Each local school district has the opportunity to honor its teachers and nominate one for the state title. The teacher should have superior ability to inspire students, should possess leadership capabilities, and should be an active member of the community. Official entry forms and instructions will be mailed to each district's central office. The local Teacher of the Year entry form, signed by the local superintendent, is returned to the Mississippi Department of Education for judging during the summer. The teacher selected as the Mississippi Teacher of the Year will be the state's nominee for National Teacher of the Year.
Entries are limited to one per school district.
These are judged on a biography, professional development activities, community involvement, philosophy of teaching, insight on education issues and trends, personal teaching style, comments on the teaching profession, letters of recommendation, and how one would handle the duties of National Teacher of the Year. The Mississippi Teacher of the Year Program is sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Education, Southern Educators Life Insurance Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and Bryan Foods, Inc. of West Point, Mississippi. The national program is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and Encyclopedia Britannica.