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Professional Development

Teacher of the Year

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Louisiana Teacher of the Year Program

TOY Logo

The Louisiana Teacher of the Year Program, which is co-sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Education and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, is an annual event designed to recognize and honor outstanding elementary, middle, and high school teachers from each local school system throughout the state. Acts 134 and 308 of the 1986 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session mandate that public schools in Louisiana participate in this recognition program.

Following selection at the district and regional levels, Regional Teachers of the Year are honored by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education where the following are named:

Louisiana Teacher of the Year
Elementary School Teacher of the Year
Middle/Junior High School Teacher of the Year
High School Teacher of the Year

The statewide competition is part of the National Teacher of the Year Program, sponsored by the ING Foundation and a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers, a nonpartisan, nationwide organization of public officials who head departments of education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. Select the link below to visit the home page of the National Teacher of the Year Program on the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) web site.

National Teacher of the Year Program

Eligibility Requirements

A candidate for Louisiana Teacher of the Year should hold full state certification and be a classroom teacher in any state-approved or accredited public school, prekindergarten through grade twelve, who plans to continue in an active teaching status.

The major purpose of the program is to recognize the contributions of the classroom teacher. Therefore, junior college and university teachers, school personnel whose major responsibilities are administrative or supervisory, principals, assistant principals, guidance counselors, and librarians are ineligible.

The Louisiana Teacher of the Year application is linked below.

Teacher of the Year Application Rubric Word
2009 TOY Application.doc Word

Selection Process

Each district superintendent is invited to nominate three candidates—one each at the elementary, middle/junior high, and high school levels—from his or her school system, which includes Type 1, Type 3, and Type 4 charter schools located within that district. Each superintendent/administrator of an Approved Special School or Type 2 Charter School authorized by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education or a University Laboratory School is invited to nominate one candidate at the elementary, middle/junior high school, OR high school level.

Regional Selection Committees review each candidate’s application packet and select three Regional Teachers of the Year—one each at the elementary, middle/junior high, and high school levels—who advance to the state-level competition.

The State Selection Committee reviews the application packets, interviews each of the 24 Regional Teachers of the Year, and names the Louisiana Teacher of the Year—the applicant with the highest overall score—to represent the state as a candidate for National Teacher of the Year. They also name the Elementary School Teacher of the Year, Middle/Junior High School Teacher of the Year, and High School Teacher of the Year.

Recognition

All Regional Teachers of the Year will be honored by the State Department of Education and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Teachers of the Year may be called upon on various occasions during their year of recognition to serve as special advisers to the State Superintendent regarding classroom teaching or to serve on Louisiana Department of Education committees concerning curricular development, teacher education, and student involvement.

For more information contact:
Frankie Erwin
Administrative Program Specialist frankie.erwin@la.gov	(225)342-0707 (225)342-7367 Fax

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