IEP Assure Student Ad Scholarship Competition — Official Rules

Effective Date: April 7, 2026
Competition Period: April 7, 2026 – June 1, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)
Sponsor: IEP Assure

1. Overview

The IEP Assure Student Ad Scholarship Competition ("Competition") is an educational initiative inviting U.S. high school students to create original advertisements that raise awareness about special education, IEP documentation, and the importance of supporting students with disabilities. One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive a $3,000 scholarship award administered by IEP Assure.

2. Sponsor

IEP Assure
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
competition@iepassure.com
[Website: iepassure.com]

3. Eligibility

3.1 Who May Enter

The Competition is open to individuals who, at the time of entry, meet all of the following criteria:

Are currently enrolled as a student in grades 9–12 at an accredited U.S. public, private, or charter high school (including home school programs recognized by the student's state);
Are legal residents of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia;
Are at least thirteen (13) years of age; and
Obtain written parental or guardian consent if under eighteen (18) years of age at the time of entry (consent form available on the Competition landing page).

3.2 Who May Not Enter

The following individuals are not eligible to participate:

Employees, contractors, officers, and directors of IEP Assure, and members of their immediate families (spouse, parent, sibling, child) or households;
Individuals who are not currently enrolled in a qualifying U.S. high school program; and
Individuals who have graduated from high school prior to the competition open date of April 7, 2026.

3.3 Scholarship Deferral for Younger Winners

Because the scholarship is intended for post-secondary education, winners who have not yet graduated from high school at the time of the award will have their scholarship funds held in trust by IEP Assure for up to four (4) years from the date of the award. Funds will be released annually, subject to an annual check-in confirming the winner's enrollment or intent to enroll in an accredited post-secondary institution. If the winner does not enroll in an eligible post-secondary institution within four (4) years of the award date, the scholarship may be forfeited and redistributed at IEP Assure's sole discretion.

4. Competition Period

Entries will be accepted beginning at 12:00 AM Eastern Time (ET) on April 7, 2026 and must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM ET on June 1, 2026 ("Entry Deadline"). Entries submitted after the Entry Deadline will not be considered. IEP Assure's servers are the official timekeeping device for this Competition.

5. How to Enter

5.1 Submission Method

Entries must be submitted via the official Competition submission form located at iepassure.com/competition during the Competition Period. No other method of submission will be accepted.

5.2 Entry Limit

Each entrant may submit a maximum of one (1) entry. Duplicate entries from the same entrant will be disqualified.

5.3 Parental/Guardian Consent

Entrants who are under eighteen (18) years of age at the time of entry must submit a completed Parental/Guardian Consent Form along with their entry. Entries from minors submitted without a valid consent form will be deemed ineligible.

6. Accepted Entry Formats

All entries must be original, student-created advertisements related to IEP Assure's mission of supporting special education documentation and IEP processes. The following formats are accepted:

6.1 Video Advertisements

Format: MP4, MOV, or AVI
Maximum length: 60 seconds
Maximum file size: 500 MB
Minimum resolution: 720p (1280×720 px)
Must include captions or a full transcript submitted alongside the video fil

6.2 Static Image Advertisements

Format: JPEG, PNG, or PDF
Minimum resolution: 300 DPI for print-quality submissions; 72 DPI at a minimum of 1200×630 px for digital submissions
Maximum file size: 25 MB
May be a single image or a multi-panel sequence of up to four (4) images submitted as a single PDF

6.3 Animated/GIF Advertisements

Format: GIF or MP4 (looping)
Maximum length: 15 seconds
Maximum file size: 50 MB
Must include a static thumbnail image submitted alongside the animation

6.4 Audio Advertisements (Radio/Podcast Style)

Format: MP3 or WAV
Maximum length: 60 seconds
Maximum file size: 50 MB
Must include a full written transcript submitted alongside the audio file

6.5 General Format Requirements

Regardless of format, all entries must:

Be submitted in English;
Be the original, sole creation of the submitting entrant (group submissions are not permitted);
Not contain any personally identifiable information about any individual other than the entrant, unless accompanied by a signed release from that individual (or their parent/guardian if a minor);
Not contain any third-party copyrighted material (music, images, video clips, fonts, or other content) for which the entrant does not hold a valid license permitting the use described herein;
Not contain any material that is offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, or otherwise inappropriate, as determined by IEP Assure in its sole discretion; and
Not have been previously published, publicly distributed, or submitted to any other contest or competition.

7. Judging

7.1 Judging Panel

Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges selected by IEP Assure, which may include IEP Assure staff, special education professionals, marketing professionals, and/or community members ("Judging Panel"). Judges will evaluate entries independently, and scores will be averaged to produce a final score per entry.

