Unmasking the System: Transparency and Accountability from the Front Line

Submit your nomination

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The NOLA Lens: A nod to the masks of Mardi Gras and the city's culture of revealing truth through performance. It addresses the "corporate capture" of education that is on full display in NOLA—the idea here is that union staff must "unmask" the true impact of certain policies. The staff must be there to give members a platform to connect the dots for their communities and to describe how macro-level policies impact students’ classroom experiences. 

Every day, you show up for the educational staff, your colleagues, and your communities in ways that make a real difference. The NSAII Awards Program exists to celebrate exactly that — and we want to recognize YOU

We are now accepting applications for the 2025–2026 NSAII Awards Program! Whether you've launched an innovative project, led professional development, built coalitions, supported school improvement, or simply inspired those around you, there is a category for your work. for the National Staff Association for the Improvement of Instruction (NSAII) 2026 Conference in New Orleans, LA, November 2026.

AWARD CATEGORIES:

• Educational Support and Resources

• Coalitions & Advocacy

• School Improvement

• Professional Learning / Workshops / Courses

• Peer Nomination (know someone deserving? Nominate them!)

• Pacesetter Award (given at judges' discretion for exceptional innovation)

Nominations are due by the end of the day on 5:00 PM HST, Tuesday, September 30, 2026

Entries must reflect work implemented between September 1, 2025, and September 1, 2026. For full eligibility details and judging criteria, please refer to the attached Awards Program document.

Don't let your hard work go unrecognized. We encourage you to take a few moments to submit your entry — and to nominate a deserving colleague through our new Peer Nomination category!

Questions? Contact:

• Diane Gibson — dgibson@hsta.org

• Joshua Frazier — jfrazier@okea.org

• Dr. Felecia Lee [GA] — felecia.lee@gae.org

We look forward to celebrating your incredible work!

NSAII 2026 | Award Nominations

Every Movement Has Its Heroes.

Name Yours.

What was the problem/situation that resulted in this project

How did you decide on your strategies, techniques, and budget?

What materials/methods did you use? What adjustments did you make? What difficulties did you encounter?

How did you measure the success of your project?

Collaboration & Context Assistance: Contributions from others Unusual Circumstances: Unexpected situations/constraints

5 - Exemplary

Provides compelling, data-driven explanation of the professional resource need. Clearly articulates the specific knowledge or skill gaps requiring intervention and demonstrates deep understanding of educator development needs. Context is thoroughly established with specific examples and evidence addressing local professional learning needs.

Exhibits advanced strategic thinking in identifying and planning for professional resource needs, with a compelling and well-articulated rationale for the selected need, design method, and content. Demonstrates a thorough and transparent integration of member data throughout the development process, clearly showing how findings directly informed all design decisions.

Provides comprehensive and meticulously organized documentation of all methods, materials, and instructional processes used in the development and delivery of the resource. Demonstrates exceptional adaptability through specific, well-justified in-progress adjustments to content, delivery, or facilitation, reflecting a high level of professional responsiveness. Honestly and thoughtfully addresses challenges encountered during the development process, offering concrete examples and well-reasoned solutions that strengthen the overall quality of the resource.

Includes robust quantitative and qualitative data that compellingly demonstrates measurable impact on educator knowledge, skills, or practice. Provides strong evidence of application, showing how learning has been transferred to professional practice. Assessment is comprehensive, incorporating detailed participant feedback alongside concrete evidence of changed practice.

Thoroughly documents all contributions with specific roles of organizations, agencies, presenters, facilitators, and individuals clearly credited. Provides insightful analysis of how unusual circumstances affecting development were navigated, showing resilience and creative problem-solving. Roles and structures are transparent.

Rubric

4 - Accomplished

Clearly identifies the problem/situation with supporting details. Professional resource need is well-explained with evidence. State-specific or local challenges are identified and the rationale for the workshop/course is clear.

Demonstrates strong strategic planning for professional resource needs, with a clear rationale provided for the selected need, design method, and content. Member data is meaningfully incorporated into the development process, with evident connections between findings and design decisions.

