Michelle Gross, a middle school teacher at Spencer County Middle School and the 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, has been named a finalist for the 2026 National Teacher of the Year award by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).
“To be named a finalist for the National Teacher of the Year award is a tremendous honor for Mrs. Gross and for Kentucky as a whole,” Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said. “She is a shining example of how providing students with vibrant learning experiences can set them up for success.”
Gross has 22 years of experience teaching math, including 20 years in Spencer County. She teaches 7th-grade math classes, and a gifted and talented class called The Academy where students pick a subject area to dig into deeper. Gross was among nine educators who were honored as 2026 Kentucky Teacher Achievement Award Winners during the Kentucky Teacher of the Year ceremony on Oct. 7.
“It is so rewarding to see Mrs. Gross recognized nationally. She is a shining example of what we’ve known about Kentucky educators all along, that they are dedicated to their students, their families and their communities,” Fletcher said.
Gross is also a Kentucky Baptist as a member of Redemption Hill in Fisherville.
CCSSO runs the National Teacher of the Year Program with Google for Education as the lead sponsor. Each year, states, U.S. extra-state territories, Washington, D.C., and the Department of Defense Education Activity select outstanding educators to serve as State Teachers of the Year.
From a group of 56 State Teachers of the Year, the National Teacher of the Year Selection Committee – comprising 15 individuals and education organizations – selected the finalists based on applications.
Besides Gross, the other four national finalists are from Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.
The finalists will next travel to Washington, D.C., and interview with the National Teacher of the Year Selection Committee. CCSSO will announce the 2026 National Teacher of the Year this spring. The 2026 National Teacher of the Year will spend a year serving as an ambassador for education and uplifting the teaching profession.
(Photo: Michelle Gross, courtesy of Kentucky Today)
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
