Iowa ACTE Awards

How to Apply

Apply Online

Candidates should submit their applications on the Iowa ACTE Awards Portal by May 1, 2024. The application requirements can be downloaded here (note: this is not an application form. These requirements are included in the online application on the Awards Portal.)

Evaluation Criteria

All candidates are evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Accomplishments and innovations that exhibit the quality of the candidate for the award
  • Contributions to the CTE community (can include activities within their institutions, communities, ACTE and other organizations)

For more information on how applications are scored, please see the national ACTE Member Awards Scoring Rubric.

The Iowa ACTE Member Awards recognize excellence and dedication within the field of career and technical education among Iowa ACTE members. Recipients of these awards are exceptional individuals who have contributed to the success of CTE through the quality of their work and their involvement in the CTE community.

There are eight Member Awards presented:

Iowa ACTE Teacher of the Year
This award recognizes the finest career and technical teachers at the secondary school level who have demonstrated innovation in the classroom, commitment to their students and dedication to the improvement of CTE in their institutions and communities. Candidates employed as full-time classroom/laboratory CTE teachers at the middle/secondary school level are eligible recipients of this award.

Iowa ACTE Administrator of the Year
This award recognizes CTE administrators, program specialists/coordinators, and other CTE personnel who have made significant contributions toward innovative, unique and effective career and technical programs. Candidates employed as full-time CTE administrators, program specialists, coordinators, and all other CTE personnel and staff (not employed as teachers or guidance professionals) are eligible recipients of this award.

Iowa ACTE Postsecondary Professional of the Year
This award recognizes career and technical teachers and teacher educators who have demonstrated excellence and best practices in career and technical education at the postsecondary level. Candidates employed as full-time postsecondary CTE teachers or teacher educators are eligible recipients of this award.

Iowa ACTE Counseling & Career Development Professional Award
This award recognizes guidance counselors and career development professionals who have made significant contributions to advocate, educate and communicate the value of CTE as a viable career option to a variety of audiences in their communities. Candidates employed as full-time school counselors and/or career development professionals are eligible recipients of this award.

Iowa ACTE New Teacher of the Year
This award recognizes CTE teachers with 3-5 years’ experience (at the middle, secondary or postsecondary level) who have made significant contributions toward innovative and unique career and technical education programs and shown a professional commitment early in their careers. Candidates employed as full-time classroom/laboratory CTE teachers (at the secondary or postsecondary level) who are relatively new to the teaching profession (with 3-5 years’ experience) are eligible recipients of this award.

Iowa ACTE Carl Perkins Community Service Award
This award is presented to ACTE members who have used CTE to make a significant impact on a community/humanitarian cause through leadership in programs and activities that promote community involvement. This award was named in honor of the late Congressman Perkins, and is designed to recognize individuals who have demonstrated the same humanitarian concerns exemplified by Congressman Perkins.

Iowa ACTE Lifetime Achievement Award
This award recognizes the contributions and distinguished accomplishments of candidates who have been identified with the work and purposes of the Association for Career and Technical Education over an extended period of time.

Iowa ACTE Teacher Educator of the Year
This award recognizes teacher educators who have demonstrated innovation in teacher education, leadership in improving CTE, and commitment to preparing teachers to deliver high quality CTE programs. Candidates employed as teacher educators are eligible recipients of this award.

Iowa ACTE Oran Beaty Leadership Award
Individuals who have made significant contributions to career and technical education. The candidate may be from the middle/junior high school, high school, or postsecondary level, or from a governmental agency or office, or from a vocational agency, office or association.

Past Award Winners

Application Process

Member Award candidates progress through four rounds of review:

  1. Division Round: Candidates begin the application process by nominating themselves (or being nominated by a peer) for their division awards. Candidates must hold the appropriate position at the time of initial nomination (eg. be a secondary school CTE teacher if applying for the Teacher of the Year).
  2. State Round: Division winners are then to become applicants for the State. Division award names may be different than Iowa ACTE awards, work with your Awards Chair for proper alignment. Applications are to be upload to the Iowa ACTE Awards Portal. State winners are selected by their State awards committees and announced during the Iowa ACTE conference.
  3. Region Round: State winners who would like to compete at the Region level must have their applications uploaded to the ACTE Awards Portal and be ACTE members by the March 1 Region deadline (nonmembers are not eligible to receive Region or national awards). Region winners are selected by their Region awards committees and announced during their Region conferences.
  4. National Round: Region winners’ applications are forwarded to the final round of review via the Awards Portal by their Region committee chair. The national awards committee selects the national winners, which are announced at the ACTE Awards Banquet during ACTE’s CareerTech VISION.