The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) is proud to coordinate several programs intended to elevate excellent educators from across the District, including educator awards. These recognition programs are open to all teachers working in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) and DC public charter schools. In addition to educator award programs, OSSE also coordinates opportunities for elevating educator voice through the Superintendent’s Advisory Councils.

OSSE Educator Award Programs:

• DC Teacher of the Year: The DC Teacher of the Year program celebrates outstanding educators who are experts in their craft as demonstrated by accelerated growth for all students, and who demonstrate leadership beyond the classroom by partnering with colleagues, students, families and communities to support innovation in teaching and learning, and who champion the teaching profession. Educators working in pre-K 3-adult education at a DC local education agency (LEA) are eligible for consideration.
• DC Educator Talent Pool: The DC Educator Talent Pool recognizes and leverages the expertise of outstanding District of Columbia educators. Rather than culminating in a specific award, the Talent Pool is used as a resource for awards, development of practitioner committees, targeted professional development activities and more.
• DC History Teacher of the Year: The DC History Teacher of the Year program is a partnership between OSSE and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (GLI). Educators considered for the History Teacher of the Year award must meet the following criteria: Current teacher in a District of Columbia public, public charter, private or religious school; at least three years of classroom teaching experience; will teach for at least one year following the award year; a demonstrated commitment to teaching American history; evidence of creativity and imagination in the classroom; and effective use of documents, artifacts, historic sites, oral histories and other primary sources to engage students with American history. Consideration of these factors will be based on the grade level taught to accommodate the teaching requirements of both generalist and specialist teachers.
• Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST): The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 science, technology, engineering and mathematics teaching. The award recognizes those teachers who have both deep content knowledge of the subjects they teach and the ability to motivate and enable students to be successful in those areas. Awardees reflect the expertise and dedication of the nation's teaching corps, and they demonstrate the positive impact of excellent teachers on student achievement. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
• OSSE Educator Elevation: Superintendent’s Advisory Councils: The members of the Superintendent’s Advisory Councils, which include the Teacher Advisory Council, the School Leader Advisory Council, and the Family Advisory Council, represent a diverse group of teachers, school leaders and family members who reflect the educator workforce across the city, including both DC Public Schools and public charter schools. The TAC and PAC works alongside OSSE's senior leadership, including the State Superintendent and division leaders, to provide them insight, feedback and advice on issues that impact students, educators, classrooms and schools across the District.