The National Teachers Hall of Fame 2026 Nomination

Nominations for 2026 are now open!

Nominate a Teacher

All nominations are due by November 1, 2025. Please take this into consideration when making your nomination.

All nominations must be completed using the form on the NTHF website.

Self-nominations and nominations by family members are not accepted.

Once we have received your nomination, a link to the application will be sent directly to your nominee. You will also receive a confirmation email of your nomination and we ask that you contact your nominee so that they believe the nomination is real. 

Please read this page thoroughly before submitting your nomination.

NTHF Selection and Application Information

The National Teachers Hall of Fame, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, was founded in 1989 as a tribute to our nation’s most important profession – teaching. It is the mission of the NTHF to recognize and honor exceptional teachers. The Board of Trustees of the NTHF shall be responsible for taking such actions that are necessary to fulfill this mission. 

Since the first class was inducted in 1992, the NTHF has brought attention to the profession through an annual recognition program which honors five of the nation’s most outstanding teachers.

The process for NTHF selection:

  1. The nominee must fully complete the online application and required documentation by December 1, 2025.
  2. Applications will be reviewed and scored by a screening committee. Finalists are chosen by the screening committee through scoring and discussion.
  3. The finalists will participate in individual recorded Zoom videos that will provide the candidates with an opportunity to respond to several additional questions. These videos will be recorded taking into consideration the schedule of both the applicant and NTHF staff. 
  4. The inductee selection committee will review the finalist applications and videos and choose up to five NTHF 2026 inductees.

Additional inquiries about the applicants may be made beyond the written application by designated NTHF staff or leadership.

Formal induction ceremonies take place in June of each year in Emporia; attendance at all functions is required for all inductees with expenses paid by the NTHF.

Teachers inducted into the NTHF serve as ambassadors both for the NTHF and the teaching profession and are expected to uphold the standards of excellence set forth by the educational community. 

The NTHF is located on the campus of Emporia State University in Visser Hall 114-115.

For more information, please contact the NTHF at teachershalloffame@gmail.com  (620) 341-5660.

Instructions, Guidelines and Requirements

A. Application Requirements

  • The applicant must have completed a minimum of twenty (20) years of full-time preK-12 teaching experience.
  • The applicant must hold or have held a valid teaching certificate or license from the state in which he or she is teaching or has taught.
  • The applicant must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
  • The finished application must be submitted by 11:59pm Central Time on Monday, December 1st.  If you need assistance, please email teachershalloffame@gmail.com or mfennell@emporia.edu .
  • If selected for induction, the nominee must attend induction activities which are held in Emporia, KS in June of 2026. All expenses for the inductee are paid by the NTHF. 

B. The nominator may wish to assist with editing or obtaining letters of recommendation, but it is the sole responsibility of the nominee to complete the application process. 

C. A previously nominated individual who was not selected may be renominated, but they must complete a new application in its entirety.

D. The announcement of inductees may be done in several ways, but all nominees will be notified of the final selection by May of the induction year.

E. The Application Packet

  • The application must be filled out completely with all required information, essays and letters of recommendation.
  • Acronyms should NOT be used in the text, unless they are preceded by what they represent (example: the National Teachers Hall of Fame, NTHF)
  • We encourage you to be conscientious about spelling and grammar and suggest you ask for editing assistance
  • The completed nomination packet will contain the following components:
    1. Applicant Information
    2. Permission and Verification Statement
    3. Education, Teaching Experience and Special Recognition
    4. Professional/Personal Statements
    5. Letters of Support/Recommendation
    6. Photograph

Note: Follow all instructions. Send ONLY the information requested and do NOT exceed the maximum length allowed for each item.

Nominate a Teacher