Iowa Teacher of the Year (TOY)

The Iowa Teacher of the Year (TOY) Award was established in 1958 and is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education through an appropriation from the Iowa legislature. The award provides an opportunity to recognize an Iowa teacher who motivates, challenges, and inspires excellence; who is respected by students and peers; who is a dedicated professional that helps nurture hidden talents and abilities; who is a creative, caring individual; who takes teaching beyond textbooks and blackboards; and who is an exceptional teacher helping to redefine American education.

The Iowa TOY may serve as the Iowa Ambassador to Education, acting as an education liaison to primary and secondary schools in the state.

Nomination Information

Anyone, including school administrators, colleagues, students, parents, college faculty, and associations, may nominate teachers for the award. Self-nominations and nominations by family members are not accepted. Winners are chosen by a committee that includes representatives of the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa State Education Association, the School Administrators of Iowa, the Parent Teachers Association, the past Iowa TOY, and representatives from higher education institutions.

Nominations are closed for the 2024 Iowa Teacher of the Year cycle. Nomination forms for the 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year will be available in this location beginning in January 2024.

2023 Iowa TOY Krystal Colbert

Krystal Colbert, a 16-year veteran teacher, as the Iowa Department of Education’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, during an assembly at Mitchellville Elementary School in central Iowa.

Watch an interview with 2023 Iowa Teacher of the Year Krystal Colbert.

See photos and watch the announcement video from the event.

“I am proud of the amazing work Krystal Colbert is doing to make a difference in the lives of her students and the impact she is having on the education system in our state,” said Governor Reynolds. “Outstanding educators like Krystal see that possibilities for growth are endless when you connect students and what they are learning with their community. Every day, she leads by example, focusing on how to make education better so all students can and do perform at the highest levels.”

“The Teacher of the Year award honors outstanding teachers who have made an impact on their students and colleagues,” Iowa Department of Education Director Ann Lebo said. “Krystal is a life-long learner, teacher leader and a Lighthouse team member working to build leadership and life skills in students. Her focus on supporting each student’s learning style and her ability to see challenges as opportunities for growth will help advance our education system as we move forward.”

Colbert, who is a second grade teacher in the Southeast Polk Community School District, says students who believe in themselves will be successful in school.

“Here at Mitchellville, we are teaching our students that positive self-affirmations, healthy habits, and having a growth mindset are essential in reaching their highest potential,” she said. “We are affirming to our students every day that they are loved and valued and that we care about their success.”

Colbert, along with her husband Jason and children Jamison and Emersynn, lives in Altoona. 

If Krystal could support your efforts in teaching and learning or recruitment and retention in some way, contact her at krystal.colbert@iowa.gov.

2023 Iowa TOY Finalists

• Lori Brandt, a special education teacher in the Sioux Center Community School District.
• Levi Letsche, a high school mathematics teacher from the Sheldon Community School District.
• Amy Phillips, an elementary teacher in the Marshalltown Community School District.
• Corrine Schalk, an elementary teacher in the Cedar Rapids Community School District.
• Katie Weldon, a middle school mathematics teacher in the Norwalk Community School District.

Past TOY Recipients

**One of four contenders for National Teacher of the Year
*National Teacher of the Year