OVERVIEW
Spotlighting teaching excellence and exemplary professionalism in public education.
The Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year (TOY) Program is the largest of its kind in the state and part of the oldest and most prestigious honors competition in U.S. for public school teachers.
The teachers selected as Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year are educators who have shown exemplary dedication, compelling classroom practices, positive accomplishments and professional commitment. They serve as standard-bearers for the teaching profession and their 72,000 classroom colleagues countywide.
2026 CALIFORNIA TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FROM LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Heather Povinelli
Monrovia Unified School District
Rene Romero
Covina-Valley Unified School District
TEACHER OF THE YEAR 2026-27 TIMELINE
| Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at 4 p.m. | TOY Application VIRTUAL Workshop |
| Sunday, May 24, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. | DEADLINE to submit 2026-27 Teachers of the Year Application to LACOE |
| May 27 - June 3, 2026 | Selection Committee #1 reviews written application materials |
| June 8, 2026 | 25 semifinalists are selected and notified of interview schedule |
| JJune 16 and 17, 2026 | Selection Committee #2 conducts interviews with semifinalists |
| July 8, 2026 | Deadline for LACOE to submit the TOY Applications to the State |
| Friday, September 25, 2026 | L.A County TOY Awards Luncheon and Announcement |
TEACHER OF THE YEAR 2026-27 APPLICATION
- TOY Application
- Application Instructions
- Materials & Forms Checklist
- Award Banquet
- Sponsors
The 2026-27 LA County Teacher of the Year Application is in 2 parts: Online Form & Written portion.
APPLY TO TEACHER OF THE YEAR
The instructions for the writing portion of the Application can be found in the
Teacher of the Year Application Instructions.
The entire application, BOTH Online Form & Written portion, are due on or before
Sunday, May 24, 2026, 11:59PM.
Absolutely no late applications will be accepted!
OPT-OUT
District Teachers of the Year who want to opt out of the county-level competition and still be honored at the awards luncheon may submit an opt-out application [link to app below]. Complete and submit to Naime Laskar by Sunday, June 14, 2026.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
To be eligible for the California TOY Program, applicants must be:
- Fully credentialed teachers currently employed to teach any pre-kindergarten through grade twelve.
- Employed full-time in LA County public schools.
- Applicants may be assigned some administrative responsibilities but for whom teaching students is the primary responsibility.
- Teachers who are available to fulfill ambassadorial duties during the year of service and be supported by their employer.
- Teachers who have been in the classroom for more than eight years at the time of the application submission.
Applicants must:
- Have been named as a finalist in their District competition.
- Have demonstrated leadership and innovation in and outside of the classroom walls that embodies lifelong learning.
- Have expressed themselves in an engaging and articulate way.
Applicants to the county program may be selected as a California Teacher of the Year. Because of that possibility, all applicants should be prepared to fulfill the responsibilities of representing the teaching profession in a variety of settings and assisting their teaching colleagues in a variety of ways. Teachers selected as state winners may be called away from their classroom 30 or more instructional days during their title year.
Teacher of the Year candidates must complete and submit the entire application on or before
Sunday, May 24, 2026 by 11:59PM
Absolutely no late applications will be accepted!
TOY Application Materials & Forms Checklist
Teacher of the Year candidates must complete a 2 part Application. Part 1 of the application is an online form. Part 2 of the application is the written component, which will need to be completed on a separate Microsoft Word document (.doc file) and emailed to Naime Laskar.
Please review the Program Information & Application Instructions for complete details.
Applicants are encouraged to complete their application in a manner in which the content:
Puts the reader in the classroom and allows the reader to easily visualize the classroom setting and the teacher as the instructional leader, leaving the reader wanting to know more through providing ample classroom examples.
Conveys depth of content knowledge and how to deliver it creatively and in a differentiated fashion to engage students and influence student learning as reflected in their measurable achievements.
Reflects the teacher's personal journey and shows the teacher's influence beyond the classroom and into their school community.
Maintains a student-centered perspective as the applicant weaves in numerous examples of student engagement.
Inspires through their commitment as a lifelong learner who models dedication to continued learning.
Focuses on building relationships that transform and empower students, parents, and community.
Reflects the teacher's dedication to the belief that all children can achieve.
Part 1
Application Information (Online form)
School Information (Online form)
District Information (Online form)
Part 2:
Written – Must be completed on a separate Microsoft Word document (.doc) and emailed to laskar_naime@lacoe.edu
Cover Page (Not to exceed one pages.)
Introductory Letter (Not to exceed 750 words.)
Professional Biography (Not to exceed 750 words.)
Professional Resume (Not to exceed two pages.)
Each Essay is NOT TO EXCEED 750 WORDS
- Essay 1 – Philosophy of Teaching
- Essay 2 – School Culture
- Essay 3 – School Community Involvement
- Essay 4 – Education Issues and Trends
- Essay 5 – National Teacher of the Year
Select ONLY 1 or 2 of the initiatives
Letter of Recommendation 1 (Not to exceed one page.)
Letter of Recommendation 2 (Not to exceed one page.)
Letter of Recommendation 3 (Not to exceed one page.)
Headshot (on a separate page)
Introductory Video (Not to exceed 3 minutes.)
All district-level Teachers of the Year are invited to attend the awards luncheon. The sixteen (16) winners of the Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year competition will be publicly announced at the luncheon. Family members, friends, district representatives and news media are all invited.
The Banquet will be held at the Hilton Universal City. Please check back for the date and time.
555 Universal Hollywood Dr, Universal City, CA 91608
The Los Angeles County Teachers of the Year program would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. We would like to thank the following sponsors for their financial support and donations.
LACOE Signature Fund @GLA Sponsors 2025-2026
- California Credit Union Foundation
- Kindness is Free
- California Volunteers: California Service Corps
- SameGoal
- Elevo
- Relay
- Hilton
- Lakeshore
- Universal Studios Hollywood
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
TOY Anna Paliza from the Keppel Union School District shares her advice to support your teaching and improve student learning experiences.
CONNECT WITH US
Naime Laskar
Events Coordinator
laskar_naime@lacoe.edu
