Teach Plus Teacher Leader Named 2026 National Teacher of the Year
Leon Smith
National Teacher Policy Senior Cabinet Member
"Leon Smith embodies the very best of what it means to be a teacher leader. His selection as National Teacher of the Year is a testament not only to his transformative impact in the classroom but to his unwavering commitment to shaping the policies that ensure every student has access to an excellent education and the opportunity to reach their full potential."
Excellent Teachers Shaping Policy and Practice
What if great teachers had a voice in shaping the education policies that affect their students every day? Teach Plus teacher leaders do and they are telling their stories on national public television.
“When teachers are empowered, students are empowered. And when students are empowered, they have access to the tools that will enable them to fulfill their dreams” —Teach Plus CEO Kira Orange Jones.
Teach Plus Teacher Leaders Are Advancing Opportunities and Outcomes for Students
None of the investments we can make in education will matter without excellent teachers like the ones I work with at Teach Plus. …With sustained investments, we can collectively smooth the path forward for all of Michigan’s students.
Ben Locke
Michigan Executive Director
Reagan Curran, Texas Policy Fellow
Anthony Segura, California Senior Policy Fellow
Our Teachers' Impact Keeps Growing
808
Teacher leaders trained through Teach Plus programs in 2024
158
Op-eds by Teach Plus teacher leaders in 2024
4,100
Active participants in the Teach Plus Network
Become a Teach Plus Teacher Leader
Advocate for policy changes at all levels of the system
Collaborate with excellent teachers to improve instruction
Resources and News
East Boston teacher honored with Milken Educator Award
- WCVB-TV
How English Class Improves Students’ Social-Emotional Skills
- Education Week
Middle school teacher: Time for Mississippi ‘to switch on reading lightbulb’
- Mississippi Today
The Kinds of CTE Courses Students Are Demanding From Their Schools
- Education Week
As students adopt AI, critical thinking matters more than ever
- Daily Herald
Setting Students Up to Struggle: Why Misaligned Math Standards Hold Kids Back
- Newton County Enterprise
