Colorado Names 22 Semifinalists for 2026 Teacher of Year

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) announced 22 semifinalists for the 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year award, selected from 419 applicants across 106 school districts. Among the semifinalists are notable educators such as Julie Ahrens, a kindergarten teacher from Twin Peaks Classical Academy in Longmont; Elizabeth Rose Tarbutton, a math teacher at Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette; Teri Kopack, English department chair at Durango High School; and Stephen Paulson, a social studies and AVID teacher at Greeley Central High School. These semifinalists represent a diverse geographic range and will advance to the next application phase, with finalists announced in September and the winner in October. The Colorado Teacher of the Year will represent over 55,000 educators at state and national levels, become the state's nominee for the National Teacher of the Year Program, receive $5,000 from the Boettcher Foundation, and be honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. The selection committee consisted of over 40 reviewers including past winners, CDE staff, and Boettcher Foundation representatives.