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
2024 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Abilene ISD
Naveen Cunha
2025 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year
Bryan ISD
Shelley Jeoffroy
2023 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Irving ISD
Chris McLeod
2023 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year
Brazosport ISD
Jennifer Han
2022 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year
McAllen ISD
Ramon Benavides
2022 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Ysleta ISD
Eric Hale
2021 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Dallas ISD
Anthony Lopez-Waste
2021 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year
Canutillo ISD
Karen Sams
2020 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Weatherford ISD
Michelle Sandoval Villegas
2020 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year
Ysleta ISD
Rhonda Peña
2019 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year
Mission CISD
Jeff Wheatcraft
2019 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Alamo Heights ISD
Marissa Torres
2018 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year
White Settlement ISD
Tara Bordeaux
2018 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Austin ISD
Allison Ashley Friedlander
2017 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Austin ISD
Deborah Campbell
2017 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year
San Angelo ISD
Revathi Balakrishnan
2016 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year & Nominee for National Teacher of the Year
Round Rock ISD
Martha Saucedo
2016 Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year
Brady ISD
Whitney Crews
2015 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year
Lindale ISD
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
Year | Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year |
---|---|
2014 | Jillian Howard, Clear Creek ISD |
2013 | Irene Salom, San Elizario ISD |
2012 | Karen Morman, McKinney ISD* |
2011 | Daniel Leija, Northside ISD* |
2010 | Donna Patrick, Wichita Falls ISD |
2009 | Dora A. Newell, McAllen ISD |
2008 | Grant Simpson, Keller ISD |
2007 | Dana K. Boyd, Ysleta ISD* |
2006 | Cindy Lewis, Amarillo ISD |
2005 | Gloria Voutos, Richardson ISD |
2004 | Kyann McMillie, Canutillo ISD |
2003 | Brenda McCuin, Lewisville ISD |
2002 | Marta E. Galindo, San Felipe Del Rio CISD* |
2001 | Linda Luna DeMino Duffy, Alamo Heights ISD* |
2000 | Mary Beth Castillo Tierce, Corpus Christi ISD |
1999 | Norma R. Jackson, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD* |
1998 | W.W. "Bear" Mills, Midland ISD |
1997 | Antonio A. Fierro, Socorro ISD* |
1996 | Ann Brock, Burleson ISD* |
1995 | Miguel Ignacio Tinajero, Ysleta ISD* (NTOY Finalist) |
1994 | Karla Davis, La Vega ISD |
1993 | Kathy Hogan, Humble ISD |
1992 | Rosa E. Lujan, Ysleta ISD* (NTOY Finalist) |
1991 | Evelyn Nevins, Flour Bluff ISD |
1990 | Ann R. Weiss, Spring ISD |
1989 | Barbara Sue Walker, Katy ISD |
1988 | Jimmie Driver, Agua Dulce ISD |
Year | Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year |
---|---|
2014 | Monica M. Washington, Texarkana ISD* |
2013 | Jeremy Wagner, Frenship ISD* |
2012 | Stephanie Stoebe, Round Rock ISD |
2011 | Beth Huckabee, Flour Bluff ISD |
2010 | Yushica T. Walker, El Paso ISD* |
2009 | Christine Gleason, Fabens ISD* |
2008 | Paul F. Cain, Ysleta ISD* |
2007 | Nika Maples, Keller ISD |
2006 | Karen Schiller Shepherd, Plano ISD* |
2005 | Sheryl Lynn Lundemann, Wichita Falls ISD* |
2004 | Ellen Carlton Herbert, Longview ISD* |
2003 | Denise Tanner, Friendswood ISD* |
2002 | Barbara Dorff, Dallas ISD |
2001 | Dr. Lorraine Maneen, Spring Branch ISD |
2000 | Jack Cody, Graham ISD* |
1999 | Miriam Lancaster, Pine Tree ISD |
1998 | Joe Farley, Austin ISD* |
1997 | Bonnie Leech, Lewisville ISD |
1996 | Visalam A. Subram, Weslaco ISD |
1995 | Sallie A. Langseth, Deer Park ISD |
1994 | Mary Elizabeth Fortenberry, Newton ISD* |
1993 | Leo Armando Ramirez, McAllen ISD* |
1992 | Mary McFarland, Amarillo ISD |
1991 | Sandra Parks Gifford, Paris ISD* |
1990 | Mercedes Bonner, Fort Bend ISD* |
1989 | Joyce Roberta Miller-Alper, Spring Branch ISD* |
1988 | Margurette 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.
Year | Texas Teacher of the Year | National Award |
---|---|---|
1987 | James E. Stones, Jr., Spring Branch ISD | |
1986 | Mary N. Long, Austin ISD | |
1985 | Melaine Wells Christie, Spring Branch ISD | Finalist |
1984 | Jack Porter, Austin ISD | |
1983 | Dr. Patricia Taylor, Spring Branch ISD | |
1982 | Rita Harlien, Ysleta ISD | |
1981 | Judy McCaleb Matney, Fort Bend ISD | |
1980 | Peggy Carnahan, Northside ISD | |
1979 | Kathryn Ledbetter, Austin ISD | |
1978 | Gailya Riley, Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD | |
1977 | Marie Haines, Fort Worth ISD | |
1976 | James William Crews, West Orange-Cove CISD | |
1975 | Mary Elizabeth Duffy, Taylor ISD | |
1974 | Edna Cox, Tulia ISD | |
1973 | Mary Elizabeth C. Brown, Houston ISD | Finalist |
1972 | Ben H. Standifer, Fort Worth ISD | |
1971 | Bettye Mischan, Plano ISD | |
1970 | Clarence K. Stark, El Paso ISD | |
1969 | Ruth Spear, San Marcos CISD | |
1968 | Mabel Wyatt, Bloomington ISD | |
1967 | Lola Fay Wilson, Longview ISD | |
1966 | Elaine Ledbetter, Pampa ISD | Finalist |
1965 | Keene C. Van Ordan, San Angelo ISD | |
1964 | Elsie Guthrie, Memphis ISD | Finalist |
1963 | Marjorie Behringer, Alamo Heights ISD | Finalist |
1961 | Ruth Lee, Teague ISD | |
1957 | Eugene G. Bizzell, Austin ISD | National Teacher of the Year |