STEP 1 - NOMINATIONS

Teachers may be nominated by an administrator (district and/or school level), student, parent, colleague, or may self-nominate. Any teacher receiving any number of nominations (even just one) is provided a link to the online Arizona Teacher of the Year application. The number of nominations a teacher receives does not impact their chances of being selected. The Arizona Teacher of the Year is identified based on information the teacher-applicant provides, not the person nominating. Nomination is simply the entry point into the process and bears no weight on whether or not a teacher will move forward in the process. Additionally, the selection committee is not provided with information on who nominated a teacher in order to prevent any outside influence on the process.

​

​

STEP 2 - WRITING THE APPLICATION -

Once nominated, teachers are provided a link to the online Teacher of the Year application. Teachers have until the specified deadline to submit the online application. Included with the application, teachers will also upload three letters of recommendation and a current resume. The Arizona Teacher of the Year selection panel reviews written applications and narrows them down to the top ten highest rated teachers for that year. The top ten teachers are notified and invited to participate in an in-person interview. Teachers not selected for that year, are encouraged to try again! NOTE: Using ChatGPT or any other AI-powered language platform to write the application is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification.

 

STEP 3 - QUARTER-FINAL ROUND -

Once the selection committee has read and scored each application, their collective scores yield rankings. The top fifteen teachers with the highest ranked applications are considered "Quarter-finalists." Each Quarter-finalists is asked to submit a video response to a specific prompt. The selection committee then watches and scores each video. The ten Quarter-finalists with the highest ranked video are then named "Semifinalists" and become part of the Top Ten Arizona Teachers of the Year. The five Quarter-finalists not moving forward are given "Honorable Mentions." All fifteen are celebrated at the annual Arizona Teacher of the Year Awards ceremony. Quarter-finalists receive an automatic nomination to apply again next year, as long as they still meet eligibility criteria. The ten Semifinalists then move on to the next round.

 

STEP 4 - SEMI-FINAL ROUND

If selected as one of the Top Ten, teachers move into the next stage of the process as "Semifinalists." All ten will attend an in-person interview to meet and interact with the Arizona Teacher of the Year selection panel. During interviews, Semifinalists will also be asked to deliver an impromptu speech and provide a video teaching demonstration. Results from in-person interviews determine which five teachers will move on as "Finalists" who are named "Ambassadors for Excellence," and which five will remain Semifinalists. All ten will be celebrated at the Arizona Teacher of the Year Awards and all ten receive a generous prize package provided by AEF partners. The five Ambassadors, considered finalists, are all under consideration for the Arizona Teacher of the Year title, which is announced live onstage during the Awards ceremony. 

 

STEP 5 - FINALIST ROUND

All five Ambassadors next engage in an observation process as AEF continues to vet their candidacy. AEF sends a professional videographer to each Ambassador's campus who films them teaching a lesson and in a one-on-one interview. During the Finalist round, AEF engages with Ambassadors through various forms of communication and Ambassadors participate in professional Speech and Media training. Those interactions influence which of the five Ambassadors will ultimately receive top honors at the Teacher of the Year.

​

STEP 6 - WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CEREMONY - YEAR OF RECOGNITION

Due to the generosity of our amazing sponsors and partners, all ten teachers will be beneficiaries of various opportunities throughout the year. The individual ultimately named "Teacher of the Year" and the four Ambassadors engage in a "year of recognition"with AEF. This year may include public appearances, speaking engagements, providing professional development, and serving on policy committees and task forces. The individual named Arizona Teacher of the Year will have additional opportunities and responsibilities, both in Arizona and outside of the state as part of the National Teacher of the Year program. 

 

STEP 7 - YEAR OF SERVICE

Following their year of recognition, Teachers of the Year and Ambassadors are encouraged to remain active in a "year of service" as participants in AEF's work by serving on the Teacher of the Year selection panel; serving as a judge for the A+ Schools of Excellence program; and participating in the Arizona Chapter of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year.