Tim Fails Named Finalist for 2026 Texas Teacher of the Year

AUSTIN – The Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) has announced that six outstanding educators from across Texas have been chosen as finalists in the 2026 Texas Teacher of the Year program.

Timothy Fails has 18 years of experience in the classroom, currently teaching geography at Flower Mound 9th Grade Campus (FM9) in Lewisville ISD. He was part of the inaugural staff that transitioned from Flower Mound High School to FM9 in 2014 and has served as the social studies department chair since then. In his geography classroom, Fails prioritizes creating a supportive environment and empowering students as independent thinkers. He believes that understanding the relationship between people and the planet is essential, and his classroom serves as a space to "shrink the world" for 90 minutes a day. Through geographic inquiry, students develop a global perspective, gaining insight into diverse cultures and environments while building critical thinking skills to analyze the world around them. Outside the classroom, Fails has taken on many roles from assistant tennis coach, student council sponsor, cricket club sponsor, to even a brief stint as the ping pong club sponsor. He says that his time as "Coach Fails" on the tennis courts remains one of the highlights of his career, having allowed him to form lifelong relationships with players, their families, and fellow coaches. Fails is a graduate of Krum High School and the University of North Texas, where he became the first in his family to earn a college degree. In 2007, he earned a BA in social sciences and holds a Social Studies 8-12 teaching certificate.

“Texas teachers perform miracles every day as they inspire children even in the most challenging of times,” said Kevin Brown, executive director of TASA, which has coordinated the Texas Teacher of the Year program since 2011. “Public school teachers are critical to the success of individual children and our society as a whole. Those who choose to teach are national heroes, and these six finalists are the best among them. They have distinguished themselves among thousands of outstanding, dedicated teachers across our nation have who have answered the call to serve."

On Aug. 18, a panel of judges composed of representatives of Texas teacher associations and last year’s Texas Teacher of the Year finalists selected the finalists from the 40 Texas Regional Teachers of the Year — one elementary and one secondary teacher from each of the 20 Texas Education Service Center regions.

The six finalists will be interviewed Oct. 16 by a panel of judges composed of representatives of educational leadership associations, community and business leaders, a member of the State Board for Educator Certification, a member of the State Board of Education, and prior Texas Teachers of the Year.

The panel will select two state-level winners — Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year — and designate one to represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year program. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony Oct. 17 Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Round Rock, Texas, where the 40 Regional Teachers of the Year will also be recognized.

The Texas Teacher of the Year program has honored excellence in classroom education since 1969. The program, facilitated by TASA since 2011, annually recognizes and rewards teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching. In 2015, Texas Teacher of the Year Shanna Peeples of Amarillo ISD became the second Texas teacher to be named the National Teacher of the Year. Learn more at tasanet.org/texasTOY.

The Texas Teacher of the Year program operates with financial support and in-kind contributions from the following:

·       Premier Sponsors: H-E-B, Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA)

·       Gold Sponsors: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP), Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE)

·       Silver Sponsors: Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE), Texas Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA), Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA), Texas PTA

TASA is the professional association for Texas school superintendents and other administrators. The mission of the organization, which focuses on professional learning, advocacy and member engagement, is to promote, provide and develop leaders who create and sustain student-centered schools and develop future-ready students.