Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe today announced that Pennsylvania’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, Leon Smith, has been named as one of five finalists for 2026 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Smith is a secondary teacher at Haverford High School in the Haverford Township School District in Havertown and is a dedicated leader in his community, providing professional development for the district on culturally relevant teaching, growth mindset, elements of effective lessons, belonging strategies, and supporting historically marginalized students. Smith is also an advocate for the teaching profession, committed to supporting new and future teachers by starting a Grow Your Own teacher program at Haverford Township School District.

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Source: PA Department of Education Newsroom, Press Release, January 27, 2026.