About Teacher of the Year
Since 1963, the Washington State Teacher of the Year program has selected one outstanding
educator annually to serve as the Washington State Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year is
selected from a slate of 10 regional candidates representing Washington’s nine Educational Service
Districts and Tribal Schools. In 1963, 1970, 2007, and 2013 the state program garnered national
attention when Elmon Ousley of Bellevue School District, Johnnie T. Dennis of Walla Walla
School District, Andrea Peterson of Granite Falls School District, and Jeff Charbonneau of Zillah
School District respectively, were each selected as the National Teacher of the Year.
The State Teacher of the Year is selected by a statewide committee through written applications
and a series of panel interviews.
Candidates are reviewed based on the following criteria:
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Professional biography
Community involvement
Philosophy of teaching
Responsiveness to education issues and trends
Commitment to strengthening the teaching profession
His or her proposed Teacher of the Year platform
Washington’s statewide recognition programs for educators and schools are supported by the
following partners:
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2015 Washington State Teacher of the Year • From Seed to Apple