Kansas Master Teacher Awards
Recognizing excellence in Kansas educators
Kansas Master Teacher Awards
Since 1954, select teachers from schools across the state have been nominated, selected and named Kansas Master Teachers. Since 1980, Bank of America has pledged more than $100,000 to endow the Kansas Master Teacher awards permanently.
Publicizing the award
The award selection committee sends information about the Kansas Master Teacher Award through e-mail and hard copy mailings generated from the Kansas State Department of Education website contact list and through social media. To ensure information reaches you, please keep your directory information updated with KSDE. We suggest individuals in charge of the local selection process bookmark this Kansas Master Teacher website.
2026 Kansas Master Teacher Nominations:
Nominations will be open from October 1st through the January 9th
2026 Kansas Master Teacher Award Winners
- Emily Chandler, 5th Grade Teacher at Fort Riley Elementary, USD 475 Geary County
Emily Chandler
- Casey Ewy, 8th Grade Social Studies teacher at Susan B. Anthony Middle School, USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden
Casey Ewy
- Kathleen Gilliland, Mathematics and Robotics teacher at Emporia High School, USD 253 Emporia
Kathleen Gilliland
- Heather Hall, Science and Research Teacher at Blue Valley West High School, USD 229 Blue Valley
Heather Hall
- Michelle Kelly, K-5 Reading Interventionist at Glenwood Ridge Elementary, USD 458 Basehor-Lindwood
Michelle Kelly
- Rachel Tanney, Gifted Teacher at Heatherstone Elementary, Sunnyside Elementary and Madison Place Elementary, USD 233 Olathe
Rachel Tanney
- Kimberly Tate, 7th Grade Math Teacher at Chisholm Middle School, USD 373 Newton
Kimberly Tate
Kansas Master Teacher recognition day
The 2026 Kansas Master Teacher Awards Banquet will be on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at Emporia State University.
If you would like to attend, please fill out the reservation form.
Previous winners
Since 1954, hundreds of Kansas educators have been recognized as Kansas Master Teacher.
Eligibility, Nomination, Selection
Learn more about the Kansas Master Teacher eligibility, nomination, and selection processes.
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