Washington, D.C. (January 30, 2025) – The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) today announced that four inspiring educators from across the country are finalists for the 2025 National Teacher of the Year.
CCSSO runs the National Teacher of the Year Program with Google for Education becoming the lead sponsor in 2025. Each year, states, U.S. extra-state territories, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity select outstanding educators to serve as State Teachers of the Year.
From a cohort of 56 State Teachers of the Year, the National Teacher of the Year Selection Committee, comprising 14 individuals and education organizations, selected finalists based on written applications.
This year’s finalists are:
Mikaela Saelua, the 2025 American Samoa Teacher of the Year, teaches senior English, journalism/yearbook, AP English language and composition at Leone High School in the Western District of American Samoa.
Saelua’s Teacher of the Year bio and application are available here.
Janet Renee Damon, the 2025 Colorado Teacher of the Year, teaches history and has taught in Denver Public Schools for more than 25 years as a history teacher, literacy interventionist, library specialist and trainer and a K-12 school librarian.
Damon’s Teacher of the Year bio and application are available here.
Jazzmyne Townsend, the 2025 District of Columbia Teacher of the Year, is a K-5 English language arts (ELA) instructional coach at Stanton Elementary School, where she utilizes research-based and developmentally appropriate strategies to meet student needs.
Townsend’s Teacher of the Year bio and application are available here.
Ashlie Crosson, the 2025 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, is an English teacher at Mifflin County High School who teaches Advanced Placement language and composition, journalism, English 10 and Survival Stories.
Crosson’s Teacher of the Year bio and application are available here.
“The National Teacher of the Year Program highlights educators across the country and territories whose unparalleled teaching methods and approach in learning empowers and excites students,” said CCSSO Chief Executive Officer Carissa Moffat Miller. “By connecting the classroom to community, these finalists are preparing students for everyday life challenges by embracing their individual and unique strengths. Congratulations to our finalists, and I thank the Selection Committee for their efforts in this selection process.”
The finalists announced today will interview with the National Teacher of the Year Program’s Selection Committee, and CCSSO will announce the 2025 National Teacher of the Year this spring. The 2025 National Teacher of the Year will spend the next year serving as an ambassador and advocate for all teachers and students.
“The 2025 National Teacher of the Year finalists are intentional leaders focused on creating lifelong learners who will thrive in a changing world. With an array of unique experiences, teaching methods and backgrounds, these exceptional educators share a common goal, fostering an environment where students find success and become meaningful contributors in the world,” the Selection Committee said. “This year’s finalists exemplify what it means to be the National Teacher of the Year and are all worthy of this honor.”
CCSSO’s National Teacher of the Year Program honors exceptional teachers across the country, identified by their states and territories as teachers of the year, by celebrating their work. Through a one-of-a-kind professional learning program, the National Teacher of the Year Program helps teachers amplify their instructional practices as well as their voices and empowers them to take part in policy discussions at the state and national level.
More information about the 2025 State Teachers of the Year and CCSSO’s National Teacher of the Year Program is available at ntoy.ccsso.org.
Special thanks to the National Teacher of the Year Program sponsors:
Lead Sponsor: Google for Education
Platinum: Pearson
Gold: American Institutes Research, Cambium Assessment, Cognia, Curriculum Associates, Data Recognition Corporation, ETS, HMH and NWEA, Maxwell Leadership, MetaMetrics, Mrs. Wordsmith, Smarter Balanced and Voya.
Supporters: College Football Playoff Foundation, Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, Smithsonian, Space Camp and TEDEd.
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The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, Bureau of Indian Education, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.
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