Congrats to the 2025 IDEA Educator of the Year winners!

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IDEA aims to inspire, connect, and provide the educational community with opportunities that transform teaching and learning through innovation.


When you join IDEA, you’ll have a multitude of resources at your fingertips to support and promote innovative education for all.


Whether you are looking for certifications, needing professional development hours, or simply want to be a life-long learner, IDEA is here to help.

LEARN MORE ABOUT IDEA

Upcoming Events

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Latest news from IDEA:

Applications for Students for Innovation: Advocacy Day Now Open!

Illinois educators and students are doing amazing, innovative things in the classroom every single day. At IDEA, our hope is to give these students and educators a platform to exemplify the importance of this innovative learning.

Students are selected through an application process to present their innovative progress in-person  during a one-day event at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. We encourage all schools throughout Illinois to apply!

Apply Today!

IDEA launches our official podcast: That's the IDEA!

In each episode, Don Sturm and Stefanie Crawford will dive into fresh perspectives and innovative ideas with guests who challenge conventional thinking.



Tune in, get curious, and discover the next great idea that could transform the way you think and work!

Listen on Spotify!

Save the Date for IDEAcon 2026!

Thank you to everyone that joined us for IDEAcon 2025! It was another amazing year because of our Presenters, Attendees,  Exhibitors and planning committee.

 

We can't wait to celebrate 40 years in 2026.

Super Early Bird / Pre-Registration options will be announced soon.

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THE IDEA BLOG

Lessons to Address High School Vaping

By Christina DeBartolomeo • April 2, 2025
According to the U.S. Data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey 1, 8.1% of students reported current use of any tobacco product. While we may not fully understand the long-term effects of students vaping, science shows that any kind of substance addiction can impact the brain and body, leading to long-lasting impacts. With EVERFI’s interactive high school vaping prevention courses, students can come to understand what vaping is, how it affects the body and the implications of vaping during a global pandemic. This blog article includes in-depth resources to help you get started on the path to your own vaping prevention program for high school students.

IDEAcon: A Partner’s Perspective

By Jennifer Ehehalt, Common Sense Education • March 19, 2025
A few weeks ago, I had the incredible opportunity to represent Common Sense Education at IDEAcon, a thought leadership conference focused on current education topics and innovative practices.The experience was transformative, bringing together featured speakers, a dynamic exhibit hall and highlighting educator stories. Read on to see my session recap.

ParentSquare and Canva: Partnering to Empower Creative School Communications

By The ParentSquare Team • February 12, 2025
Between websites, social media, and feeds, there’s no shortage of places for districts to share information about events, school achievements, volunteer opportunities, and more. To support districts and educators in creating eye-catching visual content, ParentSquare has partnered with Canva for Education. Read on for some of the tips and ideas they shared for using Canva with ParentSquare and Smart Sites.

Partner with IDEA

IDEA relies on partners to be able to achieve its mission: To inspire, connect and provide the educational community with opportunities that transform teaching and learning through technology.

Learn More About IDEA Partners
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