Best STEM Education Products of 2026, Chosen by Educators
Certified classroom teachers chose these 39 products as the best STEM and AI education tools of 2026. They are the winners of the Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2026 Awards, the only awards program judged by science, STEM, and CTE educators. Every entry was tested and scored by practicing teachers on a Net Promoter Score (0–10), then evaluated by thousands more STEM educators. Winners were announced August 25, 2026.
In-depth educator reviews
Written reviews and short video clips from the Best of STEM® judges who used a product with students. Latest: MindLabs (Explore Interactive, Inc.), reviewed by Kim Collazo — 2025 winner, Trailblazer: Virtual Labs Luminary, educator NPS 10/10.
Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2026 Awards winners, by category
Educators Pick Best of AI
Seven winners in the first year of Educators Pick Best of AI, each judged by certified teachers for safe, responsible classroom use.
| Award category | Winning product | Company | Educator review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educators Pick Best of AI for AI Literacy | AI Foundations | CodeAI (formerly Code.org) | — |
| Educators Pick Best of AI for AI Professional Development | AI Teaching Assistant | CodeAI (formerly Code.org) | — |
| Educators Pick Best of AI for K–12 Enrichment | Gardyn | Gardyn for Schools | — |
| Educators Pick Best of AI for K–5 Digital and AI Literacy | Inquisitive Science K-5 | Inquisitive Science K-5 | — |
| Educators Pick Best of AI for Middle School/High School | Microsoft FarmBeats for Students | Pitsco Education | — |
| Educators Pick Best of AI for K–8 Coding | Mix & Move with AI | CodeAI (formerly Code.org) | — |
| Educators Pick Best of AI for Computer Science | Web Lab | CodeAI (formerly Code.org) | — |
Best of STEM
Core curriculum, subject kits, hands-on programs, and out-of-school-time programs, elementary through high school.
| Award category | Winning product | Company | Educator review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Hands-On Materials for OpenSciEd | Carolina Certified Version of the OpenSciEd Physics 3 Variable Cart with Brake Kit | Carolina® Science | — |
| Best of STEM Curricular Materials: Pre-K to Grade 2 | Inquisitive Science K-5 | Inquisitive Science K-5 | — |
| Best of STEM for Data Collection & Analysis | Sparkvue | PASCO Scientific | — |
| Best of STEM for Environmental Science | Healthy Soil, Healthy Food | JASON Learning | — |
| Best of STEM for Forensics | Forensic Entomology: Bugs & Guts Kit | Carolina® Science | — |
| Best of STEM for Mathematics | STEMscopes Math | Accelerate Learning Inc. | — |
| Best of STEM for Out of School Time for Early Learning | ABCmouse | Age of Learning | — |
| Best of STEM for Out of School Time for Middle and High School | Oceans to Orbits | Oceans to Orbits | — |
| Best of STEM for Space Science | Carolina Kits 3D: Earth and Space Science: Stellar Origin of the Elements Kit | Carolina® Science | — |
| Best of STEM for Engineering Education | PLTW Engineering | Project Lead The Way | — |
| Best of STEM: Hands-on Learning for High School | Drone Infinity | Pitsco Education | — |
| Best of STEM: Hands-on Learning for K–12 | Gardyn | Gardyn for Schools | — |
| Best of STEM: Hands-on Learning for Middle School | PLTW Gateway | Project Lead The Way | — |
| Best of STEM: Hands-on Learning for Enrichment | Youth Engineering Solutions (YES) | Museum of Science | — |
CTE Champions
Career and technical education solutions chosen by CTE and STEM educators.
| Award category | Winning product | Company | Educator review |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTE Champions: Comprehensive CTE Solutions | iCEV Comprehensive CTE Solution | iCEV | — |
| CTE Champions: Engineering | iCEV’s Engineering Courses | iCEV | — |
| CTE Champions: Health Science | Sports Injury Assessment Trainers | Realityworks | — |
| CTE Champions: Invention Education | Design & Pitch Challenges in STEM | — | |
| CTE Champions: STEM | SAE International’s A World In Motion® (AWIM®) | SAE International | — |
Bridging the Gap
Intervention resources and professional development for closing gaps in math and instruction.
