Official Site of The State of New Jersey

NEW FOR 2026-2027: The enhanced GEOY online registration system streamlines the process by building the School Information Form directly into the registration system. Schools no longer need to complete the School Information Form separately and upload it.

Please follow the steps below to register your recipients in the GEOY online form:

1. Contact your district’s Homeroom Administrator to set up a new school-level GEOY account for you. This will generate the username and password needed to access the GEOY online form.

• Be sure your Homeroom Administrator creates a school-level GEOY account, not a district-level account. If you receive an error message, ask them to verify that a current school-level account has been created for you.

 2. Go to the GEOY Homeroom application at https://homeroom6.doe.nj.gov/geoy/ to register your recipient(s).

• Before beginning, review the remaining instructions below so you know what information to gather in advance and can complete the registration process more efficiently.

3. NEW: Watch this video to familiarize yourself with the enhanced school-level online registration system.

4. Complete the School Information Form within the GEOY online registration system, including the required selection panel and nominee scoring information. Once this section is complete, you will be able to enter the nomination information for your Teacher and/or Educational Services Professional of the Year.

Before beginning this section, have the following information ready:

• Number of nominees considered for Teacher of the Year
• Number of nominees considered for Educational Services Professional of the Year
• For each selection panel member: name, title, and group/organization represent
• Reminder: The school selection panel should include at least four members representing a cross section of appropriate stakeholder groups, reflect the diversity of the school community, and be refreshed every four years. If applicable, the outgoing Teacher of the Year and Educational Services Professional of the Year should serve on the panel.
• For each Teacher nominee: name and average score from the Nomination Form Scoring Guide
• For each Educational Services Professional nominee: name and average score from the Nomination Form Scoring Guide

5. After the School Information Form section is completed, the next section for entering your Teacher of the Year and/or Educational Services Professional of the Year information will become active. You can then move to this section and enter the required recipient information. The School Information Form section must be completed before you can proceed to recipient registration.

6. Before beginning the recipient registration, have the following information ready:

• Recipient’s name: IMPORTANT: Verify the recipient’s name carefully before submitting. Enter the name exactly as it should appear on the GEOY awards certificate, including correct spelling. Certificates are produced using the name entered in the registration system. 
• SMID (8-digit Staff Member ID)
• Personal email address and work email address
• Cell phone number
• Number of years in current position
• Total number of years in education
• For a Teacher of the Year: current grade level(s) and subject area(s)
• For an Educational Services Professional of the Year: eligible enrollment area
• Most recent final summative evaluation score
• A brief narrative (up to 4,000 characters) describing the educator’s talent as evidenced by instructional practices and student learning results.

7. Once the registration has been submitted and the status shows Submitted, you should see a GEOY ID for the registered recipient. Keep the GEOY ID/confirmation information for your records as confirmation that the recipient has been officially registered. Also, provide your Teacher of the Year with their GEOY ID, as they will need it if they apply for County Teacher of the Year. Note: Only Teachers of the Year may apply for County Teacher of the Year.

8. Notify all school nominees of their Teacher of the Year or Educational Services Professional of the Year status no later than December 11, 2026. On December 16, 2026, the New Jersey Department of Education will email registered Teachers of the Year to encourage them to apply for County Teacher of the Year. Note: The County Teacher of the Year online application opens December 18, 2026, and closes January 29, 2027, at 3 p.m.

9. Ensure your recipients are registered in the GEOY online form by December 4, 2026, to be included in the program and receive a state awards certificate. Certificates are distributed annually by the County Offices of Education between April and June as part of local recognition activities.

Questions or Need Assistance?

If you have questions about GEOY or the registration process, contact your County Office of Education or the NJDOE Educator Recognition team at educatorrecognition@doe.nj.gov.