Special Education teacher Tiffany Barnes has been named West Virginia’s 2026 Teacher of the Year. Photo credit: CCSSO NTOY
It is always my pleasure to share the story of an exceptional educator who has earned accolades for their work in the classroom. Middle school teacher Tiffany Barnes of West Virginia is just such an educator. She has been named her state’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.
Tiffany teaches Special Education at Wheeling Middle School in Ohio County, West Virginia. In her classroom, the honored educator says the relationships she has formed with her students are the most important element. “Connection is everything,” she says. “If a student doesn’t feel connected, they’re not going to learn. So it’s important to take the extra time to love them and connect with them and get to know them on a personal level,” she continues.
On her campus, Tiffany founded and coaches the Girls on the Run Heart and Sole team. She also established the school’s annual Autism Acceptance 5K race to support Special Education classrooms throughout Ohio County.
Not only is Tiffany a talented educator, she is also a US Army veteran. She served two tours of duty during the Iraq War, where she was as a member of the Military Police. There she earned the Iraq Campaign Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, a National Defense Service Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Service, an Armed Forces Reserve Medal, an Army Service Ribbon, an Overseas Service Ribbon, and an Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
In addition to her credentials as a teacher, Tiffany is a certified personal trainer and a performance enhancement specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
In her community, Tiffany initiated the Wreaths Across America program at two local cemeteries. She is a board member for the Martins Ferry Football Mom’s Association and the Education Alliance. And as if all that were not enough, she is an active member of Team Red, White & Blue, where she honors fallen soldiers by running half-marathons with a full rucksack, gas mask and flags. She is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, West Virginia Education Association and Kappa Delta Pi.
Tiffany earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from American Military University, and her Master’s degree in Reading from West Liberty University.
