Nominations are now being accepted for Regional Teacher of the Year, the first step in the process to become next year’s Missouri Teacher of the Year. Nominations are due by April 14, 2025, and are anonymous unless otherwise requested. Nominations can be made through the online Teacher of the Year nomination form here.
“The act of telling people how much their work is noticed and appreciated can have a tremendous impact,” said Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger. “As we come together to address teacher recruitment and retention challenges across the state, we cannot forget about the importance of valuing and respecting the teaching profession.”
More than 30 Regional Teachers of the Year are selected to represent each one of the nine Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs) throughout the state as well as the Southwest Center for Educational Excellence. Anyone can nominate an educator for the Teacher of the Year award, even if the educator is not a school district’s teacher of the year program winner.
“People in public education rarely receive the recognition, attention, or applause they deserve for the things they do, and being nominated means that someone noticed all of the things that teachers do that too often go unappreciated,” said 2024 Missouri Teacher of the Year, Greg Kester. “Being nominated for Missouri Teacher of the Year reflects how people feel and think about a teacher and is truly an honor. I will always be thankful for those who nominated me, and I will never be able to express my gratitude adequately to them.”
“Being nominated for Missouri Teacher of the Year gave me the opportunity to reflect upon why I teach, how I teach, and how I can continually strive to best serve my students and colleagues,” said 2025 Missouri Teacher of the Year, Jennifer Jones. “I was and continue to be humbled to represent and work with thousands of caring, dedicated Missouri educators.”
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will announce the Regional Teacher of the Year winners later this summer. The Missouri Teacher of the Year will be named in September.