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Meet the 2021 National Teacher of the Year Finalists

2021 Finalist

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is thrilled to announce that four exemplary educators from across the country have been named finalists for 2021 National Teacher of the Year. The finalists are:

Lachanda Garrison​ DC 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Alejandro Diasgranados, the 2021 District of Columbia Teacher of the Year, teaches fourth and fifth grade English and social studies, and has worked with community partners to ensure students have access to essentials like warm coats, laundry facilities, and laptops.

Laura Juliana Urtubey Nevada 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Juliana Urtubey, the 2021 Nevada Teacher of the Year, is a National Board Certified elementary special education teacher known as “Ms. Earth” for her service and leadership in addressing critical issues of educational equity by unifying the school community through gardens and murals.

Maureen Stover North Carolina 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Maureen Stover, the 2021 North Carolina Teacher of the Year, is an Air Force veteran and high school biology and earth and environmental science teacher who seeks to provide clear pathways for students to successfully enter the career or college program of their choice upon graduation from high school.

John Arthur Utah 2021 State Teacher of the Year

John Arthur, the 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year, is a sixth-grade teacher whose students have gained national recognition as advocates for children and immigrants through the videos they create and share on their YouTube channel, 9thEvermore.

Each year, states, the District of Columbia, U.S. extra-state territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity select exemplary educators to serve as State Teachers of the Year. The 2021 cohort includes 56 educators. From that group, the National Teacher of the Year selection committee, which includes representatives from 16 education organizations, selects four finalists based on written applications.

The finalists announced today will complete virtual interviews with the selection committee, and the 2021 National Teacher of the Year will be announced later this spring. The 2021 National Teacher of the Year will spend the next year serving as an ambassador for education and an advocate for all teachers and students.

CCSSO’s National Teacher of the Year Program identifies exceptional educators across the country, celebrates their work in and outside the classroom, and, through a one-of-a-kind professional development opportunity helps them amplify their voices and empowers them to take part in policy discussions at the state and national level.  

More information on the finalists is available here. Special thanks to the National Teacher of the Year Program sponsors: Curriculum Associates, ETS, Google for Education, Pearson, Verizon Business, and Voya Financial.

2021 National Teacher of the Year Sponsors

Google for Education logo
Voya Financial logo
Curriculum Associates
Educational Testing Service
Pearson