Leon Smith is second consecutive Penn State alum named National Teacher of Year

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Leon Smith, an Advanced Placement U.S. History and African American studies teacher at Haverford High School in Havertown, has been named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

Smith, who in 2005 earned his master of education in instructional systems from Penn State, is the second consecutive Penn State alumnus to win the award after Ashlie Crosson, an English and journalism teacher from Mifflin County High School in Lewistown, received the honor in 2025.

As a finalist, Smith traveled to Washington, D.C., and had to both interview with the selection committee and give a keynote address. A short time later, he heard the news he had been selected.

“I received a call and, at first, I was a little stunned,” Smith said. “I was so happy and I think in many ways it validated something. I always felt my life had a purpose — and I know everybody's life has a purpose — but it was very affirming to me because I have a strong belief in the profession of education, the importance of teachers. It just really gave me a sign — sometimes God is telling you ‘This is the path. You’re supposed to keep doing that.’ So, for me, it told me I'm doing the right thing.”

Smith had to keep the news a secret until appearing for the big announcement on “CBS Mornings” in April, which wasn’t always easy to do. Camera crews started to show up more frequently to film footage in advance of his TV appearance, which led to more people surmising he had already been selected. No matter how many questions he was asked, however, Smith was not allowed to confirm their suspicions and had to find increasingly creative explanations.

“At first, I had to just tell my students that this is just what happens when you’re a finalist,” Smith said. “But when the fourth camera crew showed up, my students were like ‘Alright, Mr. Smith’ but I had to just keep playing it cool and telling them this is a normal thing. But I think it was just because many of my students and colleagues genuinely wanted me to be selected.”

Now able to discuss the news freely, Smith said he’s both excited for the opportunity presented to him to elevate the profession of teaching and hopeful that he can provide an inspiration to the next generation of educators, especially for those who, like Smith, have come through a school system in which many students never see people like themselves represented among faculty or administration.

“I'm thinking about how we can get more educators of color because I am truly a unicorn,” said Smith, who is African American. “According to some studies, less than 2% of all teachers are Black men. We have to really address that, because studies show that educators of color, particularly Black men, have a positive impact on learning for all students.

“I understand the impact that educators of color can have,” he continued. “But I also recognize that if you're one of or the only teacher of color in the building, you will need support and an affirming environment, because we don't want to do all the work to bring people into the profession, only for them to have a horrible experience and leave. So, I think some of the things I've been able to do is talk about my own experience, what I needed. School leaders have attended and hopefully, they go back to their districts and make sure that the infrastructure, an environment exists where all teachers can really thrive.”

As a high school teacher, Smith said it’s vital to equip students with the critical thinking skills they’ll need to navigate a world flooded with information — either accurate or misleading — and determine what’s true when the answer isn’t always obvious. He does that by making his students feel valued as people outside of just being a student.

“Something that's really important to me is just building that community,” Smith said. “Every day my students come in, but we don't start learning right away. We actually get into a circle with the idea of ‘this is our space.’ Then I ask a question just to get people laughing or get people thinking. And it's just so important because once we've done that, once everybody has had a chance to speak and feel seen and feel heard, then we can really get into the learning from that point on.”

Smith was drawn to Penn State early in his career because he considers himself a lifelong learner. As classroom technology rapidly expanded in the early 2000s, he wanted the training to incorporate the latest tools into his teaching.

Penn State Great Valley’s leadership and technology program appealed to him not only for its curriculum, but also because he could attend classes in person with a relatively short commute from his school in the greater Philadelphia region.

“I started working on my master's in 2003, and it was at a time when people were thinking about technology and what role technology plays in the classroom,” Smith explained. “And I decided to enter because it just sounded like it would put me in a position to be a leader and someone in my building that would understand this new technology, this new way to help our students. I think the things that we were learning were certainly helpful, so I really look fondly on that time and really think that it gave me a lot of important skills that have helped me to this day.”

In addition to his master’s from Penn State, Smith has earned a bachelor of arts in secondary social studies education from the University of Maryland and a preK–12 principal certification from Cabrini University.

As National Teacher of the Year, Smith will step out of the classroom and spend a year representing educators and serving as an ambassador for the teaching profession. He was eligible for the award after being named the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year for 2025 by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

CCSSO’s National Teacher of the Year Program honors exceptional teachers across the country by celebrating their work. Through a one-of-a-kind professional learning program, the National Teacher of the Year Program helps teachers amplify their instructional practices as well as their voices and empowers them to take part in policy discussions at the state and national level.