Provides thorough documentation of methods, materials, and instructional processes with only minor gaps. Demonstrates clear adaptability through in-progress adjustments to content, delivery, or facilitation that are adequately justified. Addresses challenges encountered during development with relevant examples and practical solutions.

Includes both quantitative and qualitative data that demonstrates clear impact on educator knowledge, skills, or practice. Evidence of application is present and connected to learning outcomes. Assessment incorporates participant feedback and some evidence of changed practice.

Documents all contributions with roles of organizations, agencies, presenters, facilitators, and individuals clearly credited. Provides meaningful analysis of how unusual circumstances affecting development were navigated, demonstrating resilience and problem-solving. Roles and structures are transparent and consistently communicated.

3 - Developing

Describes the basic problem or situation but lacks depth. Professional resource need is mentioned but not fully justified. Limited evidence of underlying gaps or development context.

Demonstrates adequate strategic planning for professional resource needs, with a general rationale provided for the selected need, design method, and content. Some member data is referenced in the development process, though connections between findings and design decisions are not consistently clear.

Provides adequate documentation of methods, materials, and instructional processes, though some areas lack detail or organization. Shows some evidence of adaptability with in-progress adjustments, though justification for changes is limited or inconsistent. Challenges are acknowledged but examples and solutions are general or underdeveloped.

Includes some quantitative or qualitative data, though both types are not consistently represented or fully developed. Some evidence of application is provided, though the connection to learning outcomes is not clearly articulated. Assessment includes participant feedback, but evidence of changed practice is limited or indirect.

Documents most contributions, though some roles of organizations, agencies, presenters, facilitators, or individuals are not fully or accurately credited. Addresses unusual circumstances affecting development, though analysis of how they were navigated lacks depth or specificity. Roles and structures are generally transparent but inconsistently presented.

2 - Beginning

Vaguely references a problem or situation. Professional resource need is unclear. Minimal context for why the workshop/course was necessary.

Demonstrates limited strategic planning for professional resource needs, with a rationale that is unclear or only partially addressed. Member data is minimally referenced, with little evidence that findings substantively influenced the design and content decisions.

Provides partial documentation of methods, materials, and instructional processes, with notable gaps or inconsistencies. Limited evidence of adaptability is present, with few or poorly justified adjustments to content, delivery, or facilitation. Challenges are minimally addressed with little to no examples or actionable solutions provided.

Data is minimal, one-dimensional, or insufficient to demonstrate meaningful impact on educator knowledge, skills, or practice. Evidence of application is absent or anecdotal. Assessment relies primarily on participant feedback with little to no evidence of changed practice.

Documentation of contributions is incomplete, with roles of organizations, agencies, presenters, facilitators, or individuals only partially credited. Unusual circumstances are acknowledged but with little analysis of how they were navigated or what problem-solving strategies were employed. Roles and structures lack transparency in key areas.

1 - Incomplete

Problem/situation is absent, unclear, or irrelevant to professional resource need. No clear rationale provided.

Demonstrates little to no strategic planning for professional resource needs. Rationale for the selected need, design method, and content is absent or insufficient. Member data is not referenced or does not appear to have informed the development of the resource.

Documentation of methods, materials, and instructional processes is absent, incomplete, or insufficient. Little to no evidence of adaptability or in-progress adjustments is demonstrated. Challenges encountered during development are not acknowledged or addressed in a meaningful way.

Little to no quantitative or qualitative data is provided, and impact on educator knowledge, skills, or practice is not demonstrated. Evidence of application and changed practice is not present. Assessment is insufficient or missing..

Documentation of contributions is absent or insufficient, with roles of organizations, agencies, presenters, facilitators, and individuals not credited or poorly identified. Unusual circumstances affecting development are not addressed or acknowledged. Roles and structures are unclear or not communicated.

NSAII Awards Program

2025–2026 Program Year

Purpose

To recognize and publicize the noteworthy and innovative efforts of NSAII members to improve teaching, learning, and the conditions that support them.

Eligibility

  • All current NSAII members are eligible to enter.

  • Lead role required: The member submitting the entry must have played a lead role in the development and/or implementation of the project. Other contributors may be involved and must be identified on the entry form.

  • Exception: For the Peer Nomination category, the nominating member submits on behalf of the nominee and is not required to have played a lead role.