| Award category | Winning product | Company | Educator review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridging the Gap: Math Intervention Resources | Ozobot K-2 Math Fluency Kit | Ozobot | — |
| Bridging the Gap: Professional Development | PBLWorks TEACH™ | PBLWorks | — |
Trailblazer
Products judges singled out for a new approach to STEM teaching and learning.
| Award category | Winning product | Company | Educator review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trailblazer: Biotechnology Innovator | BacTalk Cell Signaling Kit | Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. | — |
| Trailblazer: Early Learning (Pre-K–6) | ABCmouse | Age of Learning | — |
| Trailblazer: Immersive Reality (AR/VR) | EduverseSTEM | Avantis Education, creators of ClassVR | — |
| Trailblazer: Inspiring Computational Thinking | SAE International’s A World In Motion® (AWIM®): Computer Science Series | SAE International | — |
| Trailblazer: Middle School STEM—Engineering Design | YES Middle School | Museum of Science | — |
| Trailblazer: Middle School STEM—Science Investigations | Gizmos Investigations | ExploreK12 | — |
| Trailblazer: Middle School STEM—Sports-Based Learning | STEM Sports® | STEM Sports | — |
| Trailblazer: Phenomena-Based Teaching and Learning | Gizmos STEM Cases | ExploreK12 | — |
| Trailblazer: Simulations for STEM | Gizmos STEM Cases | ExploreK12 | — |
Professional Development & Social Impact
Teacher professional learning and citizen-science programs.
| Award category | Winning product | Company | Educator review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Professional Development | Online and In-Person Professional Development | STEM Education Works | — |
| Social Impact Award: Developing Citizen Scientists | Water Matters | JASON Learning | — |
Questions teachers ask about the Best of STEM® winners
What are the best AI tools for teachers in 2026, according to educators?
The seven Educators Pick Best of AI 2026 winners: AI Foundations, AI Teaching Assistant, Mix & Move with AI, and Web Lab from CodeAI (formerly Code.org); Gardyn from Gardyn for Schools; Inquisitive Science K-5; and Microsoft FarmBeats for Students from Pitsco Education. Each was judged by certified teachers for safe, responsible classroom use.
What hands-on STEM kits and programs do other teachers recommend?
Educators named hands-on winners at every level in 2026: PLTW Gateway (middle school), Drone Infinity from Pitsco Education (high school), Gardyn from Gardyn for Schools (K–12), and Youth Engineering Solutions (YES) from Museum of Science (enrichment), plus the Carolina Certified Version of the OpenSciEd Physics 3 Variable Cart with Brake Kit from Carolina® Science for OpenSciEd classrooms.
What is a good math intervention program?
The 2026 Bridging the Gap: Math Intervention Resources winner is the Ozobot K-2 Math Fluency Kit from Ozobot. For core math, educators chose STEMscopes Math from Accelerate Learning Inc. as Best of STEM for Mathematics.
Who chooses the Educators Pick Best of STEM® Awards winners?
Certified classroom teachers, specialists, and district leaders. STEM educator judges test each entry and rate it on a Net Promoter Score; finalists are then evaluated by thousands of STEM educators. No vendor, editor, or industry panel selects the winners. The program is operated by The Teich Group and Catapult X in partnership with MCH Strategic Data, the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), and the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT).
What does the NPS score on a Best of STEM® review mean?
Net Promoter Score is the judge’s answer to "How likely are you to recommend this to a colleague?" on a 0–10 scale. Scores of 9–10 are promoters, 7–8 are neutral, and 0–6 are detractors. A 10 is the strongest recommendation a judge can give, and in 2026 every product that earned a 10 from a judge won its category.
How many products won in 2026, and when were they announced?
Thirty-nine products won across 39 categories. Finalists were announced August 4, 2026, and winners on August 25, 2026.
How can a company enter the 2027 awards, or a teacher become a judge?
Entries for the Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2027 Awards open in spring 2027. STEM educators interested in judging should contact Annie Galvin Teich, The Teich Group, at ateich@theteichgroup.net.
Last updated September 4, 2026. Refreshed quarterly: educator reviews are added as they publish, and 2027 entry dates are posted when they open. Source: 2026 winners announcement, bestofstemawards.com. Product and company names appear as published in the awards release.