Teacher of the Year Application and Qualifications

Application Due Date: by Monday, February 9, 2026, by 4 p.m. EST 

Virginia Teacher of the Year Overview

The Mary V. Bicouvaris Virginia Teacher of the Year Program honors teachers who represent the best in teaching in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation. The program provides school divisions with the opportunity to recognize outstanding teachers and to focus positive public attention on education and the teaching profession. Those who are selected as Regional Teachers of the Year, Teacher of the Year, or National Teacher of the Year become ambassadors for education and enjoy a lifetime of positive memories.

Virginia School Division Superintendents are invited to nominate one teacher for state-level recognition. The locally selected school division's teacher of the year will create a portfolio using the online application for the Virginia Teacher of the Year 2027 in SurveyMonkey Apply (SMApply).

This teacher should create an account with their work email and may collaborate with the Superintendent or designee by sharing their electronic application. The online application serves as a portfolio that highlights a teacher’s excellence across multiple dimensions of professional practice, showcases leadership within the school, district, and/or state, reflects meaningful engagement with their school community, and presents evidence of the teacher’s positive impact on student growth and achievement. Read the full details and sample application (PDF).

• Eligible participants include teachers in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, including library media specialists, school counselors, career and technical educators, mathematics specialists, and reading specialists, who hold a current five- or ten-year renewable Virginia teaching license issued by the Virginia Board of Education in their assigned teaching area.
• Ineligible participants include individuals holding provisional, provisional (special education), provisional (career switcher), eligibility, or international educator teaching licenses.
• Eligible participants must possess a current renewable Virginia teaching license with appropriate endorsement(s) for their teaching assignment and must be actively teaching in a Virginia public or accredited nonpublic school.
• Eligible candidates must be exceptionally skilled and dedicated teachers who plan to continue in active teaching status.
• Eligible candidates must be willing to fulfill the responsibilities associated with the Teacher of the Year designation.
• Ineligible candidates include those who plan to retire or accept administrative or supervisory positions.
• Eligible candidates should earn the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues, and play active and meaningful roles in both their schools and communities. Many will have distinguished themselves as leaders in public education at the local, regional, and/or state levels.
• Eligible candidates should be in good standing within their school and division, and demonstrate poise, articulate communication, and strong knowledge of both their subject area and the broader field of education.

Important: Even if a local school division’s selected Teacher of the Year does not meet the established state criteria, they are encouraged to submit their name, contact information, and school division information in the SMApply application sections. This ensures they receive formal recognition from the VDOE and Teacher of the Year program sponsors.

The application includes school information, educational history and professional development activities, essays, letters of support, signatures (Superintendent, Principal, Teacher of the Year), and acknowledgements.  

All Virginia Teacher of the Year 2027 application materials must be received in SMApply by Monday, February 9, 2026, no later than 4:00 p.m. EST. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. Applications cannot be submitted until all required signatures and recommendations have been uploaded. Please check back periodically to monitor the recommendation status.

Send questions to: teacheroftheyear@doe.virginia.gov