Nashville, Tenn. — The Tennessee Education Association (TEA) is honored to celebrate longtime member and local leader Missy Testerman, a K-8 English as a second language (ESL) teacher at Rogersville City School, for being named the 2024 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).
"We are incredibly proud of Missy for this well-deserved recognition," said TEA President Tanya T. Coats. “Missy's dedication to her students and her rural Appalachian community is truly inspiring. For 32 years, she has gone above and beyond to help students succeed and empower her community to thrive. As President of the Rogersville Education Association, Missy embodies the best qualities of Tennessee's educators, and we are honored to have her represent our state as the 2024 National Teacher of the Year.”
Testerman garnered statewide and national attention when she was named the 2023-24 Tennessee Teacher of the Year and subsequently emerged as one of four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year award.
"Missy epitomizes the core values of an exemplary educator, dedicated to the welfare of every student who enters her classroom, especially our most vulnerable students,” said National Education Association (NEA) President Becky Pringle. “She stands up for those students who feel unseen, unheard, unappreciated, and undervalued in America. On behalf of the NEA’s more than three million members, we congratulate Missy for creating an inclusive environment where every student feels welcome, no matter their race, background, or ability. Every student in every public school in this country deserves a teacher like Missy no matter their ZIP code or their circumstances.”
As a member of Rogersville City Schools’ Teacher Leadership program, Testerman serves as a mentor for new teachers. As Tennessee’s State Teacher of the Year, she partnered with the University of Tennessee and East Tennessee State University to inspire and assist pre-service teachers as they prepare to enter the profession.
In her role as the 2024 National Teacher of the Year, Testerman will represent educators and serve as an ambassador for students and educators across the country.
