Who is the best teacher in Minnesota? Nominations are open to answer that question.

By KSTP

Online nominations opened Tuesday for Minnesota’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. People can nominate their favorite educator through Nov. 15.

The prestigious award goes through multiple rounds to determine the winner, who will be announced at a special ceremony at the St. Paul RiverCentre on May 4, 2025.

The Teacher of the Year automatically becomes the state’s candidate for the National Teacher of the Year.

Four Minnesotan teachers have gone on to be named the National Teacher of the Year, the third most from a single state in the nation.

Anyone can nominate a teacher, including the teacher themselves as self-nominations are allowed.

Nominees have to met a list of criteria:

Teach in a public or nonpublic pre-kindergarten-12th grade school, or in an Adult Basic Education or ECFE program, working at least 50% of the time directly with students.
Hold a bachelor’s degree and a Minnesota teaching license.
Have completed at least five full years of teaching by the nomination deadline.
Intend to teach in Minnesota during the 2025-26 school year.