Teacher and Principal of the Year Programs
Regena Hartley Beard
2026 Louisiana State
Teacher of the Year
Justin Wax
2026 Louisiana State
Principal of the Year
Calling All Excellent Educators - Nominations Portal Opens
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 exceptional gains with students. Their commitment to student success exemplifies Louisiana’s education profession.
In July, the Department, in partnership with Dream Teachers, celebrated the 2026 Teacher and Principal of the Year State-Level Honorees at the 19th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala, which was held at World War II Museum in New Orleans.
The search is now on for next year’s Teacher and Principal of the Year honorees. Part of the selection process for naming the district and state-level honorees includes recommendations from teachers, principals, district employees, parents, colleagues, and community members. If you know an outstanding teacher or leader, please submit a nomination and/or self-nominations.
The nominations portal is open through September 30. Multiple nominations are accepted, as well as self-nominations. At the end of the nominations process, the nominations will be sent to local school districts for their consideration in this year’s process.
The application materials for the 2025-2026 school year will be uploaded to the website in the fall.
Candidate Resources
State Teacher and Principal of the Year Honoree Announcements
2024-2025 Teacher and Principal of the Year Timeline/Applications/Materials
2024-2025 Teacher and Principal of the Year Informational Webinars for Candidates and Coordinators
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
Brooklynn Johnson-Botley
2026 Early Childhood
Teacher of the Year
Devonda Whittington-Warren
2026 Early Childhood
Leader of the Year
Calling All Excellent Early Childhood Educators - Nominations Portal Opens
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that great teachers and leaders are critical to early childhood success. Annually, the Department, in partnership with Dream Teachers, recognizes and celebrates some of the state’s most exceptional early childhood educators through the Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year programs. These programs provide an opportunity to acknowledge those teachers and leaders who are making exceptional gains with children and families everyday. Their commitment to early childhood student success exemplifies Louisiana’s education profession.
In July, the Department, in partnership with Dream Teachers, celebrated the 2026 Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year overall state-level honorees at the 19th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala, which was held at World War II Museum in New Orleans.
The search is now on for next year’s Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year honorees. Part of the selection process includes recommendations from teachers, principals, district employees, parents, colleagues, self-nominations and community members. If you know an outstanding teacher or leader, please submit a nomination and/or self-nominations.
The nominations portal is open through September 30. Multiple nominations are accepted, as well as self-nominations. At the end of the nominations process, the LDOE will review nominees and the nominees will be encouraged to apply for the award.
The application materials for the 2025-2026 school year will be uploaded to the website in the fall.
Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year Award Application
Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year Announcements
Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year Overview Documents
Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year Timeline/Application/Materials
Early Childhood Teacher and Leader of the Year Webinars
Outstanding School Support Employee Award - Application Process Opens
The Louisiana Department of Education recognizes that outstanding school support staff are critical to school success. Annually, the LDOE 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 Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year application process is now open. All applications, materials, and the timeline are available in the resources section.
All school systems are encouraged to select up to three support staff employees, one per division (elementary, middle, and high) as their local-level honorees and submit these selections to the state process.
State-level applications are due by December 9, 2025 and are to be submitted in the Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year online application portal.
Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year Application Portal
Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year Honoree Announcements
Outstanding School Support Employee of the Year Resources
School Health Service Provider Award - Application Process Opens
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 Program, 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, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses, and licensed behavioral health providers (LCSW/LMSW, LPC, and psychologists) who demonstrate superior provision of health services in schools and support the expansion of health services in schools.
The School Health Service Provider of the Year application process is now open. All applications, materials, and the timeline are available in the resources section.
All school systems are encouraged to select up to five school health service providers- one physical therapist, one occupational therapist, one nurse, one speech therapist, and one psychologist—to submit applications to the state process.
State-level applications are due by December 9, 2025 and are to be submitted in the School Health Service Provider of the Year online application portal.
School Health Service Provider of the Year Application Portal
School Health Service Provider of the Year Honoree Announcements
School Health Service Provider of the Year Resources
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 Timeline/Materials
In 2018, the Department, in partnership with the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), launched the inaugural Louisiana Public 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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Carra "Beth" Melton,
2025 Public Interest Fellow
