Penn Foster Wins 2026 EdTech Breakthrough Awards for Student Engagement Innovation of the Year

Penn Foster's redesigned learning experience drives measurable gains in completion, skill mastery, and career readiness

PHOENIX, June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Penn Foster, a leading provider of career-driven, accredited, and asynchronous online learning, has been named a winner in the 2026 EdTech Breakthrough Awards program, receiving the "Student Engagement Innovation of the Year" award for reimagining how learners experience, progress through, and stay connected to their education.

This recognition highlights Penn Foster's ongoing commitment to learner success and its belief that learner engagement drives stronger completion rates, skill development, and most meaningfully - long-term career outcomes.

Penn Foster was recognized for its integrated student engagement framework, which combines curriculum design, platform experience, and career-connected experiential learning to support learner persistence and workforce readiness.

"We're honored to be recognized for our work in helping learners achieve meaningful educational and career outcomes," said Kermit Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Penn Foster. "What sets Penn Foster apart is our belief that engagement isn't a feature, it's the foundation of success. By combining interactive, skills-based learning, structured support, and real-world workforce experiences where needed, we've built an integrated learning ecosystem that keeps learners motivated, and seeing clear relevance to their goals. This recognition reflects the measurable impact of that approach, from increased completion rates to stronger career confidence. Most importantly, it reinforces our commitment to creating opportunities for learners and delivering the skilled talent employers need at scale."

Penn Foster recently implemented a comprehensive curriculum redesign built around five core principles: learner-centered, authentic, active, differentiated, and skills-based learning. Courses are rebuilt to incorporate interactive content, structured practice, and real-world application. The results have been significant: 60-day completion rates increased by 18%, and average grades rose from 80% to 90% from its pilot. Penn Foster is now expanding the framework across dozens of workforce-aligned programs.

"We are consistently pushing ourselves to think about innovative ways we can design learning that feels personal to our learners, at scale," said Julia Caballero, PhD, Vice President of Content Strategy and Creation at Penn Foster. "At Penn Foster, we serve a wide range of learners with different goals, experiences, and starting points. Our job is to create a learning experience that works for all of our students at a wide variety of stages of life. Regardless of a learner's individual circumstance, their learning experience needs to feel achievable, relevant to the jobs they want, and connected to their day-to-day life."

Penn Foster's platform encourages learner momentum by helping turn long-term goals into manageable daily progress. Dashboards provide visibility into assignments, milestones, and progress so the team can optimize the experience in real time, while interactive exercises and continuous feedback help learners stay accountable and engaged.

The model also extends into hands-on externships that connect online coursework with supervised professional training. Students in certain healthcare and veterinary programs can complete hands-on training at more than 3,900 approved professional sites. In 2025, 90% of learners who completed externships reported increased confidence in their next career step, and 77% said their program provided the skills needed to succeed on the job according to the 2025 Impact Report.

Together, these efforts reflect Penn Foster's broader approach to learner engagement by combining curriculum, technology, and experiential learning to help learners complete programs, build confidence, and prepare for career success.

The EdTech Breakthrough Awards program recognizes innovation in educational technology and received more than 3,000 nominations from organizations worldwide this year. Other winners include Canvas, LEGO Education, Kaplan, Carnegie Learning, Cisco, and Britannica Education. The full list of 2026 EdTech Breakthrough Award winners is available at https://edtechbreakthrough.com/winners-2026/.

About Penn Foster
Penn Foster is a leading provider of online, career-focused education for learners seeking flexible pathways to high school completion and careers in high-demand fields such as healthcare and veterinary care. A pioneer in accessible education for more than a century, Penn Foster has helped generations of learners build practical skills and earn credentials aligned with workforce needs. Founded in 1890, Penn Foster focuses on creating pathways to greater economic mobility through real-world, in-demand skills designed to support long-term success in a rapidly evolving job market. Learn more at pennfoster.edu.  

SOURCE Penn Foster