The Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine are excited to announce that nominations are officially open for the 2025 County Teachers of the Year and the 2026 State Teacher of the Year. Maine’s State and County Teachers of the Year serve as advocates for teachers, students, and public education in Maine. More nominations are being sought for the 2025 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year honor.

“The Maine Teacher of the Year program is an excellent opportunity to recognize the extraordinary educators across our state who are dedicated to their schools and communities – and who are engaging, inspiring, and motivating their students every day,” Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin said. “These nominations will give 16 Maine teachers a prominent platform to share the wonderful, innovative happenings in Maine’s classrooms and advocate for public education.”

Nominations can be made through 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31 on a form on the Maine Teacher of the Year website (https://www.mainetoy.org/nominate).  Nominations will be accepted from students, parents, caregivers, community members, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members, and associations/organizations. Self-nominations and nominations from family members are not accepted.

Teachers who are nominated must:

Hold the appropriate professional certification for their teaching position;

Be a certified, in-good-standing, pre-K-12 teacher in a state-accredited public school – including career and technical education and adult education centers, public charter schools, or publicly-supported secondary schools (i.e. private schools that enroll 60 percent or more publicly-funded students, sometimes referred to as “town academies”);

Be actively teaching students at least 50 percent of the workday at the time of nomination and during their year of recognition;

Maintain their teaching position and remain in the county for which they are selected throughout the year of recognition;

Have a minimum of five years of teaching, three of which are in Maine.

Beyond serving as advocates for education, Maine’s State and County Teachers of the Year serve as advisors to the Maine DOE and state-level education stakeholders across Maine. State and County Teachers of the Year also join a cohort of teacher leaders who actively work together for the betterment of education in Maine. They receive ongoing professional learning and participate in many county and state leadership opportunities.

The 2025 County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May, and the 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year will be selected from the 16 county honorees. Through a selection process designed by educators, the field will be narrowed to semi-finalists and then state finalists before the Maine Teacher of the Year is announced by the Commissioner of the Maine DOE at a school assembly in the fall. Each year, State and County Teachers of the Year are honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala.

On behalf of, and in partnership with, the Maine DOE, the Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led organization with a mission of championing college, career readiness, and increased educational attainment. Funding is provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Dead River Company, Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine State Lottery, the Silvernail family, and Unum, with support from the State Board of Education, and the Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association.

“Educate Maine is honored to continue our partnership with the Maine Department of Education to administer the Maine Teacher of the Year program,” Educate Maine Executive Director Dr. Jason Judd said. “Our State and County Teachers of the Year exemplify the incredible dedication, innovation, and impact of educators across Maine. This program celebrates the vital role teachers play in shaping our future, elevates their voices, and strengthens the profession through leadership and advocacy.”

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is committed to a nomination and selection process that ensures people of all backgrounds are represented. Educate Maine and the Maine DOE champion that commitment by encouraging the nomination of educators from all culturally-diverse experiences and backgrounds. Our goal is to expand and diversify our nomination pool.

Through the generous support of Maine businesses, there is no cost to the local district when the Maine Teacher of the Year is out of the classroom on their official duties, which include representing educators statewide and nationally and highlighting the important work of Maine schools, communities, and educators.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, please visit the Maine Teacher of the Year website.