Best Should Teach K-12 Educator Nominations

We invite each of our partner districts to participate in CU Boulder's Best Should Teach Awards. The Best Should Teach awards are presented annually to CU faculty and local public school teachers to recognize excellence in teaching. The Best Should Teach Initiative, originally conceived by Dr. Lindley J. Stiles (1913-2008), is managed by the Center for Teaching and Learning in coordination with the School of Education and partners.

Award Eligibility

Nominees should:

1.  Be current K-12 classroom teachers in a school in one of the CU Boulder School of Education partner school districts: Adams 12, BVSD, Cherry Creek, DPS, JeffCo, SVVSD and Westminster.
2. Demonstrate outstanding pedagogy by creating, facilitating, and sustaining strong classroom learning communities where K-12 students thrive and experience belonging:
   • Evidence of facilitating equity-driven, student-centered learning communities.
   • Evidence of making principled adaptations to curricula and designing the learning environment to foster deep, inclusive learning experiences.
   • Evidence of strong teacher collaboration and coordination with colleagues.
3. Demonstrate commitment to mentoring pre-service or early-career teachers.
   • Evidence of embracing their role as a mentor who openly supports other teachers’ professional and personal learning and development.
   • Evidence of mutual respect and shared learning with other teachers.
   • Evidence of willingness to make their practice public and open to dialogue as part of a lifelong teacher learning process shared with other teachers.

Nomination Process

Who can nominate a K-12 teacher for recognition?

• Principals
• Mentor Teachers (past/present)
• Teacher Candidates
• CU Boulder field coaches, practicum liaisons, and teacher educators
• District Leaders (HR partners, PD Directors)

Nominators should use this form to submit their nominations. Please be prepared to write a 300–500-word statement about how the teacher demonstrates the eligibility criteria.

   2026 Nominations are due Monday, Jan. 26.

Selection Process

How are the awardees selected from the nominations?

The School of Education Best Should Teach K-12 Recognition Awards Committee consists of the Associate Dean Undergraduate and Teacher Education, the Director of Field Experiences, one faculty member, and one staff member in teacher education.

The committee aims to recognize one teacher from each partner district each year across elementary, middle, and high school settings and subject area specialties who clearly embody the eligibility criteria. Awardees and nominators will be notified via email approximately two weeks after the nomination deadline.

Save the Date

• Best Should Teach Lecture & Awards Ceremony 2026
• Thursday, March 5 at 6 p.m. ceremony with a reception for awardees beginning at 5 p.m.
• CASE Auditorium on the CU Boulder campus
• Free and open to the public.