Mark Harrison, an economics and American government teacher for grades 9-12 at Union County High School, is Florida’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.
Harrison holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Florida and has earned the Civics Seal of Excellence. Harrison has also served as a civics and debate team sponsor and Fellowship of Christian Athletes sponsor. He also serves as a school bus driver for the high school.
“This is not about one person winning one award. It’s about all of us,” Harrison told his fellow teachers at the awards ceremony Thursday night in Orlando. “We chose this calling. We chose to help build futures. We chose to be difference makers...An education is life-changing, and as teachers, we are in the life-changing business.”
The 2026 Florida Teacher of the Year state finalists were chosen from nearly 175,000 public school teachers. After each school district selects its teacher of the year, a committee representing teachers, principals, parents and the business community reviews each district application on the basis of outstanding ability to teach and communicate knowledge of the subject taught, professional learning and outstanding school and community service. Mark Harrison will serve for one year as the Christa McAuliffe Ambassador for Education and will represent the Department of Education and teachers throughout the state.
The other finalists were: Brandy Nicole Anderson, a civics teacher at Indian Trails Middle School in Flagler County; Autumn Crabtree, a culinary arts teacher at Crystal River High in Citrus County; Shelly Teel, a third-grade teacher at West Side Elementary in Columbia County; Katy Jo Harrison, who teaches first grade at Hosford Elementary and Junior High in Liberty County; Each finalist received a check for $20,000. As the state winner, Mark Harrison will also receive an additional $50,000.
