Teacher and Principal of the Year Programs
Elise Boutin,
2025 Louisiana State
Teacher of the Year
Dr. Amanda Austin,
2025 Louisiana State
Principal of the Year
The Department Names the 2026 Teacher and Principal of the Year Semifinalists
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that great teachers and school leaders are critical to student success. Annually, the Department, in partnership with Dream Teachers and the Louisiana Association of Principals, recognizes and celebrates some of the state’s most exceptional educators through the Teacher and Principal of the Year programs. These programs provide an opportunity to acknowledge those teachers and leaders who are making outstanding gains with students. Their commitment to student success exemplifies Louisiana’s education profession.
This year, school systems across the state submitted nominations to the state-level Teacher and Principal of the Year process. From this impressive group, the Department is proud to announce the 2026 Teacher and Principal of the Year Semifinalists.
All Teacher and Principal of the Year Semifinalists will be honored at the 19th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala that will be held at the World War II Museum in New Orleans on the evening of July 26, 2025. During this event, the overall and division-level winners will be named. This exciting event is co-sponsored by Dream Teachers.
Calling all Excellent New Educators
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that great teachers and school leaders are critical to student success. Annually, the Department honors the state’s most exceptional educators through the Teacher and Principal of the Year programs. These programs provide an opportunity to acknowledge educators who are achieving excellence. The Louisiana Department of Education, in partnership with Dream Teachers, has launched the New Teacher Of the Year program which recognizes and celebrates some of the state’s most exceptional new educators.
This program provides an opportunity to acknowledge those new teachers who are already demonstrating excellence in the classroom and their commitment to student success that exemplifies Louisiana’s teaching profession. This addition to the already-existing Teacher and Principal of the Year programs will recognize the outstanding contributions of a first-year classroom teacher.
New Teacher of the Year Announcements
New Teacher of the Year Resources
Nicole Williams
2025 Early Childhood
Teacher of the Year
Rockeisha Walker
2025 Early Childhood
Leader of the Year
The Department Names the 2026 Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year Finalists
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that great teachers and leaders are critical to student success. Annually the department, in partnership with Dream Teachers announces exemplary early childhood teachers and leaders. Eligible candidates are teachers or directors (leaders) in CCAP- certified Type III Centers, CCAP- certified Family Child Care Sites, Head Start Centers, or Early Head Start Centers.
The state-level application process has closed. This year, individuals across the state submitted nominations for this award program. The award program will accept nominations for the next award year in the Fall of 2025. Congratulations to these outstanding educators!
Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year Award Application
Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year - Finalists Announced in the Spring
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that outstanding school support staff are critical to school success. Annually, the Department recognizes and celebrates some of the state’s most exceptional school support staff through the Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year Awards program. This program provides the opportunity to acknowledge those support employees (teacher aide, paraprofessional, school bus driver, food service worker, clerical, custodial or maintenance personnel, or any other employee who is not required to hold a teacher's certificate as a condition of employment) who have rendered time and talents beyond the call of duty. These staff play an integral role in school and student success.
The state-level application process has closed. Thanks to the school systems that submitted candidates to the state-level process. Congratulations to these outstanding education stakeholders!
In the Spring, the ten Finalists will be notified via email. At that time, the list will also be posted to this website.
2024 Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year Honorees
School Health Service Provider of the Year - Finalists Announced in the Spring
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that student health plays a vital role in education and school health providers are the critical link in ensuring health service delivery to students. Through the School Health Service Provider of the Year Timeline, the LDOE recognizes and celebrates some of the state’s most exceptional school health providers. This program provides an opportunity to acknowledge school health providers who demonstrate superior provision of health services in schools and support the expansion of health services in schools.
The state-level application process has closed. Thanks to the school systems that submitted candidates to the state-level process. Congratulations to these outstanding education stakeholders!
In the Spring, the five Finalists will be notified via email. At that time, the list will also be posted to this website.
2024 School Health Service Provider of the Year Honorees
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School Physical Activity Award - Finalists Announced in the Spring
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes healthy and physically active students tend to have better grades, school attendance, cognitive performance, and classroom behaviors. Additionally, schools play a vital role in allowing students the opportunity for regular physical activity before, during and after school. To recognize outstanding public elementary and secondary schools that are implementing an outstanding physical activity program, the Department will be recognizing and honoring exemplary schools through the School Physical Activity Award Timeline.
The state-level application process has closed. Thanks to the school systems that submitted schools to the state-level process. Congratulations to these outstanding schools!
The eight Finalists will be notified via email in the spring, and the list will also be posted to this website.
