The Mississippi Teacher of the Year Program, sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Education, recognizes outstanding achievement and performance by our public school teachers. Each local school district has the opportunity to honor its teachers and nominate one for the state title. The Mississippi Teacher of the Year must be a certified classroom teacher (K-12) in a state-accredited public school that plans to teach the following year. The teacher should have superior ability to inspire students, should possess leadership capabilities, and should be an active member of the community.
Official entry forms and instructions will be mailed to each district's central office. The local Teacher of the Year entry form, signed by the local superintendent, is returned to the Mississippi Department of Education for judging, Four finalists (one from each Congressional District) are chosen by a selection committee. The teacher selected as the Mississippi Teacher of the Year will be the state's nominee for National Teacher of the Year.
The Mississippi Teacher of the Year receives a one-time award of $5000 from the Mississippi Department of Education.
7 Miss. Code. R. 3-11.3