The Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine seeks nominations for the 2025 County Teachers of the Year and the 2026 State Teacher of the Year.

Maine’s State and County Teachers of the Year serve as advocates for teachers, students, and public education in Maine, in particular for the 2025 Somerset County Teacher of the Year.

“The Maine Teacher of the Year program is an excellent opportunity to recognize the extraordinary educators across our state who are dedicated to their schools and communities — and who are engaging, inspiring and motivating their students every day,” Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin said, according to a news release from the department. “These nominations will give 16 Maine teachers a prominent platform to share the wonderful, innovative happenings in Maine’s classrooms and advocate for public education.”

Nominations can be made by 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, through a form on the Maine Teacher of the Year website, mainetoy.org. Nominations will be accepted from students, parents, caregivers, community members, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members and associations/organizations. Self-nominations and nominations from family members are not accepted.

The 2025 County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May, and the 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year will be selected from the 16 county honorees. Through a selection process designed by educators, the field will be narrowed to semi-finalists and then state finalists before the Maine Teacher of the Year is announced by the DOE commissioner at a school assembly in the fall.

Check out upcoming area events!