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New York State Teacher of the Year

Purpose

THE NEW YORK STATE TEACHER OF THE YEAR PROGRAM IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 TEACHER OF THE YEAR 

2026 Teacher of the Year application

2026 Teacher of the Year nomination form

Please note: Applications are due by February 7, 2025.

New York State recognizes and celebrates the exceptionally skilled and passionate educators who exist in every school in the State. The purpose of the New York State Teacher of the Year program is to:

  • Support the development of programs throughout the State that recognize great teachers in their schools;
  • Engage exemplary teachers in professional development by completing the New York State Teacher of the Year application; and
  • Identify and celebrate one teacher per year as the New York State Teacher of the Year who will represent all of New York State teachers at events throughout the State and at national events with Teachers of the Year from across the United States.
"An equitable education is a right not a privilege. As educational leaders, it’s our mission to ensure that all students have access to high-quality opportunities, regardless of their zip code."
Colleen Keough, 2025 New York State Teacher of the Year

2025 New York State Teacher of the Year

Colleen Keough

The New York State Board of Regents announced on September 10, 2024 that Colleen Keough has been named the 2025 New York State Teacher of the Year. Colleen, a second grade teacher at Hamilton Elementary School in the Schenectady City School District, will serve as an ambassador and voice for New York State teachers and will be recognized with other state teachers of the year at a White House reception in the spring. Colleen will also be put forth as our nominee for 2025 National Teacher of the Year.

 

Finalists for the 2025 New York State Teacher of the Year

 

Congratulations to the following finalists for 2025 New York State Teacher of the Year:

  • Nicole Hesari, a 3rd grade Teacher, Todd Elementary School, Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District; and
  • Joshua Levitt,  a Social Studies Teacher, Freeport High School, Freeport Union Free School District.

 

Application and Nomination Form

Celebrate and recognize the outstanding teaching that takes place in classrooms throughout New York and nominate a teacher!

A teacher may be initially nominated by any person within the school or community including parents, students, business leaders, school administrators, or colleagues using the nomination form. The formal nomination should involve a collaborative decision-making process indicating the support of all the groups concerned with the quality of teaching within a school. A complete application including letters of support is submitted for each nominee. Support from the school community may include approximately 30 days of release time to fulfill the obligations of the Teacher of the Year.

Applications are due by February 7, 2025.

Responsibilities and Program Benefits

Responsibilities and Program Benefits

The individuals selected to serve as State Teachers of the Year will be the ambassadors for the teaching profession across New York State and will lead by their passion for teaching.

The New York State Teacher of the Year is provided with numerous professional development opportunities. In addition, schools and districts may also experience several of the other benefits of the Teacher of the Year Program, such as:

  • day of honor and learning for the New York State Teacher of the Year;
  • information and technical support for principals about how to prepare and support excellent teachers;
  • visit by the Commissioner of Education in the classroom and school of the New York State Teacher of the Year;
  • coaching for other teachers on instructional approaches;
  • every student, teacher, and parent in every school in the State will know that their school has exemplary teachers who are recognized for their craft; and
  • meet the President of the United States.
Teacher of the Year Reflections

Teacher of the Year Reflections

"Being a New York State teacher of the year was an incredible honor. Advocating for teachers in national and state spaces with educational stakeholders, was the highlight of my career. But I have to say that it was the relationships I built with the other National State Teachers of the Year, that were the wonderful gift that keeps on giving, not to mention the wonderful men and women of the NYS Teacher of the Year family. Being surrounded by such dedicated and exciting teachers ultimately made me a better teacher and a better advocate for my students, and their families. "

- Jennifer Wolfe, 2021 Teacher of the Year

"During my year as the 2011 NYSTOY I engaged in the most powerful
professional development possible. I spent four weeks working and growing
with the state teachers of the year from across the country and had dozens
of opportunities to speak to and with educational leaders and with
educational stakeholder agencies. It has changed my life and my practice forever.”

-Jeff Peneston, 2011 Teacher of the Year

The Teacher of the Year Program

New York State (NYS) wishes to recognize and celebrate an exceptionally skilled and passionate educator to be an ambassador for NYS teachers and to serve as the NYS nominee for the National Teacher of the Year Program.

Recognition awards or other support for New York State Teachers of the Year and/or their schools are provided by New York State United Teachers (NYSUT); New York State Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc. (NYS PTA); New York State Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (NYSASCD); New York State Association of Teacher Educators (NYSATE); New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

The New York State Teacher of the Year Program is administered by the New York State Education Department. It is affiliated with the National Teacher of the Year program administered through the Council of Chief State School Officers and sponsored by leading education associations. Teacher of the Year is the oldest and most prestigious teacher recognition activity in the nation.