  • Implementation period: Projects must have been implemented between September 1, 2025, and September 1, 2026.

  • If a project overlaps with another award year, you may enter it this year or next — but not both.

  • A single project may not be entered in more than one category. Choose the most appropriate category; judges may reassign entries as they see fit.

How to Enter

  1. Complete one entry form per entry. You may submit multiple entries, including more than one in the same category.

  2. Read the judging criteria carefully and address each criterion on the entry form. Proofread for typos — errors can affect judging.

  3. Submit visual materials via an electronic link. All visuals must include:

    • Affiliate name

    • Name of the person submitting the entry

    • Title of the program/project

    • Category entered

Submission Deadline

5:00 PM HST, Tuesday, September 30, 2026

For assistance with submissions, contact:

Judging

  • Judges evaluate each entry based on the listed criteria. They may:

  • Award no awards or multiple awards in a category

  • Move an entry to a different category than the one submitted

  • Recuse themselves from reviewing entries submitted by their own affiliate

Entry Criteria

1. Create a Visual Highlight (Required)

Produce a visual presentation — no more than 5 minutes — that showcases your project. This can be created using PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, or any platform of your choice.

This highlight will be shared with colleagues during a roundtable discussion and/or presented before the full membership prior to the awards ceremony. Treat it like a mini-training that explains your process and what you created.

2. Address the Following Questions

Date of Implementation:  When was the project implemented?

Why?  What problem or situation prompted this project?

How?  How did you decide on your strategies, techniques, and budget?

What?

  • What materials and methods did you use?

  • What adjustments did you make along the way?

  • What difficulties did you encounter?

So What?  How did you measure the success of your project?

3. Additional Information (If Applicable)

Assistance:  Describe the contributions of other organizations, agencies, association departments, or individuals.

Unusual Circumstances:  Describe any unexpected situations or constraints that affected the planning or execution of the project.

Award Categories

Choose the one category that best fits your entry. You may not enter the same project in more than one category.

Educational Support and Resources

Creating products or websites focused on teaching and learning, school quality, professional development, and related resources.

Examples: PD Quickies, downloadable lesson plans, templates, rubrics, informational guides, persuasive or promotional materials for internal or external audiences

Coalitions & Advocacy

Working with other organizations and agencies to improve education, including adapting NEA resources for your state.

Example: A statewide Dropout Prevention Conference co-sponsored by the state affiliate, state department of education, and PTA

School Improvement

Providing direct, ongoing assistance to schools and/or districts — such as building professional learning communities, shifting school culture toward inclusive decision-making, working with staff and administration to assess effectiveness, and assisting School Improvement Teams. This category also includes developing materials, messages, testimony, events, or resources in collaboration with other Education Association departments (bargaining, lobbying, campaigning, recruiting, or organizing around school improvement issues).

Examples: Multi-pronged campaign against using student testing to assess teachers; building a Professional Learning Community; micro-credentialing programs

Professional Learning / Workshops / Courses

Projects related to developing and/or delivering training, workshops, or educational courses — live or virtual — intended to impact educator and/or student learning, provide professional growth for members, or build skills and mindset. This includes conventions, conferences, and materials (print, virtual, or audio/activity-based) created for internal or external audiences.

Example: Educator-led professional development

Peer Nomination

Recognizing NSAII members who have made a meaningful impact on their colleagues, school community, or association — as nominated by a fellow member. This category celebrates educators and association members whose dedication, collaboration, and leadership have inspired others, even when their contributions may not be captured in a formal project or program.

The nominating member (not the nominee) completes and submits the entry form, describing the nominee’s contributions and impact. The visual highlight requirement is waived for this category; nominators are encouraged to include supporting materials such as testimonials, photos, or a brief video in its place.

Examples: A mentor who consistently supports new teachers; a building rep who fosters trust and engagement among members; a colleague whose behind-the-scenes work strengthens the association’s mission

Special Award: Pacesetter Award

At their discretion, judges may award the Pacesetter Award to any entry — from any category — that they consider exceptionally innovative and/or creative. This award recognizes outstanding talent among NSAII members and is selected from all entries received.

Submit your nomination