PLTW Awards and Recognition
PLTW recognizes educators and advocates across the country through our National PLTW Teachers and PLTW Administrator of the Year awards and PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition achievement.



2023-24 PLTW National Awards
PLTW Educators across our network play an immeasurable role in our work to prepare students for college, career and beyond. Each year, we honor and recognize outstanding PLTW teachers and administrators through the National PLTW Teachers and Administrators of the Year awards.
For more information, refer to our National Teacher of the Year and National Administrator of the Year FAQ's.
PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition
PLTW empowers millions of students across the U.S. to unlock their potential by developing the in-demand, real-world knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in life beyond the classroom.
PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition celebrates districts and schools committed to helping students own their education by increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs.
We are excited to celebrate and recognize your incredible achievements.
See Our Distinguished Schools and Districts
Submission Eligibility and Guidelines
To be eligible for the PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition, a PLTW Program Coordinator or Site Coordinator must submit all required information on the eligibility form in myPLTW by March 31, 2023. PLTW will announce the results in May. You must complete a separate eligibility form for each school with data and information from the 2021-22 school year. All information should be accurately and honestly provided. PLTW will review all submitted data and information against PLTW data, including but not limited to, PLTW rostering data, NCES data, active PLTW programs, etc.
Have a question about PLTW Distinguished Program Recognition? Check out our frequently asked questions or contact our Solution Center.
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During the 2021-22 school year ...
- At least 20 percent of students in each grade, K-12, participated in a PLTW program during the 2021-22 school year OR each school within the district meets that PLTW Distinguished School Program criteria for the 2021-22 school year.
- Please Note: For the purpose of this recognition, we define “district” as all K-12 schools in a school system comprised of two or more individual schools.
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During the 2021-22 school year ...
- Your school offered, and had students enrolled in, at least one PLTW Launch module in each grade (K-5) during the 2021-22 school year.
- At least 75 percent of students in your school participated in at least one PLTW Launch module during the 2021-22 school year
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During the 2021-22 school year ...
- Your school offered at least one PLTW Gateway unit in each grade (6-8) during the 2021-22 school year.
- At least 50 percent of students in your school participated in a PLTW Gateway unit during the 2021-2 school year.
- At least 25 percent of students who participated in a PLTW Gateway unit during the 2021-22 school year also participated in at least one other PLTW Gateway unit (two or more units total) during their tenure at your school.
- Your school has strategies and/or procedures in place to support reasonably proportional representation within your PLTW program with regards to race, ethnicity, poverty, gender, etc.
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During the 2021-22 school year ...
- Your school offered, and had students enrolled, in at least three PLTW High School courses from any pathway during the 2021-22 school year.
- At least 25 percent of students in your school participated in PLTW High School courses from any pathway during the 2021-22 school year OR at least 33 percent of those students who participated during the 2021-22 school year took at least two PLTW courses during their tenure at your school.
- Your school has strategies and/or procedures in place to support reasonably proportional representation within your PLTW program with regards to race, ethnicity, poverty, gender, etc.