The Colorado Department of Education is calling for nominations for Colorado’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year program elevates and celebrates exceptional educators, and the state’s 2025 winner will become a nominee for the National Teacher of the Year award. The nomination form is available online (www.bit.ly/CO_TOY) and will be open until Tuesday, May 28.
Eligible nominees must be public school teachers from state-accredited K-12 schools who plan to continue teaching through the 2025-2026 school year. Anyone can nominate an educator, and nominees will be invited to submit an application for the 2025 Teacher of the Year program.
Commissioner Susana Córdova said: “We are excited to launch this first step of our 2025 Teacher of the Year Program. Everyone has that special teacher who has made a difference in their lives, and this is Colorado’s opportunity to let us know about those transformational educators!”
“It was the best moment of my career when I was chosen to be Colorado’s Teacher of the Year,” said 2024 Teacher of the Year Jessica May. “I am thankful that I was nominated and so glad that I completed the application process.”
Following the nominations, representatives from the Colorado Department of Education will contact nominees to provide information about the Teacher of the Year Program application process. Applicants will be asked to consider and respond to essay questions and work with their school and district leaders to complete application forms. The Colorado Department of Education will be offering virtual office hours in April to provide support for applicants.
Boettcher Foundation Vice President of Grants and Programs Tiffany Anderson said: “We are proud to sponsor the Colorado Teacher of the Year program to continue to elevate the profession in our state. We want to shine a light on our state’s teachers and thank them for everything they do every day. We encourage the public to nominate their favorite teachers to be our next Teacher of the Year.”
The Colorado Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by the Boettcher Foundation and supported by partnerships with the Colorado Education Association, Adams State University, Blue Bell Ice Cream, and Denver 7.
