Pennsylvania high school teacher named 'National Teacher of the Year' for 2026

PENNSYLVANIA - The highest honor for teachers in the United States has been bestowed on a Delaware County educator, who is being praised for his impact in and out of the classroom.

What we know:

Leon Smith, a social studies teacher at Haverford High School, has been named the 2026 "National Teacher of the Year." The second year in a row that a Pennsylvania educator has claimed the national honor.

The 46-year-old educator has built a nationally recognized teaching approach that goes far beyond standard curriculum by blending history with deeper conversations about identity, representation, and what it means to be an active citizen.

Smith has taken education from the classroom straight to the Capitol, actively working with policymakers at both the state and national levels to address teacher diversity and workforce issues, while regularly bringing his classes into direct contact with legislators in Harrisburg.

Dig deeper:

Smith’s presence in the classroom also addresses a critical gap in American education, with fewer than 2% of U.S. teachers being black men. Sharing his personal journey of spending more than 20 years as the only black educator in his school building has become a central pillar of his teaching style.

What they're saying:

"There’s nothing like seeing a student gain confidence in themselves after receiving words of encouragement from you," Leon Smith said. "Teaching is a journey where one discovers their voice in the classroom and who they are as educators. As you prepare to enter the classroom, remember that you are who your students need."

The backstory:

Smith has spent 25 years in the classroom, and is currently teaching AP U.S. History and AP African American Studies at Haverford High School in the School District of Haverford Township.

He represented the Commonwealth in the National Teacher of the Year competition after being named Pennsylvania's 2025 "Teacher of the Year."

"You have to look back in order to move forward, and I think that's really what Black history is to me, to really learn from the ancestors," Smith said when speaking to FOX 29 last year.

Outside the classroom, he coaches boys basketball, runs the African American Cultural Enrichment Club and creates programs to encourage more students, especially people of color, to become educators.

"This is a role that other people that look like me can do. But I also think it really shatters a lot of stereotypes, especially for Black men in society," he said.

What's next:

As Teacher of the Year, Smith will dedicate the next year to highlighting the vital impact teachers have on future generations.