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Texas Teachers of the Year 1957-Present

Since 1969, the Texas Teacher of the Year program has honored excellence in classroom education and provided a forum to showcase many outstanding educators whose efforts and example have inspired their students, their colleagues, and the communities they serve.

2025 Texas Teachers of the Year

On October 25, 2024, TASA named Kristi Leff, a fifth-grade science and English/language arts teacher at Humphrey’s Highland Elementary in Amarillo ISD, the 2025 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. Christine Mihealsick, an Advanced Placement environmental science teacher at Westwood High School in Round Rock ISD, was named the 2025 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year. Mihealsick was chosen to represent the state as Texas Teacher of the Year in the National Teacher of the Year competition, making her official title Texas Teacher of the Year.

Christine Mihealsick

2025 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year & Texas Teacher of the Year

Round Rock ISD

Kristi Leff

2025 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year 

Amarillo ISD

Legacy Texas Teachers of the Year

Taniece Thompson-Smith

Taniece Thompson-Smith

2024 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Abilene ISD

Naveen Cunha

Naveen Cunha

2025 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year

Bryan ISD

Shelley Jeoffroy

Shelley Jeoffroy

2023 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Irving ISD

Chris McLeod

Chris McLeod

2023 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year

Brazosport ISD

Jennifer Han

Jennifer Han

2022 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year

McAllen ISD

Ramon Benavides

Ramon Benavides

2022 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Ysleta ISD

Eric Hale

Eric Hale

2021 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Dallas ISD

Anthony Lopez-Waste

Anthony Lopez-Waste

2021 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year

Canutillo ISD

Karen Sams

Karen Sams

2020 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Weatherford ISD

Michelle Sandoval Villegas

Michelle Sandoval Villegas

2020 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year

Ysleta ISD

Rhonda Peña

Rhonda Peña

2019 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year

Mission CISD

Jeff Wheatcraft

Jeff Wheatcraft

2019 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Alamo Heights ISD

Marissa Torres

Marissa Torres

2018 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year

White Settlement ISD

Tara Bordeaux

Tara Bordeaux

2018 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Austin ISD

Allison Ashley Friedlander

Allison Ashley Friedlander

2017 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Austin ISD

Deborah Campbell

Deborah Campbell

2017 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year

San Angelo ISD

Revathi Balakrishnan

Revathi Balakrishnan

2016 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year

Round Rock ISD

Martha Saucedo

Martha Saucedo

2016 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year

Brady ISD

Whitney Crews

Whitney Crews

2015 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year

Lindale ISD

Shanna Peeples

Shanna Peeples

2015 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year

Amarillo ISD

2015 National Teacher of the Year

In April 2015, Shanna Peeples, the 2015 Texas Teacher of the Year, was named the 2015 National Teacher of the Year. Then an English teacher at Palo Duro High School in Amarillo ISD, she was the first educator from Texas to earn the national honor since 1957 and was formally recognized by President Barack Obama in a White House ceremony.

* Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
YearTexas Elementary Teacher of the Year
2014Jillian Howard, Clear Creek ISD
2013Irene Salom, San Elizario ISD
2012Karen Morman, McKinney ISD*
2011Daniel Leija, Northside ISD*
2010Donna Patrick, Wichita Falls ISD
2009Dora A. Newell, McAllen ISD
2008Grant Simpson, Keller ISD
2007Dana K. Boyd, Ysleta ISD*
2006Cindy Lewis, Amarillo ISD
2005Gloria Voutos, Richardson ISD
2004Kyann McMillie, Canutillo ISD
2003Brenda McCuin, Lewisville ISD
2002Marta E. Galindo, San Felipe Del Rio CISD*
2001Linda Luna DeMino Duffy, Alamo Heights ISD*
2000Mary Beth Castillo Tierce, Corpus Christi ISD
1999Norma R. Jackson, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD*
1998W.W. "Bear" Mills, Midland ISD
1997Antonio A. Fierro, Socorro ISD*
1996Ann Brock, Burleson ISD*
1995Miguel Ignacio Tinajero, Ysleta ISD* (NTOY Finalist)
1994Karla Davis, La Vega ISD
1993Kathy Hogan, Humble ISD
1992Rosa E. Lujan, Ysleta ISD* (NTOY Finalist)
1991Evelyn Nevins, Flour Bluff ISD
1990Ann R. Weiss, Spring ISD
1989Barbara Sue Walker, Katy ISD
1988Jimmie Driver, Agua Dulce ISD
YearTexas Secondary Teacher of the Year
2014Monica M. Washington, Texarkana ISD*
2013Jeremy Wagner, Frenship ISD*
2012Stephanie Stoebe, Round Rock ISD
2011Beth Huckabee, Flour Bluff ISD
2010Yushica T. Walker, El Paso ISD*
2009Christine Gleason, Fabens ISD*
2008Paul F. Cain, Ysleta ISD*
2007Nika Maples, Keller ISD
2006Karen Schiller Shepherd, Plano ISD*
2005Sheryl Lynn Lundemann, Wichita Falls ISD*
2004Ellen Carlton Herbert, Longview ISD*
2003Denise Tanner, Friendswood ISD*
2002Barbara Dorff, Dallas ISD
2001Dr. Lorraine Maneen, Spring Branch ISD
2000Jack Cody, Graham ISD*
1999Miriam Lancaster, Pine Tree ISD
1998Joe Farley, Austin ISD*
1997Bonnie Leech, Lewisville ISD
1996Visalam A. Subram, Weslaco ISD
1995Sallie A. Langseth, Deer Park ISD
1994Mary Elizabeth Fortenberry, Newton ISD*
1993Leo Armando Ramirez, McAllen ISD*
1992Mary McFarland, Amarillo ISD
1991Sandra Parks Gifford, Paris ISD*
1990Mercedes Bonner, Fort Bend ISD*
1989Joyce Roberta Miller-Alper, Spring Branch ISD*
1988Margurette Troutman, Highland Park ISD*
Elementary/Secondary were designations not used prior to 1988. Each of the following was a Texas nominee for National Teacher of the Year.
YearTexas Teacher of the YearNational Award
1987James E. Stones, Jr., Spring Branch ISD
1986Mary N. Long, Austin ISD
1985Melaine Wells Christie, Spring Branch ISDFinalist
1984Jack Porter, Austin ISD
1983Dr. Patricia Taylor, Spring Branch ISD
1982Rita Harlien, Ysleta ISD
1981Judy McCaleb Matney, Fort Bend ISD
1980Peggy Carnahan, Northside ISD
1979Kathryn Ledbetter, Austin ISD
1978Gailya Riley, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD
1977Marie Haines, Fort Worth ISD
1976James William Crews, West Orange-Cove CISD
1975Mary Elizabeth Duffy, Taylor ISD
1974Edna Cox, Tulia ISD
1973Mary Elizabeth C. Brown, Houston ISDFinalist
1972Ben H. Standifer, Fort Worth ISD
1971Bettye Mischan, Plano ISD
1970Clarence K. Stark, El Paso ISD
1969Ruth Spear, San Marcos CISD
1968Mabel Wyatt, Bloomington ISD
1967Lola Fay Wilson, Longview ISD
1966Elaine Ledbetter, Pampa ISDFinalist
1965Keene C. Van Ordan, San Angelo ISD
1964Elsie Guthrie, Memphis ISDFinalist
1963Marjorie Behringer, Alamo Heights ISDFinalist
1961Ruth Lee, Teague ISD
1957Eugene G. Bizzell, Austin ISDNational Teacher of the Year