An exciting year for learning and growing

In the midst of a busy morning—ordering new books for classroom libraries at Sheldon Community School District and tying up loose ends from this past semester—2026 Iowa Teacher of Year Stephanie Pritts took a moment to think about her extraordinary year ahead as the state’s ambassador to education.

“I’m very excited for my year of service,” she said. “At first, you wonder whether you're the right person for the job, but I’m thrilled and honored to serve in this role. I look forward to helping teachers and students across the state, providing support and opening lines of communication for education in Iowa.”

Pritts, a 24-year elementary teacher and instructional coach, plans to focus her year of service on high-quality instruction and promoting early identification and support for students experiencing academic challenges. She will help bring a spotlight to Iowa’s education systems and programs that can help schools to meet the individual needs of their students and close learning gaps.

“Stephanie will be a wonderful champion for education in this state,” said Tina Wahlert, administrator for the Division of PK-12 Learning at Iowa Department of Education. “Through her unique roles as the Iowa Teacher of the Year and as an instructional coach, she is well-positioned to share evidence-based practices, strong multi-tiered systems of support and the use of high-quality instructional materials that help improve outcomes for all students.”

Sponsored by the Department, the Iowa Teacher of the Year award was established in 1958 through an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature. The Iowa Teacher of the Year award recognizes exceptional teachers who demonstrate excellence in the classroom and have made a significant impact on student outcomes and fellow educators. During their year of service, honorees like Pritts serve as an ambassador to Iowa schools, higher education and communities.

“It is going to be a great year working with Stephanie as the 2026 Iowa Teacher of the Year,” said Stefanie Rosenberg Wager, administrative consultant and Iowa Teacher of the Year program liaison at the Department. “In this role, she will have many opportunities to make an impact with schools, educators, students and families while also gaining new experiences and continuing her own professional learning. I’m excited to see her in action as she moves forward with her goals.”

Over the next year, one of Pritts’s primary goals is to travel throughout Iowa, visiting schools and meeting with educators, students, administrators and community partners to highlight innovative practices and celebrate the successes taking place in classrooms across the state.

“I definitely want to showcase schools across Iowa that are doing things well and learn from them,” Pritts said. “We’re all in this together as educators, so it’s important to share best practices and innovative ideas that are best for our students.”

Pritts will also have opportunities to meet with students in educator preparation programs at several colleges, providing a chance for these emerging educators to meet and learn from a top Iowa teacher.

“I am looking forward to meeting with preservice teachers,” she said. “It’s a chance to share with them that there is so much gratification from being a teacher. It is a lot of hard work, but it is so rewarding.”

As Iowa’s Teacher of the Year, Pritts will also take part in several national activities through the Council of Chief State School Officer’s Teacher of the Year program. She will join 55 other State Teachers of the Year from across the country for special events, such as the Space Camp in July and a week in Washington, D.C., this fall. She will also take part in the virtual Learn and Launch Conference and the TED-Ed Educator Talks, allowing her and other State Teachers of the Year to share their most impactful ideas with each other and the world.

“There is so much we can learn from all of the states,” she said. “We’ve already had one experience together in-person in San Jose, California, and it was great. We were able to hear about emerging topics, collaborate on our goals for the year and learn about the amazing work each one of us is doing.”

Pritts’s year of service closes out the successful tenure of the incumbent 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year Melanie Bloom, a veteran agriculture educator and FFA adviser for Sioux Central Community School District. Before the end of Bloom’s year, Pritts connected with her to hear about her personal experiences and best practices, setting Pritts up for success during the next 12 months.

“Melanie is amazing and has been a huge bright light for me and for Iowa,” Pritts said. “I’ve loved following her experience and journey as the Iowa Teacher of the Year. I hope to continue her legacy by connecting with each of the Regional Teachers of the Year, providing support to schools and sharing enthusiasm for the teaching profession.”

As Pritts takes her next steps to fully immerse herself into the role as the Iowa Teacher of the Year, she notes that she is ready for anything and ready to see what Iowa has in store.

“With the school year now over, I'm excited to fully embrace this opportunity,” she said. “I look forward to learning from educators across Iowa and growing together as we continue to support students.”

Iowans can stay up-to-date on Pritts’s exciting year of service as the 2026 Iowa Teacher of the Year by following her new Facebook page, The Pritts Perspective: Teaching with Heart and Data.