The selection process for the 2026 Indiana Teacher of the Year has been narrowed down to the Top 3 finalists— Martin Briggs of La Porte Community School Corporation, L.A. High of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation, and Megan Johnson of Plainfield Community School Corporation.
“Out of more 65,000 teachers across the state, we have identified three very impressive finalists for Indiana Teacher of the Year,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “Each and every day, they are creating real impact for students, whether that’s through their use of evidence-based instructional strategies, their commitment to lifelong learning, their mentorship of fellow colleagues, or the partnerships they have built throughout their community. The Indiana Teacher of the Year program is just one way we must continue to celebrate the impactful work of our educators and elevate the good work they are leading for students.”
More information about Indiana’s top three Teacher of the Year finalists can be found below:
Martin Briggs is a fourth grade teacher at F.W. Crichfield Elementary School in the La Porte Community School Corporation, the corporation where he has taught for 47 years. Martin’s passion for education is evident through his involvement in leading teacher workshops in math and science, as well as presenting at state and national conventions. Briggs’ educational philosophy is focused on ensuring that all students reach their highest academic potential by using best practices with data-driven instruction. He played a key role in the successful implementation of the ILEARN checkpoints at his school in 2024-2025 and helps students master content by encouraging hands-on experiences and collaborative problem-solving.
L.A. High is an eighth grade math teacher at Schmucker Middle School in the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation where he earned an Impact Award for achieving the highest growth in the corporation for eighth grade math, as measured across the fall 2024 ILEARN checkpoints to the spring 2025 ILEARN summative assessment. High currently sponsors the Fellowship of Christian Athletes club, is an active member of the school safety team trained in Crisis Prevention Intervention, and has been chosen to present at professional development sessions for new middle school teachers in the corporation. In his time at both Grissom and Schmucker middle schools, High has been the lead organizer in fundraising efforts for Riley Hospital for Children. At the completion of this past school year, High surpassed a total of $70,000 raised during his time in this role.
Megan Johnson is a fourth grade teacher at Central Elementary School in the Plainfield Community School Corporation. With 18 years of teaching experience in upper elementary classrooms, Megan has positioned herself as an instructional leader dedicated to her students’ growth and known for her joyful, relationship-centered approach to learning. Since 2022, she has led efforts in her building to implement evidence-based reading practices, supporting both students and colleagues in aligning instruction with the latest research in science of reading. She also recently completed 80 hours of professional development on science of reading and passed her Praxis exam to earn the new Early Literacy Endorsement.
For over 60 years, the Indiana Teacher of the Year program has recognized outstanding teachers across the state who are making a difference for Hoosier students. With the mission of inspiring, rejuvenating, and celebrating the teaching profession, the program encourages schools to nominate their local Teachers of the Year for this statewide honor.
The Indiana Teacher of the Year, who will be announced in October, will represent Hoosier teachers statewide.
More information about the Indiana Teacher of the Year program is available here.