Iowa STEM Teacher Award nominations open

     Nominations are being accepted for the 2026 Iowa STEM Teacher Award, which is organized by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education. Nominations will be accepted through Wednesday, Oct. 22.

In its 12th year, the Iowa STEM Teacher Award recognizes one full-time, licensed PK-12 teacher from each of the state’s six STEM regions whose passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) motivates their students to develop a lifelong interest in STEM fields — both in and out of the classroom. The six selected recipients will each receive an award of $1,500 for their classrooms and $1,500 for personal use.

Teacher nominees will be given the opportunity to submit an application to showcase their work and curriculum. Following a review and selection process, six Iowa STEM teachers will be chosen as 2026 Iowa STEM Teacher Award recipients, recognizing the significant difference they are making in the lives of students.

Any individual can nominate a teacher by visiting educate.iowa.gov/STEM/TeacherAward and completing the nomination form by 4:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Additional information on the Iowa STEM Teacher Award, including past awardees, can be found on the Iowa Department of Education’s website. The award recipients will be announced in early 2026.