Governor Ron DeSantis handing out $20 thousand checks to the five 2026 Teacher of the Year finalists today in Orlando.
The statewide winner will be named the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education Thursday night taking home $50 thousand.
All of the 76 teachers named District Teachers of the Year each received a $10 thousand bonus.
The five finalists, four women and one man, are from Citrus, Columbia, Flagler, Liberty and Union Counties.
They include Flagler educator Brandy Nicole Anderson, a 7th grade civics and social studies teacher at Indian Trails Middle School, Autumn Crabtree, a culinary arts teacher at Crystal River High School in Citrus County; Mark Harrison, an economics and American government teacher for grades 9-12 at Union County High School; Shelly Teel, a third-grade teacher at Westside Elementary School in Columbia County; and Katy Jo Harrison, a first-grade teacher at Hosford Elementary and Junior High School.
The educators were selected for their leadership and outstanding instructional practices.
"Congratulations to Mark Harrison on being named the 2026 Florida Teacher of the Year,” Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas announced Thursday night.
“Mark sets the example of how a talented and dedicated teacher makes all the difference for his students. Not only is he dedicated to their academic success, but he also helps his students excel outside the classroom through the Civics and Debate team, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and driving the school bus every morning. I look forward to working with him during the coming year.”
Mark Harrison holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Florida and has earned the Civics Seal of Excellence.
The governor attributed Florida's improved school performance to the shift from high-stakes end-of-year testing to year-round progress monitoring and thanked the teachers for their excellence in the classroom