Florida — October 22, 2026 — The Florida Charter School Alliance (FCSA) is proud to announce the finalists for the 2027 Florida Charter School Teacher of the Year Award. This prestigious honor celebrates the dedication, innovation, and impact of outstanding educators in Florida’s public charter school community.
Nominated by their principals, the finalists serve diverse groups of students and families. Through their commitment to academic achievement, leadership, and inclusive learning environments, they have made a lasting impact on their students, supported their colleagues, and fostered a culture of learning that empowers every student to succeed.
The finalists are:
- Maria Patricia Chirino, 2nd Grade Math Teacher, Renaissance Charter School at Cypress (Palm Beach County)
- Maria Franco, Math Instructional Coach, Math Department Head, and Pre-Algebra Teacher, Downtown Doral Charter Schools (Miami-Dade County)
- Sally W. Garcia, Science Teacher and STEM Leader, Somerset Boca East (Palm Beach County)
“The FCSA Teacher of the Year Award recognizes the passion and unwavering commitment of public charter school educators to their students and colleagues,” said Lynn Norman-Teck, Executive Director of the Florida Charter School Alliance. “Finalists Maria Patricia Chirino, Maria Franco, and Sally W. Garcia exemplify the qualities that make Florida’s charter schools successful. Through their commitment, creativity, and dedication to ensuring all learners feel supported, included, and challenged, they have made a profound difference in the lives of their students and throughout their school communities.”
The winner will be announced at the FCSA’s Charter School Teacher of the Year reception on November 18, 2026, during the Florida Charter School Conference + School Choice Summit in Orlando, Florida. The reception is made possible by the generous donation of the following sponsors: True North Classical Academy, Foundation for Florida’s Future, Academica, Building Hope, Florida Charter Institute, and Cognia, for supporting this program. The educator named FCSA Teacher of the Year will represent the Florida charter school movement as a nominee in the Florida Department of Education’s Florida Teacher of the Year program and gala, scheduled for July 2027. Last year’s FCSA Teacher of the Year, Nicole Leon, was named a finalist for the FLDOE Teacher of the Year program.
The finalists were selected from a statewide community of more than 20,000 charter school educators. The committee evaluated all nominations based on student achievement data, leadership qualities, and contributions to fostering a culture of learning that supports all students. The selection committee included experienced educators and/or school leaders: Dr. AnnMarie Dilbert, Director of Charter Schools, School District of Palm Beach County; Dr. M. Kristina Ledo, education consultant & founder, Legacy Learning Partners; Nicole Leon, ELA Teacher at True North Academy and FCSA Teacher of the Year 25-26; and Maria Quesada-Alba, Chief Academic Officer, Quality Charter School Solutions.
For more information about the FCSA’s Teacher of the Year program and reception, contact Lynn@flcharteralliance.org.