2024 School Physical Activity Award Honorees
Louisiana Exemplary Educator Recognition Program
The Louisiana Exemplary Educator Recognition Program was created to honor and elevate exceptional early- to mid-career teachers, teacher specialists, assistant principals and principals who exemplify Louisiana’s education profession. This program provides an opportunity to honor those educators who offer strong, long-range potential for professional and policy leadership. If selected as an Exemplary Educator, the educator will receive a certificate of recognition, honored during a Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) meeting and may be invited to participate on advisory boards and task forces, as well as be considered for other state and national recognition programs. The recommendation process is not open at this time.
Exemplary Educator Recognition Program Resources
In 2018, the Department, in partnership with the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), launched the inaugural LouisianaPublic Interest Fellowship. The fellowship allows recipients to spend the upcoming school year advocating for a key education initiative of their choosing. You may read more about the fellows and their work.
Public Interest Fellowship Overview
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Kylie Altier,
2024 Public Interest Fellow
Previous Louisiana Public Interest Fellowship Honorees
The Louisiana Models of Excellence initiative was created to acknowledge, honor, and spotlight schools and school systems that serve as exemplary models for implementing the Department’s educational priorities and advancing student success. This initiative has three main goals:
- To create high-impact partnerships across school systems
- To celebrate excellence in Louisiana schools
- To share stories of success and provide models for others to see
The Department is now accepting nominations for the 2024-2025 Louisiana Models of Excellence.
School systems may submit nominations for a school or a system-wide initiative through the online portal.
Nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis; however, nominations must be submitted by February 3, 2025 to be considered for the 2024-2025 school year.
Previous Louisiana Models of Excellence Honorees
The Department Names the 2025 Students of the Year Finalists
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that many outstanding students are enrolled in public, nonpublic or charter schools throughout the state of Louisiana. To acknowledge these accomplishments, the Department, in conjunction with the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), annually honors one incredible fifth, eighth, and twelfth-grade student based on their leadership, academic performance, achievements, citizenship and service to the school and community.
This year, school systems across the state submitted Students of the Year candidates for the zone-level process. In January, the 2025 Students of the Year Regional Honorees were named. From this impressive group, the Department is proud to announce the 2025 Students of the Year Finalists.
All finalists will be recognized and celebrated at the 2025 Students of the Year Award Ceremony, which will be held at Louisiana State University’s Lod Cook Alumni Center on May 16. During this prestigious event, the overall 5th, 8th, and 12th grade Students of the Year will be named.
Congratulations to these outstanding students!
Purple Star School Award Program
To earn the recognition, schools shall engage in the following activities:
- Designate a staff member to serve as a military liaison and engage in the following:
- Serve as the primary point of contact for military connected students and families
- Work to identify special considerations needed by military-connected students and families
- Develop training to inform teachers and other school personnel of those special considerations
- Create a dedicated page on its website featuring resources for military-connected students and families
- Create a student-led transition program to provide peer support for military-connected students
The school system shall engage in the following:
- Adopt a resolution stating the commitment to support military-connected students and families
- Assign a central office staff member to be the contact for the school-based liaison and military-connected students and families
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School systems who meet the above criteria should complete the Purple Star School Award form. Schools that earn the designation will be provided a printed certificate, a digital badge, and a digital badge will be added to the school's page on Louisiana School Finder. Please note, SchoolFinder is updated three times a year.
Purple Star School Award Form
Louisiana School Finder
United States Senate Youth Program
Applications for the 2025 United States Senate Youth Program are now open. The 63rd Annual Washington Week will occur March 1-8, 2025.The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) will select two student delegates to represent Louisiana in the 63rd Annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. Each delegate will receive a $10,000 scholarship. Juniors and seniors may qualify to apply for the USSY Scholarship based on leadership positions they hold during the 2024-2025 school year per the USSYP official criteria for the current academic school year. All student leadership qualifying positions are subject to the judgment of the state selection administrator and will be verified and confirmed. Students nominated by their principals must submit an application and a portfolio of required USSYP official criteria to the Louisiana Department of Education. All applications must be submitted and timestamped through the application portal by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, October 4, 2024.
Please read the National Brochure and 2024-2025 Logistics Memo for more information including eligibility requirements and the application process. State finalists will be notified by Friday, October 25, 2024, and delegates and alternates will be informed in mid-December of final selection.
U.S. Presidential Scholars Program
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school students selected on the basis of outstanding scholarship. All high school seniors graduating between January and August 2025, who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents and who attend public, parochial, or independent schools, as well as those who are home-schooled, are eligible. School systems can submit, for LDOE consideration, up to two students in the General Component and up to two students in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Component. The Department can nominate up to 10 males and 10 females AND up to five additional students for the CTE recognition component.
This is a recognition program, not a scholarship program. The 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be selected by the Commission on Presidential Scholars and receive the Presidential Scholars Medallion.
In order to recommend students for nomination to the program, school systems are required to submit to the LDOE a parental release form for each nominated student and complete a JotForm application for each student by 4 p.m. November 8, 2024. It is recommended that school systems review the LDOE evaluation rubric prior to nominating students.