND ENTRANT IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO SEEK INJUNCTIVE OR EQUITABLE RELIEF. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

MISCELLANEOUS

The names of individuals, groups, companies, products, and services mentioned herein, and any corresponding likenesses, logos and images thereof reproduced herein, have been used for identification purposes only and may be the copyrighted properties and trademarks of their respective owners. The mention of any individual, group or company does not imply any association with or endorsement by such individual, group or company or the manufacturer or distributor of such product or service and, except as otherwise indicated, no association or endorsement is intended or should be inferred. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Rules will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision of these Rules is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, the other provisions will remain in effect and will be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Rules will not constitute a waiver of that provision. To the extent that there is a conflict between these Rules and any terms of use or other agreement posted on the Site or otherwise, these Rules control.

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