Background
It is the mission of the National Teacher of the Year (NTOY) Program to elevate the teaching profession by honoring our nation’s greatest teachers through a year of professional learning. Every state, commonwealth or territory may nominate a candidate for National Teacher of the Year. This application marks the first step in the selection process for the 2026 National Teacher of the Year. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO or the Council) seeks to facilitate a transparent, fair and nonpartisan process to identify a National Teacher of the Year who represents instructional leadership and excellence in the teaching profession and is able to elevate the teaching profession through a year of service.
The NTOY Program has been run by the Council of Chief State School Officers since 1952.
Nomination
All chief state school officers are invited to nominate a candidate from their jurisdiction. The method and materials used to select the candidate may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The NTOY Program will make available guidelines, application questions and resources should a state selection program choose to seek alignment with the national selection process.
Criteria
A candidate for National Teacher of the Year is a State Teacher of the Year in a state-approved or accredited prekindergarten through 12th grade school who is planning to continue in an active teaching status.^
National Teacher of the Year candidates have the respect and admiration of their colleagues and:
Are experts in their field who guide students of all backgrounds and abilities to achieve excellence.
Collaborate with colleagues, students and families to create a school culture of respect and success.
Deliberately connect the classroom and key stakeholders to foster a strong community at large.
Demonstrate leadership and innovation in and outside of the classroom walls that embodies lifelong learning.
Express themselves in an engaging and clear way.
The Role of the National Teacher of the Year
The National Teacher of the Year is released from classroom duties during the year of recognition to serve as a spokesperson and leader for the entire teaching profession. The National Teacher of the Year maintains a full schedule of speaking engagements before a variety of education, community and business groups. CCSSO works closely with each National Teacher of the Year to develop a year of engagements that are meaningful and impactful. CCSSO staff supports the National Teacher of the Year by scheduling events and providing guidance as needed.
As a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, CCSSO acknowledges that the National Teacher of the Year’s opinions may differ from those held by CCSSO or those of CCSSO’s members. The National Teacher of the Year serves as an ambassador for education across the nation for the year.
Selection
Staff of CCSSO do not select the National Teacher of the Year. CCSSO facilitates a National Teacher of the Year Selection Committee to review all applications and select finalists from the nominations received. The Selection Committee is composed of representatives from national organizations, including current and former chief state school officers, as well as educators and an industry representative. The Selection Committee interviews the finalists in Washington, D.C.
If a state, commonwealth or territory’s candidate is selected as the 2026 National Teacher of the Year, the teacher, along with their chief state school officer, state coordinator and local administrators, will receive notification on a confidential basis, in advance of the public announcement. The finalists not selected, along with their chief state school officers, coordinators and local administrators will receive a confidential notification at the same time.
Timeline
By September 2025*: Each state, territory or commonwealth selects its State Teacher of the Year.
September 15, 2025: Online submission window opens at 12:01 a.m. EDT.
October 31, 2025: Online submission window closes at 11:59 p.m. EDT.**
November 2025: National Selection Committee members begin their reviews of all state applications.
December 2025: The National Selection Committee meets virtually and selects finalists. By the end of December 2025, only the selected finalists (not all applicants), their chief state school officers, state coordinators and state communication directors will be notified by the Council of Chief State School Officers.
March 2026: The finalists will meet with the Selection Committee for individual interviews. The Selection Committee will select the 2026 National Teacher of the Year.
March 2026: The selected teacher as well as the nonselected teachers will be notified by the director of the NTOY Program within two weeks of the interviews. By the end of March, chief state school officers of the finalists, along with their state coordinators and state communication directors, will be notified by the Council of Chief State School Officers of the Selection Committee's decision.
April/May 2026: The 2026 National Teacher of the Year will be announced publicly.
^ Active teaching status means the teacher has a valid and current teaching license and is planning to continue teaching at the time of application with the state, territory or commonwealth. To further qualify this, regardless of the job title, a candidate qualifies if under a teaching contract. We encourage states to focus on the percentage of time spent in direct contact with students as a key factor in active teaching status.
*This is a general recommendation, but this can happen up until the online submission window closes.
**Applications will only be reviewed if they are submitted in their entirety. Please build in adequate time for your Teacher of the Year to review and revise their application for the national level.