The Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Program is coordinated through the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The program is in conjunction with the National Teacher of the Year Program sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

If you have any questions regarding the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year process; please contact: teacheroftheyear@sde.ok.gov

Learn more about our 2026 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, Kasey Bennett, and book her for a speaking engagement.

All Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 educators, who have won their district-level Teacher of the Year, in Oklahoma Public Schools are eligible for nomination. It is important that every educator is given the opportunity to participate in this recognition process. There is no minimum number of years required to be qualified for the Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year.

Nominees should be exceptionally skillful and dedicated educators who are planning to continue in an active status. According to the director of the National Teacher of the Year Program, an educator is one who educates a group of students and does not have administrative duties. Nominees should communicate effectively and demonstrate creative and imaginative teaching on a day-to-day basis. The nominee should have the ability to inspire the value of learning in students of all backgrounds and abilities and assure academic success. Nominations should be made without regard to age, sex, race, or religion.

At the district level, the Teacher of the Year program is coordinated through the district superintendent. It is the responsibility of the district superintendent to make sure that every educator is allowed to participate in the recognition process. It is important to emphasize that the search is not for “the best teacher,” but for one who exemplifies the finest in the profession. Only district-level Teachers of the Year may apply for Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year.

Local District Selection Process

The school district determines their selection process and announces their district Teacher of the Year, who will then be eligible to apply for Oklahoma State Teacher of the Year. Educators chosen in the fall or Spring are eligible to apply for State Teacher of the Year of the following year.  Example:  Mr. Smith is chosen as District 546 Teacher of the Year in Spring of 2025; he can apply for State Teacher of the Year in the Fall of 2025.

Mrs. Miller was chosen as District 541 Teacher of the Year in the Fall of 2025. She can apply for State Teacher of the Year in the Fall of 2026- after her time as District Teacher of the Year has concluded and a new selection cycle has begun.

Application Period:  District Teachers of the Year can apply on the OSDE website. There will be a banner that redirects applicants to the form. The first page will give a list of necessary documents to complete the application. It will open in October and close December 31^st at midnight.

Regional Selection Committee

The regional selection committee will evaluate applications submitted by district Teachers of the Year and select twenty semi-finalists to advance to the Finalist Selection Committee. The committee gives applications to the Regional Judges at the beginning of January and requests them back by the beginning of February. 2 finalists are chosen from each Congressional District, so educators initially compete against teachers from their local area.

Mid- to Late February:  Finalists are notified and announced in an official OSDE press release.

Early March:  The ten finalists are invited to the Hodge Building for Finalist Orientation to prepare them for the rest of the process.

State Selection Committee

The State Selection Committee meets each April at the Oklahoma State Capitol to interview the finalists for Oklahoma Teacher of the Year. The committee typically includes 8-10 judges. These judges use the following procedures to evaluate each finalist and determine the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year:

• Review a short video the teacher submits.
• Review each teacher's application.
• Conduct an in‑person interview with each finalist.

After completing these steps, the committee selects one educator and recommends their name to the State Superintendent.

The educator selected to serve as the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year is formally announced at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala, held in May or June.

If you have any questions regarding the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year process; please contact the OSDE via email at teacheroftheyear@sde.ok.gov.