STATE OF NEW MEXICO
PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
300 DON GASPAR
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO 87501-2786
Telephone (505) 827-5800
www.ped.state.nm.us
HANNA SKANDERA
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION
SUSANA MARTINEZ
GOVERNOR
September 3, 2015
RE: Teacher of the Year
Dear Superintendents and Charter Leaders:
The Educator Effectiveness and School Leadership Bureau is pleased to announce the 2015-16 Teacher of the
Year application process, and will begin receiving nominations effective immediately through September 25,
2015.
Program History
Now in its noteworthy fifty-second year, the New Mexico Teacher of the Year Program began in 1963.
Each year, all New Mexico school districts and State Charter schools are invited to nominate an
outstanding teacher to become New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year; this teacher represents New Mexico in
the National Teacher of the Year competition. New Mexico’s Teacher of the Year acts as the
spokesperson for the teaching profession for New Mexico. The New Mexico Teacher of the Year program
incorporates the New Mexico Public Education Department’s vision of a world-class educational system
in which all New Mexico students are prepared to succeed in a diverse, and increasingly complex, world.
Description of the State Program
The New Mexico Teacher of the Year is chosen from the eighty-nine school districts and the state and
local charter schools who have nominated an outstanding teacher by a panel of judges (i.e. past New
Mexico Teachers of the Year, School District Superintendents, Nationally Board Certified Teachers
working within New Mexico School Districts, School Administrators, and other teachers) representing
New Mexico educators.
The mission of the New Mexico Public Education Department is to provide leadership, technical
assistance and quality assurance to improve student performance and close the achievement gap. The
New Mexico Teacher of the Year promotes excellence in teaching, is a source of inspiration to other
teachers to strive for improving the quality of education within their own classrooms, therein providing
the tools necessary for New Mexico students to succeed.
New Mexico Teacher of the Year
September 3, 2015
Page #2
Description of the National Teacher of the Year Program
The National Teacher of the Year Program began in 1952 and continues as the oldest, most prestigious
national honors program that focuses public attention on excellence in teaching.
The National Teacher of the Year is chosen from among the State Teachers of the Year by a national
selection committee representing the major national education organizations. Each April, the National
Teacher of the Year is introduced to the American people by the President of the United States. The
National Teacher of the Year is released from classroom duties periodically during the year of recognition
to travel nationally and internationally as a spokesperson for the teaching profession. All activities of the
National Teacher, and projects involving the State Teachers of the Year, are coordinated through the
National Teacher of the Year Program.
Winner Benefits
The winner of the New Mexico Teacher of the Year receives:

Formal recognition by the Public Education Department’s Secretary of Education, Hanna
Skandera, and the New Mexico State Legislature at public ceremonies held in January 2016;

Opportunities to travel the country, including trips to the Whitehouse Rose Garden, Washington
D.C., SpaceCamp located in Huntsville, Alabama, and Dallas, Texas;

Opportunities to speak to future and veteran educators and their classes statewide;

Personal and professional satisfaction of knowing that they delivered ultimate excellence to
students in the classroom!
Application Process
Please carefully complete the application located on the PEDSOAP website with all requested documentation
by September 25, 2015. The website is: https://eesaccuroster.ped.state.nm.us/TOTY/logon.aspx Please note
that candidates for the Teacher of the Year honor must receive an Exemplary or Highly Effective rating on
the NMTEACH Summative Score Report. Supporting documentation must accompany applications for the
Teacher of the Year.
In closing, thank you for helping us identify these stellar individuals that give unconditionally to New Mexico
school students. We could not do this without your kind assistance. Please help us spread the good word!
Sincerely,
Dr. Deborah Williamson
Director
Educator Effectiveness and School Leadership Bureau
c: Matt Montano. Director, Educator Quality Division