Washington, DC, January 19, 2006 –A public school teacher from Florida, Kansas, Maryland, or Washington State will be selected this year as the 56^th recipient of the nation's top teaching honor--National Teacher of the Year. The National Teacher of the Year Program, sponsored by ING, is a project of CCSSO.

Florida
Samuel R. Bennett is a fifth grade teacher at Garner Elementary School in Winter Haven, FL. Bennett, who has taught a total of 19 years, has been an educator at Garner, a school of 569 students, for 11 years.

My current and former students are all at different stages in achieving their dreams. I'm working with Gavyn and Nichelle to help them believe in themselves and develop positive attitudes. Steven, Daniel, Katherine, Warren, and Mercedes are still in the building stage of their dreams. I am going to be in contact with them until they become their dreams. Jessica, Lucretia, Bonnie, and Neal have become successful with their dreams. They are now teachers, lawyers, and business leaders, giving back by working in their communities and helping others achieve and become their dreams. My ultimate mission is to see my own students and others believe in themselves, build their dreams, and become their dreams. I want them to develop the "yes, I can do it!" attitude and the belief that "yes, I am college material!" Then they will become accomplished "dreamers and doers."

Kansas
Ronald W. Poplau is a community service teacher (grades 11-12) at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Shawnee, KS. Poplau has taught for 43 years, 36 at Northwest, which has 1,850 students.

A teacher represents discovery, a sharing of ideas and, ultimately, a molder of character. Whatever the history of my students-single parents, poverty, drugs, etc.-it cannot stop me from the realization that I must deal with them the way they are. It is my job to make them want to learn . . . to choose to learn. It is so important for me to heighten credibility and not be portrayed as a verbal textbook. I have added real-life circumstances to my preparation and draw extensively from them. In linking my classroom with community experts, students are continuously exposed to relevant circumstances affecting them now and for the rest of their lives.

Maryland
Kimberly Oliver is a kindergarten teacher at Broad Acres Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD. Oliver has taught for six years, all at Broad Acres, which has 520 students.

Unfortunately the significance of early childhood education has been minimized and/or overlooked by many public school systems. Primarily we have trusted private facilities, daycare, and babysitters to prepare students for schools. I know firsthand that many students enter school lacking age-appropriate oral language skills, book skills, and any knowledge of the alphabet. Participating in a quality early childhood program enables students to develop better social, cognitive, and verbal skills. They are less likely to be retained or need remedial or special education services. Students improve in long-term outcomes and are more likely to graduate. Our economy also benefits, with schools spending less on remedial services and students being more prepared to meet the demands of the workforce. The benefits of investment in early childhood education are far-reaching.

Washington
Susan Barnard is a language arts teacher (grades 9-12) at CHOICE Alternative High School in Shelton, WA. Barnard has taught at this school of 230 students for 10 of her 12 years in the education profession.

Education now sets up students to start at entirely different points and to graduate or cross the finish line at the same time. We have students beginning school who may be strong runners, others who may run slowly but steadily, still others who cannot put on their running shoes, and others who do not even have shoes. And when they do not all graduate "on time," our education systems tells them they are failures. In fact, when they are not keeping pace, they learn they are failures in the making. And the punitive pressure of these four words turns teachers into failures too. No one wants to see children not succeed. But children are real, they are valuable, and they can complete any challenge that doesn't assume that all children are constantly the same.

A panel of educators representing 14 national education organizations chose the finalists from the 2006 State Teachers of the Year representing the U.S. states, territories, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity and will select the 2006 National Teacher of the Year. Recognition by President George W. Bush of the honoree will take place during the week of April 24, 2006.

The organizations represented on the National Selection Committee are the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Association of School Administrators, American Federation of Teachers, Association for Childhood Education International, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Association of Teacher Educators, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Congress of Parents and Teachers, National Education Association, National Middle Schools Association, National School Boards Association, and National School Public Relations Association.

For a list of 2006 state teachers of the year, please visit our website at www.ccsso.org/ntoy.

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks members’ consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.