sideby’s Back to School Badge is awarded to educators who complete four 18 minute peer-powered AI learning sessions. Registration for this badge is currently CLOSED. You can still sign up for sideby for free to be ready when the next badge will be offered.

🧠 Between September 2 and October 3, 2025 learners will:

  • Colorful compass rose logo with four main points, featuring pink, green, white, and blue colors on a black background.

    Clarify Your AI Goals

    What do you want AI to actually do for you this year? Define the problems you’re solving, not just the tools you’re using.

  • The NATO emblem featuring a four-pointed compass star surrounded by a circle with colored segments in green, red, blue, and black, on a black background.

    Build Your AI Tool Box With Intent

    Don’t get lost in a sea of apps. Curate a focused set of tools and know exactly which tool supports which task.

  • A colorful, stylized compass rose with four main directions, featuring segments in green, purple, red, and orange, outlined in blue.

    Create an AI Assistant

    Whether it’s a GPT, scheduler, agent, or a custom workflow, build a sidekick that works the way you do, focused on your start-of-year priorities.

  • A colorful compass rose with four main points, each in red, green, yellow, and orange, and a four-point star in pastel pink and white in the center, outlined in blue.

    Reflect On & Share Your AI Habits

    New tools need new habits. What workflows, routines, and mindsets will make you AI-ready as the school year ramps up?

Sign up. Opt in.

Earn recognition for building real AI capacity (and not just attending another webinar on mute). Reserve your spot and start your journey toward the Back to School Badge.

A colorful badge with the text 'sideby Back to School AI Ready Badge', featuring a compass graphic labeled with Goals, Tools, Assistants, and Habits.
Sample certificate of engagement from sideby, featuring a colorful badge design with the text 'Back to School AI Ready Badge,' and space for a recipient's name, with signatures from three learning designers at the bottom.

Limited Enrollment

Limited Enrollment

✺ Frequently Asked Questions ✺

  • The Back to School Badge is a free recognition for educators who complete a 4-step AI learning experience inside the sideby app. It shows you’ve built real AI fluency — not just attended a training.

  • Yes. In many states and professional contexts, structured participation in sideby — including earning the Back to School Badge — may be eligible for continuing education or clock hours. Our badge pathways are designed with clear learning objectives, standards-aligned prompts, and documented engagement, making them strong candidates for PD credit.

    Policies vary by state and accrediting body, so we recommend checking with your district, state professional learning office, or clock hour authority to confirm eligibility and documentation needs. See the example certificate above. We can also provide further learning and curriculum details if that is required by your district or organization.

  • You’ll complete four strategic sessions:

    1. Clarify your AI goals

    2. Build your AI toolbox

    3. Create a custom AI assistant

    4. Reflect on sustainable AI habits

    Do that between Sept 2 and Oct 3 — and the badge is yours.

  • Yes. This badge is 100% free for educators (to engage AND get the badge at the end). No credit card. No upsell.

  • Nope. Whether you’re curious or confident, the experience meets you where you are. You’ll build your badge through thoughtful prompts, not technical skills.

  • Roughly 2–3 hours total, spread across 4 weeks. The pace is flexible — and you’ll have optional office hours for extra support.

  • Our Back to School Badge helps educators learn to use AI for their immediate, start-of-the-year priorities while also helping them establish a longer-term purpose – their “why of the AI.”

    This is an online, personalized, transformational learning experience designed to build educators’ AI competency and fortify their professional learning & innovation mindset.

    • I can clearly articulate my why for AI and set goals accordingly.

    • I can thoughtfully select and organize AI tools aligned to my Back to School goals and context.

    • I can create a custom AI assistant to support a specific beginning-of-year priority I have for my teaching or workflow.

    • I can synthesize my learning, share my ideas, and build new AI habits.