Research-Based Design: ESSA Tier 4 Product Certification

Awarded to Megan Conrad on February 19, 2026 by Digital Promise - Product Certifications.

Research about how people learn is core to the theoretical framework that drives product design and is evidenced throughout the product. Evidence collected from a well-designed qualitative research study indicates that the edtech product is designed for a positive learning experience. The evidence supporting the product aligns to Tier 4 of the ESSA Tiers of Evidence and is readily accessible to the public.

Criteria

Certification Requirements

A product that earns this certification will provide the following:

A well-defined logic model based on empirical research that provides rationale for intended impact. The logic model, which must be supported by at least five empirical citations, includes a problem statement, inputs, activities/strategies, outputs, and short and long-term outcomes.
An annotated bibliography that cites well-designed, empirical research to describe the basis for and demonstrate five significant and distinct design decisions.
One well-designed qualitative research study that has been conducted to understand learners’ and/or educators’ experiences with the product and its potential benefits.
Easy access for education practitioners, learners, and communities to see the product’s research basis.
A signed FERPA letter to ensure data privacy.

All materials submitted will be held to the rigorous research standards outlined in the “What Qualifies as Rigorous Research?” primer.

Additional Information

Applicants who meet certification criteria earn an Open Badge to share that the product has been certified. The Open Badge is associated with the email address used to submit the application and is non-transferable. It is important to ensure long-term access by using a stable company address (e.g. research@product.com), rather than an individual’s, to create an account and submit this application.

This certification expires after two years from the date of earning. Products must reapply to retain certified status to ensure the requirements are upheld over time.

A successful application will show a clear throughline across all of the artifacts submitted.

Assessment Details

The responses for Parts 1 and 3 will be used only (1) to provide context for assessors while evaluating Part 2 of the submission, and (2) to enable Digital Promise to track aggregated data about the types of products that apply to and earn product certifications, such as content area, learner level, and product reach. These responses will not be included in the assessment of your application. The responses for Part 2 will be assessed to inform the certification results.

Applicants are encouraged to download the documents in the Application Templates and Definitions section before beginning their application.

Assessment

Overview

The following responses will not be assessed for content; however, full responses are required to pass Part 1.

What is the name of the product?

If the product has a ULTID, please share it. Please note that an application may be submitted on behalf of only one product. For the purpose of this certification, a ULTID denotes a single product. Multiple ULTIDs denote multiple products, and therefore multiple applications are required.

Overview

If this product is awarded the certification, do we have the product team’s permission to share its award status with partners that host product indexes, such as ISTE’s EdSurge Product Index and LearnPlatform? Please respond with a yes or no.

Overview

What general company email address can we use to communicate about certification status after a decision has been made? Note: If earned, the Open Badge is associated with the email address used to submit the application and is non-transferable. It is important to ensure long-term access by using a stable company address (e.g. research@product.com), rather than an individual’s, to create an account and submit this application.

Who was involved in completing this application? Please include names, roles, and email addresses.

Overview

Tell us about your product: What learning or challenge does the product intend to address? How many users does the product serve? Who is the intended audience for the product (e.g., learners or educators, grade or learner levels)? Which subject area(s) does the product cover?