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Transform how schools use technology as a Certified Coach

The Certified Coach program empowers instructional coaches to work 1:1 with educators and drive impactful technology use in their schools. Coaches get access to research-backed strategies and tools -- so that new and veteran educators alike can transform instruction across every classroom.

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Become a Certified Coach

New and existing coaches can discover new strategies through our structured curriculum and research-proven coaching model, which provide support throughout the school year.

Get started

Strengthen your coaching toolkit through our tailored curriculum

Use our online, year-long curriculum to adopt new strategies and tools for delivering highly effective 1:1 coaching. The curriculum has been awarded the ISTE Seal of Alignment.

Deepen teacher support with our research-based, 5-step coaching model

Bring structure to your coaching practice by leveraging a 5-step model that helps educators use technology meaningfully in their classrooms.

Find inspiration from peer community and special events

Join our active community of fellow coaches and receive invitations to professional development events designed just for coaches.

The Certified Coach program is centered around a coaching model that lends itself to rich and meaningful experiences between teachers and their coach. It’s individualized, challenge-based, and non-evaluative approach really helps teachers feel supported and ready to step out of their comfort zone.

Rachel McVeagh, Google for Education Certified Coach
Step-by-Step

Follow these steps to become a Certified Coach

1

Complete the Coach Curriculum

The Certified Coach course is a tailored online curriculum that provides coaches with our research-backed 5-step coaching model and other effective coaching strategies.

Get started
2

Complete the Coach Skills Assessment

Show your mastery of the curriculum by completing the Coach Skills Assessment.

Pass assessment
3

Obtain the Educator L1 & L2 Certificates

Make sure you cover the foundations of the program with our Basic and Intermediate use of Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals courses before submitting your Certified Coach application.

Learn more
4

Create coaching portfolio and submit application

Create a short video, provide three coaching artifacts, and submit an administrator letter of reference that illustrate successful use of the 5-step coaching model in action. Then, apply!

Apply
graphic of ISTE Seal of Alignment badge with designation for the Certified Coach program

Approved by International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

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Ongoing Requirements

Maintain your Certified Coach status

  • Have an active Level 1 and Level 2 certification (renew every 3 years)

  • Report at least 50 hours of 1:1 coaching every calendar year in the Edu Activity App

  • Share ideas and resources with our community of coaches

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Recommended coaching partners

Our recommended coaching partners provide paid mentorship and hands-on support for coaches and their administrators to help synthesize key concepts, broaden success, and prepare for certification. Each organization has deep coaching expertise and knowledge of our research-backed, 5-step coaching model.

Find a recommended partner

Explore frequently asked questions

View all general FAQs
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  • What is a “coach” and who should get this certification?

    A coach is an educator who spends the majority of their time working 1:1 with teachers. Coaches help teachers address classroom challenges by adopting new instructional strategies. K-12 coaches who are looking for a structured, research-proven set of strategies to drive impactful coaching interactions and technology use would benefit from this certification.

  • How is the Coach program different from the Trainer and Innovator programs?

    Coaches are experts in using our 5-step coaching model to work 1:1 with educators to drive impactful technology use in their schools. Trainers are experts in delivering strong 1:many professional development experiences to fellow educators and often focus on Google products and tools. Innovators are education influencers who lead innovative education projects that impact school communities.

  • How long does it take to get certified and how much does it cost?

    The Certified Coach program is designed to be completed over the course of the school year. The curriculum takes approx. 20 hours to complete and the coaching portfolio is designed to reflect many weeks of working 1:1 with teachers. We recommend that coaches invest time in putting together an application that demonstrates mastery of the curriculum and 5-step coaching model. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and you should receive notification on your application status within 4-6 weeks of your initial submission.

    While there is no cost associated with taking the Certified Coach final assessment or applying for certification, there is a cost associated with the Google Certified Educator Level 1 ($10 USD) and Level 2 ($25 USD) exams.

  • Do I have to work with a recommended coaching partner to get certified?

    No, coaches do not have to work with a recommended coaching partner to earn certification. However, we have seen that coaches are likely to have greater school impact and realize more professional growth when they are supported by the type of mentorship that recommended coaching partners provide.

  • How do I maintain certification?

    Certified Coaches must log at least 50 hours of 1:1 coaching per school year in the Edu Activity App. Certified Coaches will need to renew their Educator Level 1 and 2 Certifications every three years.

  • Is this program available globally?

    The Certified Coach program is open to all K-12 educators globally and the course content is currently available in Dutch, English (UK), English (US), Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Latin America), Spanish (Spain), and Swedish. Applications are currently accepted in English and Japanese.

Get support

If you need assistance with the Certified Coach program, reach out to us below.

Contact us