Google at ISTE 2026: The Complete List of Free AI-Powered Education Features

Connected Classroom App in Gemini for Teachers

Google also rolled out a Connected Classroom app within Gemini. This tool securely taps into a teacher's actual class context—assignments, grades, and materials—to help analyze student progress, draft tailored activities, and assist with everyday teaching tasks.

Data is processed within Google Workspace for Education, and Google states that it is never used to train AI models. For teachers, this means they no longer need to manually copy and paste objectives and grade levels into Gemini—the model pulls the relevant context automatically.

Expansion of Teacher-Led AI Activities

Google announced that it will expand teacher-led AI activities across Guided Learning, Study Notebooks, and NotebookLM in the coming months. These activities are grounded in the school's curriculum and give teachers direct control over how students interact with AI. The goal is to provide clear insights into what students actually understand, allowing teachers to intervene more effectively.

Free Full-Length GRE and ACT Practice Tests (with The Princeton Review)

In a partnership with The Princeton Review, Google is providing no-cost full-length practice tests for the GRE and ACT. These are accessible directly through the Gemini app as part of the Study Notebooks feature. The tests are designed to give students realistic preparation experiences without the financial barrier of commercial test-prep services.

Google Classroom Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server

Google confirmed that it is developing a first-party Google Classroom MCP server to enable external EdTech platforms to securely reference Classroom context. The server will use the Model Context Protocol (MCP)—an open standard introduced by Anthropic in 2024 that acts as a "USB-C port for AI"—to allow external tools to connect to Google Classroom while keeping workflows unified. Note: multiple third-party Google Classroom MCP servers already exist as open-source projects, so this first-party offering adds official support and security guarantees from Google.

Google.org Funding for Education and AI

Alongside product announcements, Google.org announced new funding at ISTE 2026 to support three long-term partners: aiEDU (co-developing AI readiness strategies for K-12 districts), ISTE+ASCD (field study on AI-informed assessments), and Renaissance Philanthropy (supporting education initiatives). This builds on the earlier $7.1 trillion global education market positioning mentioned in press coverage.

What's Not Confirmed

Not all rumored features were announced at ISTE 2026. For example, a dedicated Google Classroom MCP server for external EdTech integration was confirmed in Google's blog, but specific third-party integrations or launch dates were not detailed beyond a general "in the coming months" timeline. Additionally, while some outlets reported on Gemini for Education (a version of the app for schools with premium models), that announcement actually dates back to ISTE 2025 and was not new for 2026.

Key Takeaways for Educators and Students

• Study Notebooks turn Gemini into a free, adaptive personal tutor for any subject.
• Connected Classroom reduces teacher busywork by pulling live class data into Gemini.
• Free GRE/ACT practice tests remove a key cost barrier to test preparation.
• MCP server will open Google Classroom to external EdTech tools in a secure, standardized way.
• All tools are free for existing Google Workspace for Education users and available globally.