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Educator Certification: October 4, 2025 - ISTE Certification Exclusive Google Champions Cohort

Google Champions are leaders in educational technology, already skilled at using innovative tools in their classrooms. This exclusive ISTE Certification cohort offers them a unique chance to enhance their expertise even further. Participants will gain deeper insights into the teaching strategies that maximize the impact of these tools. By joining this program, Google Champions will be at the forefront of transforming education, turning classrooms into dynamic spaces where technology and inspired learning create endless opportunities for students.

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Cohort Language
English
Credential Type
Educator Certification
Cohort Length
80 hours
Cohort Fees
  • $825.00
Cohort Materials
Location

Online 8:00-10:00 a.m. EDT (UTC-4)
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Schedule for This Cohort

2025cohort 10 04 25
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Meet Your Faculty

Frederick Ballew Bloomington Frederick Rick Ballew
Frederick "Rick" Ballew

Classroom Teacher and Coach

Frederick "Rick" Ballew is an ISTE Certified Educator and Trainer that is passionate about leveraging technology to make the daily work of educators more efficient, their teaching more engaging, and their lives more fulfilling. Rick earned his BA in music education from the University of Minnesota at Morris with majors in trombone and voice, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction focused on Arts Integration from Lesley University, and a Master of Science degree in Educational Technology from Mankato State University including Graduate Certificates for Digital Educator, Technologist, Educational Technology in the Classroom and Computer, Keyboard, and Related Technology. Rick has been an educator in ISD #271, Bloomington Public Schools since 1998 first as beginning grade band teacher for 23 years and as a middle school Computer Science & Engineering since 2021.

Tanya Zurita is an English teacher with over 30 years of experience shaping young minds and fostering a love for literature and writing. After earning her degree in English Literature from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Tanya began her career in education with a passion for helping students discover the power of language. She earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology and a Master’s Degree in Education. She’s now a Ph.D candidate in Education. She’s an ISTE Certified Educator and Trainer. Connect with her at @ana_cd and https://www.linkedin.com/in/ta...

Tanya Zurita Tanya Zurita
Tanya Zurita

International Classroom Teacher

Delrose Adkinson SB Headshot NB Delrose Adkinson
Delrose Adkinson

Assistant Principal

Delrose Adkinson is an instructional technology coach turned assistant principal in Newport News, Virginia. An ISTE Certified Educator and a National Board Certified teacher, her vision is "Transformational leadership through service and authenticity. Her core values, faith, growth, and meaningful work sustains her vision.

Delrose’s passion lies in boosting student growth by cultivating technology-enchaned pedagogical expertise. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in a deep sense of purpose and commitment, fostering a culture of empowerment, equity, and excellence. While instructional technology can assist teachers in creating inspiring learning experiences for students, Delrose believes that learner-agentive teaching practices, powered by positive, productive relationships, are the key to student success.

Katie Fielding is an educational consultant with 20 years of public school experience. She champions digital accessibility, creativity, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in classrooms. Specializing in technology and STEM integration, Katie creates interdisciplinary instructional experiences and shares her expertise through presentations and workshops. Recognized as VSTE Coach of the Year in 2018 and a featured voice at ISTELive 2024, she holds multiple certifications, including ISTE, Google Innovator, and Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert. Currently, Katie is the Educational Content Manager at Book Creator.

Katie 7 Katie Fielding
Katie Fielding

Educational Content Manager, Book Creator & ISTE Certified Trainer

Additional Cohort Details

Dominican University of California

Get Graduate Credit

Participants can apply for up to four graduate-level credits through Dominican University. Detailed information is available here.

ISTE Educator Certification

Terms and Conditions

Please review the Educator Certification Course Terms and Conditions before registering for a cohort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Review all FAQs here.

How will I become an ISTE Certified Educator?

To earn ISTE Educator’s Certification, you must meet the following requirements:

  • You must submit your Completed Alignment Map that showcases artifacts aligned with specific standards and provides clear evidence of integration into your practice.

  • Your Alignment Map contains 25 criteria, each worth 1 point, for a total of 25 possible points.

  • To pass, you must successfully earn at least 20 out of the 25 criteria points.

This ensures you demonstrate competency across the ISTE Standards for Educators.

How much time commitment is required for the Educator Certification program?

The ISTE Standards for Educators Certification is an approximate 80-hour commitment over a 9-month period.

How do the certification programs differ from traditional training?

Unlike theoretical courses or vendor-specific training, our programs emphasize hands-on skill development, reflection, and personalized coaching to enhance practical application in real-world settings.

What will I need to submit for the Educator Certification?

To earn your Educator Certification, you will need to submit the following:

  • Completed Alignment Map: This map includes artifacts demonstrating your proficiency in the 24 indicators outlined in the Educator section of the ISTE Standards. Each artifact should align with specific standards and provide clear evidence of integration into your practice.

  • Reflection Document: This document addresses ISTE Certification prompts and provides insights into your instructional practices, aligning them with the ISTE Standards. This reflection document will be included in your completed Alignment Map.

Both components showcase your ability to integrate technology to enhance teaching and learning effectively.

What type of support will I receive during the certification programs?

Participants will receive expert coaching and resources to ensure the immediate application of learned strategies in their institutions. 

What does my ISTE+ASCD Educator Certification journey look like if I completed the online learning through an ISTE+ASCD partner University?


  • You will be added to a university-hosted course in D2L.

  • You will complete a short survey to gain access to the Educator Certification Portfolio Submission Area.

  • Once you have access to the Educator Certification Portfolio Submission Area, you are encouraged to review and use the resources provided to all learners.
    • Portfolio Examples

    • ISTE in 5! Videos
      • Videos that review each criteria for your portfolio submission

    • Monthly Portfolio Office Hours
      • The ISTE Certification Team provides four Portfolio Office Hour sessions per month.