7.2 Judging Criteria

Each entry will be scored on the following criteria, with the indicated maximum point values:

Criterion Description Points

Relevance & Message Clarity: The ad clearly communicates a message related to IEP documentation, special education, or supporting students with disabilities. The core idea is understandable to a general audience within the ad's duration/viewing time.30

Creativity & Originality: The entry demonstrates a fresh, compelling, and inventive approach. The concept, execution, or storytelling distinguishes itself from conventional advertising. 25%

Emotional Impact & Persuasiveness: The ad moves, motivates, or compels the viewer/listener. It creates a meaningful connection to the subject matter and inspires action or awareness. 20%

Production Quality: The entry is polished and well-executed for its format. Visual, audio, and/or written elements are clean, clear, and professional given the entrant's resources and skill level. 15%

Alignment with IEP Assure's Mission: The entry reflects an understanding of IEP Assure's role in supporting special education documentation and demonstrates sensitivity and respect toward students with disabilities and their families. 10%

TOTAL: 100%

7.3 Tiebreaker

In the event of a tie in total score, the tied entries will be re-evaluated by the Judging Panel on the "Relevance & Message Clarity" criterion only. The entry with the higher score on that criterion will be declared the winner.

7.4 Judging Timeline

Judging will take place following the Entry Deadline. The winner will be announced on or around June 10th via the IEP Assure website and email notification to the winner.

7.5 Decisions Are Final

All decisions of the Judging Panel are final and binding in all matters relating to this Competition. IEP Assure reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not comply with these Official Rules.

8. Prize

8.1 Grand Prize

One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive:

A $3,000 scholarship award, to be applied toward tuition, fees, books, or other qualifying educational expenses at an accredited post-secondary institution (college, university, vocational school, or trade school).

8.2 Prize Details and Condition

The scholarship will be held and administered by IEP Assure.
For winners who are not yet enrolled in a post-secondary institution at the time of the award, funds will be held for up to four (4) years with an annual check-in requirement, as described in Section 3.3.
No cash equivalent, substitution, or transfer of the prize is permitted, except at IEP Assure's sole discretion.
Winner is responsible for all applicable federal, state, and local taxes. IEP Assure will issue an IRS Form 1099 as required by law.
Winner will be required to complete and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release, and (where permitted) a Publicity Release within fourteen (14) days of notification. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize.

9. Intellectual Property and Usage Rights

9.1 Entrant Representations

By submitting an entry, entrant represents and warrants that:

The entry is the entrant's own original work and does not infringe upon any third party's copyright, trademark, trade secret, right of publicity, privacy right, or any other intellectual property or proprietary right;
The entrant has obtained all necessary licenses, permissions, and clearances for any third-party content incorporated into the entry; and
The entry has not been previously published, sold, or licensed to any third party.

9.2 License Grant — All Entries

By submitting an entry, each entrant grants IEP Assure a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license to reproduce, display, distribute, and share the entry for the sole purposes of administering and promoting the Competition, including announcing finalists and the winner.

9.3 License Grant — Winning Entry

The Grand Prize winner grants IEP Assure an exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, modify, adapt, create derivative works from, and otherwise exploit the winning entry (in whole or in part) in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, for any commercial or non-commercial purpose, including but not limited to advertising, marketing, social media, website content, presentations, and promotional materials, without further compensation beyond the scholarship prize.

9.4 Ownership

Entrants retain copyright ownership of their submitted entries. The license grants in Sections 9.2 and 9.3 do not transfer copyright ownership to IEP Assure.

9.5 Credit

IEP Assure will make reasonable efforts to credit the winning entrant by name when using the winning entry in IEP Assure's own marketing materials, but is not obligated to do so in every use.

10. Publicity

Except where prohibited by law, by accepting the prize, the winner consents to IEP Assure's use of the winner's name, likeness, photograph, voice, school, grade level, city and state of residence, and entry for advertising, promotional, and publicity purposes without additional compensation.

11. General Conditions

IEP Assure reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the Competition, in whole or in part, if any fraud, technical failures, or any other factor beyond IEP Assure's reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Competition, as determined by IEP Assure in its sole discretion.
IEP Assure is not responsible for: (a) lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, or misdirected entries; (b) entries not received due to technical difficulties, server downtime, or internet connectivity issues; or (c) printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Competition.
By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by all decisions of IEP Assure and the Judging Panel, which are final and binding in all respects.
IEP Assure's failure to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, IEP Assure, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or in connection with participation in this Competition or the awarding or use of any prize.

13. Disputes

Except where prohibited, all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with this Competition or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules shall be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules.

14. Privacy

Any personal information collected in connection with this Competition will be used solely for administering the Competition and, if you are a winner, for fulfilling the prize. IEP Assure's Privacy Policy,

15. Winner Announcement

The winner will be announced on or around June 10th at iepassure.com/competition and notified by email at the address provided at the time of entry. If the selected winner is found to be ineligible, does not respond within fourteen (14) days of notification, or declines the prize, IEP Assure reserves the right to select an alternate winner from remaining eligible entries.

16. Official Rules

These Official Rules are available throughout the Competition Period at iepassure.com/competition. For questions regarding the Competition, contact IEP Assure at competition@iepassure.com.