Alabama Names Three Charter School Teachers of Year
The Alabama Public Charter School Commission honors educators for their dedication and commitment to student success.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The Alabama Public Charter School Commission has selected three Birmingham-area educators as the 2026 recipients of the Nelson Marshall Awards for Teaching Excellence. These awards recognize teachers for their leadership and contributions to student achievement.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights the role of charter schools in the state's education landscape and celebrates individual educators who drive student progress. The commission honors these teachers to showcase successful models of academic instruction.
The awards recognized three teachers from across the Birmingham area. Empower Community School, which saw one of its educators honored, is based in Bessemer.
The players
Alabama Public Charter School Commission
This state regulatory body is responsible for the authorization and oversight of public charter schools across Alabama.
Tauna Kramer
She serves as an educator at Freedom Preparatory Academy and was recognized for elementary teaching excellence.
Kristopher King
He is a teacher at Empower Community School in Bessemer who earned honors for middle school instruction.
Maria Manley
She works as an educator at i3 Academy High School and was awarded for high school teaching excellence.
The details
Tauna Kramer of Freedom Preparatory Academy earned the Elementary Teacher of the Year title, while Kristopher King of Empower Community School in Bessemer was named Middle School Teacher of the Year. Maria Manley of i3 Academy High School received the High School Teacher of the Year award for her work in the classroom.
Timeline
The 2026 Nelson Marshall Awards for Teaching Excellence were presented to the three winners.
Additional charter schools are scheduled to open throughout Alabama through 2028.
Culture Shift
This recognition aligns with the ongoing expansion of the charter school movement in the state, which seeks to provide alternative educational models to traditional public districts. These awards reflect a broader societal shift toward valuing teacher leadership in innovative school environments.
For parents and students in the Birmingham area, these awards highlight the caliber of instruction currently being prioritized at local charter institutions. Families considering school enrollment may use these honors to evaluate the instructional quality provided at these specific academy campuses.
The takeaway
Recognizing teacher excellence serves to incentivize high-quality instruction within the growing charter sector. Parents should research local school accolades when evaluating academic environments for their children.
Further reading
Learn more about the state's educational landscape by visiting Alabama Secondary Education.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Bham Now.
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