On Sept. 9, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) announced it is seeking nominations for the 2026-2027 Governor’s Educator of the Year program.
Key Steps/Actions
- Review the Governor’s Educator of the Year Program Materials before beginning to ensure you have the necessary information and understand the school-level selection and registration process;
- Follow the GEOY Timelines, Eligibility Criteria, and School Level Instructions to nominate and select one Teacher of the Year and one Educational Services Professional of the Year per school by November 27, 2026;
- Register your Teacher of the Year and Educational Services Professional of the Year in the GEOY online registration system by December 4, 2026. The School Information Form is now built directly into the online registration process and no longer needs to be completed separately and uploaded; and
- Notify all nominated educators in your school by December 11, 2026.
Teachers of the Year and Educational Services Professionals of the Year registered by the Dec. 4, 2026, deadline will receive a state award certificate from their County Office of Education.
Contact Information
For questions, please contact NJDOE’s educator recognition team at educatorrecognition@doe.nj.gov.