      • All office hour recordings are available in the Portfolio Submission Area.

This ensures you are fully prepared to submit your portfolio.

I don’t work with K-12 students. How can I develop evidence that meets the indicators for the Educator Certification?

The ISTE Educator Certification Program is designed for educators working with K-12 students or adult learners. Your portfolio should showcase your professional competency in applying the ISTE Educators Standards in your specific context.

Evaluators will consider your role and learner population when reviewing your evidence, ensuring your submissions align with your professional practice. Whether you work with students or adult learners, focus on demonstrating how you integrate the ISTE Educator Standards effectively in your unique teaching or learning environment.

Can I work collaboratively in groups to submit evidence for the Educator Certification?

The ISTE Educator Certification Program is an individual certification, meaning your portfolio must demonstrate your personal competency in the ISTE Standards for Educators.

While some of your evidence may naturally involve collaboration, if you use shared artifacts, you must provide additional contextualization and a clear explanation of your individual role and implementation of the learning activity. This ensures your unique contributions are fully represented.

Is there a specific format required for each artifact?

You can use any format for your artifacts, as long as they are:

  1. Submitted digitally.

  2. Included within the required Alignment Map.

The best format for submission is a slide deck or PowerPoint saved as a PDF for clarity and consistency. This ensures your artifacts are easy to view and align properly within your portfolio.

Are we expected to create something new or can we use something already created?

You can submit artifacts that you have either:

  1. Previously created, or

  2. Newly developed and implemented with learners.

However, you must have created or revised all artifacts within the last two years to ensure they reflect your current practice and align with the ISTE Educator Standards.

For the Educator Certification, If a criteria doesn’t explicitly include a digital or tech component, do my artifacts need to include them?

Yes, all artifacts must demonstrate the use of technology. The criteria are based on the ISTE Standards, which focus on transforming teaching and learning with technology. Even if a criterion doesn’t explicitly mention a digital component, your artifact must show evidence of digital-age teaching, leading, and learning to align with the purpose of the standards.

What does ISTE do with our artifacts?

You retain full rights to all artifacts you submit. ISTE may identify exemplary artifacts to share as models for aspiring ISTE Certified Educators.

If ISTE wishes to use one of your artifacts, they will first request your permission and give proper credit to you as the author.

After I have submitted my completed Educator Certification Alignment Map in the Portfolio Submission Area, how long until I know if I’ve passed?

ISTE evaluates portfolios every month. Here’s what to expect:

  1. Portfolios are submitted and collected every month from the 1st to the last day of each month

  2. They are then assigned to an evaluation team.

  3. The evaluation process takes approximately 4-6 weeks to complete.

You will be notified of your results once the evaluation is finalized.

What happens if I don’t pass the Educator Certification?

If your portfolio does not meet the minimum passing score of 80% (20 out of 25 criteria), you have the option to resubmit. Here's what you need to know:

  • Decision Deadline: You have until the 20th of the month to decide if you would like to resubmit your portfolio.

  • Resubmission Fee: The cost to resubmit is $50. Pay HERE by the 20th of this month.

  • Revision Timeline: Once you purchase the resubmission, you will have 3 months to revise and resubmit your portfolio.

  • Late Purchase Reactivation Fee: If you do not purchase the resubmission by the 20th, a $150 reactivation fee will apply.

For any questions or assistance, contact istecertification@iste.org.

What happens if I need longer than 6 months to submit my Educator Certification portfolio?

If you need more than six months to submit your portfolio, here’s what you need to know:

  • Portfolio Deadline: You have six months from the start of your Portfolio Submission Area to submit your portfolio. You can find your due date within the Portfolio Submission course in Brightspace.

  • Extensions: If you cannot submit your portfolio by the due date, you can extend your submission to the next window for a $25 extension fee.

  • Maximum Extensions: You may extend your portfolio submission up to three times.

How to get an Extension: Click HERE to purchase an extension.

How long is my Educator Certification valid, and how can I renew it?

Your ISTE Certified Educator certification is valid for three years. During this time, you will be enrolled in the exclusive ISTE Certified Educator Community. This community is designed specifically for ISTE Certified Educators and offers valuable benefits, including:

  • Opportunities to deepen your application of the ISTE Standards.

  • Connections with other ISTE Certified Educators for collaboration and community building.

  • Access to rich resources tied to the ISTE Standards.

  • Support for creating standards-based projects to implement in your school or district.

When your certification approaches expiration, you will have the opportunity to renew and maintain your status as an ISTE Certified Educator.

Who reviews my ISTE Educator Certification portfolio of artifacts?

Your portfolio of artifacts is reviewed by a team of ISTE Educator Standards experts who are trained evaluators. Each evaluator is an ISTE Certified Educator who has completed the certification program and an additional six-month evaluation training program to ensure a thorough and consistent review process.

What is the difference between an Educator Certification public cohort and a specialty cohort, such as HIED, Google, Spanish, and Librarian?

The difference between public and specialty cohorts lies in their focus and audience:

  • Public Cohort: Open to all educators, focusing on integrating ISTE Educator Standards into general teaching practices.

  • Specialty Cohorts: Tailored for specific audiences:
    • Higher Education (HIED): Focuses on applying ISTE Standards in higher education contexts.

    • Spanish Cohort: Offered entirely in Spanish for Spanish-speaking educators.

    • Librarian Cohort: Combines ISTE Educator Certification with the Future Ready Librarian Framework, leading to dual certification.

    • Google Champions Cohort: Exclusively for Google Champions, focusing on ISTE Standards with Google tools and strategies.

Each cohort supports educators in effectively integrating technology into their unique roles.