Meet the Arizona Teacher of the Year 2027 Honorees

Each year, the Teacher of the Year program recognizes 15 candidates for our state’s highest recognition for teaching excellence.

Arizona Teacher of the Year 2027

Lisa Scott from Esmond Station K-8 School in the Vail School District

Lisa Scott is a dynamic 8th grade science teacher at Esmond Station K-8 School in Tucson, Arizona. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Arizona, and holds approvals in middle grades science, social studies, and language arts. She has been teaching for 21 years.

Scott began her career teaching 1st grade in the Vail School District but switched to teaching middle school when she moved to New Jersey, where she found her true calling in educating adolescents. She returned to Vail where she found her home at Esmond Station K-8. She is passionate about getting her students to think and act like scientists in the classroom to prepare them for becoming critical thinkers in any future they choose. She strives to provide an inquiry-based learning environment that fosters curiosity and problem solving, while making learning accessible for all students, regardless of background or challenges.

She is committed to inclusivity, making sure that every student in her classroom feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed. Scott was named the 2023 Teacher of the Year for Esmond Station School. In 2025, she was selected as an Arizona finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the highest award in the nation for math and science educators. She was also selected as a Pima County Metro Education Commission Exemplary Educator for 2025. Scott further serves on the Board of Directors for Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports and as a peer mentor for amputees.

2027 Teacher of the Year Ambassadors for Excellence

The Arizona Teacher of the Year Award is our state’s highest state-level recognition for public school educators. The program has been coordinated by the Arizona Educational Foundation (AEF) for the past 43 years, with AEF serving as the State Coordinator of the National Teacher of the Year program. Scott will join other State Teachers of the Year from across the country in a year of professional learning and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like meeting the U.S. President and visiting the Oval Office, training at Google Headquarters in California, to learning to be an astronaut at International Space Camp.

Scott was one of fifteen educators honored by AEF this year as part of the Teacher of the Year program. Five quarterfinalists and five semifinalists were identified earlier this year, with the five finalists, known as “AEF Ambassadors for Excellence” taking the stage at the Back to School Breakfast on August 7th to find out live who won.  The event was held at Chateau Luxe in Phoenix. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne addressed the crowd of 400 individuals representing the education and corporate sectors. The Honorable Katie Hobbs, Governor of Arizona, presented the award. Desert Financial has served as the presenting sponsor of the Arizona Teacher of the Year Awards for the past six consecutive years.

2027 Teacher of the Year Semifinalists 

2027 Teacher of the Year Honorable Mentions

The prize package for the Arizona Teacher of the Year includes $15,000 from the Arizona Educational Foundation and travel to National Teacher of the Year events, including a trip to the White House to meet the President and a weeklong trip to International Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. Scott will also be considered for an honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University.

The 2027 Arizona Teacher of the Year, four Ambassadors for Excellence, and five semifinalists, also receive professional speech and media training to aid them in delivering hundreds of presentations during their year of recognition. AEF also has generous partners who provide gifts to the top ten teachers including scholarships from the Arizona K12 Center to pursue National Board Certification, the opportunity to ride on the APS fire engine during the Fiesta Bowl Parade, and a “Fiesta Bowl Experience” package including tickets and on-field recognition provided by Fiesta Bowl Charities. In addition to serving as presenting sponsor of the ceremony, Desert Financial Credit Union provides each teacher with an iPad, keyboard case, and Will & Trust package.