Teacher Fellowship Awards

Teacher Fellowship Awards is sponsored by Herb Kohl Educational Foundation. The Herb Kohl Fellowship honors outstanding educators in Wisconsin with a one-time award for the teacher and a matching grant for their employing school.

Teacher Awards · Herb Kohl Philanthropies Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Teacher Fellowship The Herb Kohl Teacher Fellowship celebrates and supports outstanding educators who demonstrate excellence and innovation in Wisconsin. Our mission is to empower teachers by helping them achieve their goals, whether for their classrooms or professional growth. Each year, 100 educators are selected as Herb Kohl Fellowship recipients.

Each educator receives a one-time $6,000 award and their respective school receives a matching grant of an additional $6000 to enhance learning. Public school recipients are automatically entered into the running to become a Wisconsin Teacher of the Year. A state selection committee selects five Teachers of the Year, with one teacher selected to be Wisconsin’s nominee to the National Teacher of the Year program.

Nomination Process – Nominate here Teachers must be nominated by students, parents, fellow teachers, community members, or administrators. Once nominated, teachers receive email notification, including a link to begin the online application process. Application Process – Application guidance To support evaluation, each applicant must secure three letters of recommendation.

Letters should come from three sources: (1) Faculty member or teacher; (2) Parent or community member; and (3) Current or former student, faculty member, teacher, parent or community member. Applications are reviewed regionally at either the teacher’s Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA), or for MPS teachers, through the MPS District Office.

Regional Selection Committees include students, parents, teachers, administrators, school board members, civic and business leaders, and local newspaper people. Teachers are notified via email whether or not they have progressed to the Statewide Selection Committee. The State Selection Committee begins reviewing applications in February.

The Committee includes representatives from Herb Kohl Educational Foundation, CESAs and MPS, the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation, state education-related associations, and community leaders. Applicants in the Statewide Selection process are notified early March – late April with the results. Eligibility & Restrictions All PK-12 teachers, including special services and virtual school teachers.

Special services include but are not limited to special education, gifted and talented, instructional resource or interventionist, speech language pathologist, school counseling, school psychologist, school nurse, school social worker, or instructional media personnel. Eligible candidates must plan to continue teaching in their current or similar capacity for a minimum of 50% full-time equivalency for at least the upcoming school year.

Self-nomination is not allowed. Administrators and supervisors are not eligible. Previous Fellowship recipients are ineligible to receive a second Fellowship.

Teachers who have been nominated and applied in the past but were not selected may reapply if renominated in the current award cycle.