Application and Selection Process
Eligible Kentucky public school teachers can apply for the Kentucky Teacher of the Year Award. Information on the application procedure, applicant qualifications, award selection criteria and program timeline are included on this page.
Nominate a Teacher
Nominations for the 2025 Kentucky Teacher of the Year awards closed Dec. 15, 2023.
Presented by the Kentucky Department of Education, the awards celebrate some of the Commonwealth's most outstanding educators. Any full-time, certified public school teacher in the state with at least 10 years of experience is eligible.
Teachers may be nominated by students, parents, teaching peers, principals, superintendents or anyone in the community who has an interest in honoring an outstanding educator.
All nominated teachers will be invited by KDE to complete and submit a formal application for awards consideration.
Nominees should:
- Be an expert in their field who advances growth for students of all backgrounds and abilities;
- Build collaborative relationships with colleagues, students and families to create a school culture of equity and success;
- Deliberately connect the classroom to the community to impact student growth and learning;
- Be a lifelong learner and teacher leader and use innovative learning experiences in and out of the classroom; and
- Express themselves in an engaging and clear way that conveys the lived experience to a variety of audiences.