Meet the five finalists for CCSSO's 2026 National Teacher of the Year!
CCSSO runs the National Teacher of the Year Program with Google as the lead sponsor. Each year, states, U.S. extra-state territories, the District of Columbia and the Department of War Education Activity select outstanding educators to serve as State Teachers of the Year.
From a cohort of 56 State Teachers of the Year, the National Teacher of the Year Selection Committee selected the finalists based on applications.
CCSSO asked the finalists about their proudest moments and advice they would share with beginning teachers. Here’s what they had to say:
Alabama State Teacher of the Year Katie Collins is a first grade teacher at Bluff Park Elementary in Hoover, Alabama. Now in her 21st year of teaching, she believes relationships are the foundation for student success and finds joy in recognizing and nurturing each student’s unique gifts.
“My proudest moment is when the lightbulb goes off for a student,” she says. “You see the child who was not able to read actually read the math directions and then the whole class starts to cheer because everybody knows what an accomplishment [that is].”
Collins is dedicated to modeling her love for learning, including normalizing and celebrating failure as part of the learning process and facilitating student autonomy and leadership. In Collins’ application for National Teacher of the Year, a parent wrote that Collins “embraces challenges and models of resilience showing her students that setbacks are stepping stones” and that students “leave her class with a sense of belonging in their community.”
Collins’ advice to younger colleagues is to embrace innovative approaches and technology. “Learning is something that never stops,” she says. “I was teaching on an overhead projector when I started. We’re always learning something new.”
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Georgia State Teacher of the Year Rachel Kinsaul teaches agriculture at Morgan County High School in Madison, Georgia. Her students have created flower arrangements for more than 50 weddings, raised more than $1.1 million in grants and donations to build a community barn and successfully lobbied for land conservation legislation protecting local farmland.
She says her proudest moment as an educator was her students’ success in the Future Farmers of America’s Agricultural Issues Forum, which allows students to research and present current agricultural issues to public audiences. “Seeing my students shine through that process was an awe-inspiring process for me,” she says.
A 15-year veteran, Kinsaul views agricultural education not only as workforce preparation, but as a way to cultivate purpose-driven leaders. A student wrote about Kinsaul in Kinsaul’s National Teacher of the Year application: “She has single-handedly shaped me into the entrepreneur, student, advocate, speaker and person I am today.”
Kinsaul encourages younger teachers to make connections beyond the classroom — to benefit themselves and their students.
“Really immerse yourself into the community,” she says. “The opportunities and the doors that will open for your students are invaluable.”
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Kentucky State Teacher of the Year Michelle Gross teaches seventh grade mathematics and a gifted studies class called The Academy at Spencer County Middle School in Taylorsville, Kentucky. She believes that meaningful learning happens when students see the relevance of what they are studying, which is why she emphasizes project-based learning and authentic, real-world experiences.
“My proudest moment is when I see my former students doing really cool things out in the world, changing the world,” she says.
Gross created a Dream House Project, where students design their future homes, create blueprints and build models to showcase to local professionals in the field. She often dissolves the traditional classroom walls by inviting professionals, community members and former students to share their experiences and expertise, helping current students see themselves in future careers and opportunities. In Gross’ application for National Teacher of the Year, a colleague wrote: “Few educators have the ability to transform the hearts and minds of their students the way Ms. Gross does.”
Gross advises new teachers to help students see “that they do have something to contribute,” a lesson she learned in helping her students overcome apprehensions about math. “When I prioritized building the relationships with kids, inviting them in, helping them to see that they are mathematicians, that everyone can be a mathematician, it changed the dynamics of my classroom.”
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Minnesota State Teacher of the Year Linda Wallenberg is an English teacher at Eden Prairie High School in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, with more than 50 years of experience in the classroom. “Wally,” as she is called by her students and colleagues, has experienced many changes over the years, but her commitment to her students has been constant.
“I think what keeps me here is knowing that curiosity, wonder … have been expressed for five decades,” she says, “and I’m still learning.”
Wallenberg has also taught Swedish and served as gymnastics coach, and her enthusiasm is contagious. A former student wrote in Wallenberg’s application for National Teacher of the Year: “Wally’s classroom was a magnet. When most classrooms are empty, hers was bustling.”
Wallenberg is especially proud of having inspired countless students to become teachers. She encourages new teachers to take advantage of technology in their classrooms, but to maintain the human touch. “What hasn’t changed is the fact that sitting in those desks are hearts that want to have a voice, that want to know they are important, that they belong, that they matter,” she says.
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Pennsylvania State Teacher of the Year Leon Smith teaches Advanced Placement United States history and Advanced Placement African American studies at Haverford High School in Havertown, Pennsylvania. He has 25 years of experience as an educator, leader, mentor and policy advocate dedicated to empowering both students and teachers.
Smith says he takes pride in creating an environment where his students can achieve success. “My message has always been that I want to make sure that all students feel a sense of belonging, that they are receiving a sense of dignity within the school,” he says.
Smith emphasizes critical thinking, civic engagement and the inclusion of multiple perspectives in history. His teaching is rooted in the conviction that education has the power to transform lives and inspire students to achieve their highest potential. A student wrote in Smith’s application for National Teacher of the Year: “The most important thing I learned was exactly what type of teacher I want to be in the future. I want to be a teacher, just like Mr. Smith.”
Smith advises colleagues just getting started in the profession to balance the fulfillment of teaching students with the joy of spending time with family.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and there are going to be students 25 years from now who will need you, and you’ll need to take care of yourself to get there,” he says.
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CCSSO will announce the 2026 National Teacher of the Year on Tuesday, April 21, on CBS Mornings. The 2026 National Teacher of the Year will spend a year serving as an ambassador for education and uplifting the teaching profession.
