Teacher of the Year Awards
Updated on January 3, 2024.
SHAPE America's Teacher of the Year program recognizes outstanding teachers in the following categories:
- Adapted Physical Education (K-12)
- Elementary Physical Education (K-5)
- Middle School Physical Education (6-8)
- High School Physical Education (9-12)
- School Health Education (K-12)
- Dance Education (K-12)
Individuals who are named Teacher of the Year by their state affiliate are eligible for SHAPE America's District Teacher of the Year award and have a three-year window to apply at the district level. District winners are eligible for the national award and the same eligibility rules are applied at the national level as the district level.
The SHAPE America Teacher of the Year review cycle begins in October of each calendar year for Teacher of the Year awards for the next calendar year. For example, the 2024 District and National Teacher of the Year review cycle will begin in October 2023 with the National Teachers of the Year being announced at convention in 2023.
The Teacher of the Year award year officially begins at SHAPE America’s national convention and ends at the next year’s national convention.
For more details and information please review the SHAPE America Teacher of the Year Polices and Procedures.
SHAPE America Teacher of the Year Polices and Procedures
Eligibility Requirements
for Both District and National Teacher of the Year Awards
Teachers who meet the eligibility requirements may apply for one of the SHAPE America Teacher of the Year awards. The same eligibility requirements apply for both District and National Teacher of the Year awards.
Eligible state Teachers of the Year can apply for the District Teacher of the Year award in their category. Teachers may only apply for one District Teacher of the Year award even if they have received Teacher of the Year awards from two different states in two different districts. The applicant must apply only in the District in which they maintain their primary state or SHAPE America membership residence.
Applicants can choose to use their home or school address as their primary residence. SHAPE America membership is no longer required to apply at the District level.
- Minimum five years of teaching experience in the content area applying for
- Degree and certification in teaching
- Full time teaching at time of application submission & selection
- Retired teachers are not eligible
- Minimum of 50% of total job responsibilities is teaching in the category you're applying for at the time of application and selection:
- Adapted Physical Education (K-12)
- Elementary Physical Education (K-5)
- Middle School Physical Education (6-8)
- High School Physical Education (9-12)
- School Health Education (K-12)
- Dance Education (K-12) — not as a subject within physical education
- Must be a state teacher of the year award recipient in order to be eligible to apply. The previous three years state recipients are eligible for the current District award (e.g. 2021, 2022 and 2023 state Teacher of the Year winners are eligible for the 2024 District Teacher of the Year award).
- It is strongly recommended that state Teachers of the Year wait a full year before applying for their District Teacher of the Year award.
- State Teachers of the Year may reapply for the District Teacher of the Year award within the three-year eligibility window.
- District Teachers of the Year are not eligible to reapply for the National Teacher of the Year award in the same category if they were not selected as a National Teacher of the Year recipient during their District award year.
- District Teachers of the Year are eligible to apply for a District Teacher of the Year award in another category if they meet all other eligible criteria.
Please Note: Current members of SHAPE America's Board of Directors, current members of SHAPE America’s District Leadership Councils and national Teachers of the Year alumni are not eligible to apply for these awards.
Required Application Materials
Applications must be submitted online by October 15th of each calendar year (e.g. applications for the 2024 District Teacher of the Year must be submitted by Oct. 15, 2023). District Teachers of the Year will be notified of their selection by SHAPE America in early December of each calendar year.
- Verification of Teaching Assignment Form
- This document must be from the current school year when applying. This may require individuals to get a new Verification of Teaching form signed by their principal or administrator.
- Award criteria
- When completing the award criteria please use the following format:
- Do not include any identifying information (your name, school name or on school/district letter head).
- Bold the specific criteria as a heading, then outline your qualifications in paragraph form below the bolded criteria heading (see example below). Criteria should be two-pages or less in length, single spaced, typed in size 11 Calibri font.
- Responses to each criterion should be in one Word document. Please do NOT upload each criteria response in a separate Word document.
- Example format for Award Criteria:
- Conducts a comprehensive and diverse physical education program that utilizes the Essential Components of Physical Education as reflected in the SHAPE America National Standards and Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education and other best practices.
Begin to write your response to criteria prompt 1 in unbold font underneath.
- Adapted Physical Education Criteria
- Dance Education Criteria
- Health Education Criteria
- Physical Education Criteria (Elementary, Middle School , High School)
Please note: Award criteria were updated in 2023. Please be sure you have updated your award criteria responses.
- Head shot (JPEG at 300 dpi minimum) for promotional purposes only. Headshots will not be shared with reviewers.
Letters of recommendation are no longer required at the District Teacher of the Year level.
Rubrics & Scoring
- The same SHAPE America rubrics will be used across all Districts to score applicants.
- Applicants who teach in a Title I school or in a school where more than 40% of students receive free and reduced meals will receive an extra four points on their total score.
- A minimum score must be met by any candidate to move on to both the District and National level (80% of total possible points, which excludes points awarded for teaching at a Title I school).
District Teacher of the Year Review Timeline
- October 15: State Teacher of the Year recipients submit application materials to SHAPE America via the online application.
- December 1: Deadline for the District Teacher of the Year reviewers to submit scores.
- By December 20: District Teacher of the Year applicants are notified of selections by SHAPE America.
- SHAPE America National Convention & Expo: District Teachers of the Year are celebrated and National Teacher of the Years are announced at the Closing General Session.
Questions
For more details and information please review the SHAPE America Teacher of the Year Polices and Procedures. If you are still having trouble, please email [email protected].
SHAPE America is grateful to Teacher of the Year Partner Network, for its support of the SHAPE America Teacher of the Year program. The recipients of the SHAPE America National Teacher of the Year awards are selected solely by SHAPE America. SPARK, Wellness Training Specialists, Gopher, and Goodheart-Willcox Publisher employees are not involved in any way in determining, selecting, or approving the recipients of any award.