Elementary school teacher Vickie Wright of Webster, Texas, has been selected the 2026 Texas State Teacher of the Year. Photo credit:Clear Creek Independent School District

There are many outstanding educators working in our nation’s public schools who are deserving of special recognition. One of them is Vickie Wright, who has been selected as the 2026 Teacher of the Year by the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA), the organization that facilitates the annual Texas State Teacher of the Year program.

Vickie teaches English/Language Arts and Social Studies to fifth graders at Margaret S. McWhirter Elementary School located in the Clear Creek Independent School District in Webster, Texas. The facility is a public professional development lab school.

In her classroom, the honored teacher develops curriculum that uses inquiry-based learning. But she also focuses on building relationships and prioritizing social-emotional development. Vickie emphasizes “reaching a student’s heart before their mind.” She is well-respected by both colleagues and students for her kindness and high-energy teaching style.

Vickie serves as a grade-level instructional coach at her school. She also leads extracurricular activities such as student council, and mentoring on her campus. And she volunteers with her sorority and the Clear Creek Education Foundation. Vickie has been a presenter at Illinois Reading Council conferences and she has led advanced training at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Vickie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education and her Master’s degree in Reading, both from Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. In addition, she has completed the requirements for certification in Educational Leadership from Concordia, and she is National Board Certified. Furthermore, she is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a prestigious professional development organization for women educators. Her career as a teacher spans 14 years.