Membership Benefits

 

Professional development

We are proud to be an Illinois State Board of Education approved provider for educator licensure professional development hours (PDHs). This allows us, with the help of our dedicated partners, to provide educators with a plethora of professional learning opportunities.  As an IDEA member, you will have access to all these opportunities, including member-only events. 

View PD Opportunities

MINI-GRANTS

The purpose of the Mini-Grant Program is to provide IDEA members throughout the state with funding for educational technology projects that showcase innovation and creativity and directly benefit students in PreK-12 classrooms. Apply for an IDEA mini-grant!

Learn More

SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships are available up to $1,000 for members to pursue an advanced degree, take additional for-credit college courses, or attend professional development workshops and conferences. Children of IDEA members may apply for a scholarship to pursue a degree in Education. Scholarship applications open in early April and are announced each year in mid-May.


REGIONAL CHAPTERS

There are 21 local chapters  of Illinois Digital Educators Alliance covering all counties in the state. The members of each chapter hold  meetings and events that provide an opportunity for networking and professional development on a local level.


Find Your Local Chapter

RECENT IDEA BLOGS

Back to School with AI

By Steph Sukow • August 13, 2025
Dive into what AI can do for you and your students by exploring some low-risk, high-reward ways to begin utilizing these tools with this blog from Steph Sukow.
New partner blog: Amplifying Student Voice in the Age of AI. At the bottom is a megaphone and WeVid

Amplifying Student Voice in the Age of AI

By WeVideo • August 6, 2025
This blog from WeVideo discusses how video learning is an AI-proof method to amplify student voice, nurture originality, and showcase learning outcomes.

Lessons to Address High School Vaping

By Christina DeBartolomeo • April 2, 2025
According to the U.S. Data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey 1, 8.1% of students reported current use of any tobacco product. While we may not fully understand the long-term effects of students vaping, science shows that any kind of substance addiction can impact the brain and body, leading to long-lasting impacts. With EVERFI’s interactive high school vaping prevention courses, students can come to understand what vaping is, how it affects the body and the implications of vaping during a global pandemic. This blog article includes in-depth resources to help you get started on the path to your own vaping prevention program for high school students.