Brian Schneider Named North Dakota Teacher of the Year

The veteran agricultural educator will represent North Dakota in the national competition for 2027.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Awards

Brian Schneider Named North Dakota Teacher of the Year

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Brian Schneider has been honored as the 2027 North Dakota Teacher of the Year. He was selected for the award after a long career leading agricultural education at Napoleon Public School.

Why it matters

The recognition highlights Schneider's four decades of dedication to agricultural education and his success in coaching students to numerous competitive titles.

Schneider has completed 40 years of total teaching, with 35 of those years spent at Napoleon Public School. He has led his FFA chapter to more than 100 championships during his career.

The players

Brian Schneider

He is an agricultural education teacher at Napoleon Public School with a 40-year career.

Kelly Armstrong

He is the Governor of North Dakota who helped present the award.

Levi Bachmeier

He serves as the North Dakota Superintendent and participated in the award ceremony.

The details

The award was presented in Bismarck by Governor Kelly Armstrong and Superintendent Levi Bachmeier. Schneider was chosen over finalists including Teresa Olson, Jennifer Nokes, and Dustin Moe.

January 1, 2027 marks the official start of Schneider's term as Teacher of the Year.

Culture Shift

This recognition aligns with the long-standing criteria of the National Teacher of the Year program, which celebrates educators who demonstrate exceptional leadership and career longevity. It reflects a growing emphasis on vocational and agricultural education in state-level recognition cycles.

Residents in the Napoleon school district can expect their local educator to participate in national programming starting in 2027. This honor highlights the quality of vocational instruction available to students in North Dakota's public school system.

The takeaway

Schneider's achievement underscores the long-term impact that dedicated vocational educators have on student success in competitive fields. His path from the classroom to the state honor provides a roadmap for how local teachers can influence broader state education initiatives.