Floor Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Senate President Pro Tempore
“Iowa’s 2026 Teacher of the Year, Stephanie Pritts”
Monday, December 1, 2025
As I travel Iowa throughout the year, I meet some very special people.
Last month in Sheldon, Iowa, at the high school, I had the honor of meeting Stephanie Pritts, who was recently named Iowa’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.
Now, it goes way back to 1958 that Iowa started Teachers of the Year award[s], honoring an exceptional Iowa teacher each year.
There is very tough competition each year among Iowa’s many outstanding educators to find the one who best represents student learning through evidence-based instruction, empowering students with multiple pathways to post-secondary success. The teacher learns from and invests in fellow educators, and, at the same time, serves students in partnerships with their families.
The annual program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Education and is funded by an appropriation of the Iowa legislature.
Now that she is 2026 Teacher of the Year, Stephanie will serve as an ambassador to schools, an ambassador to higher education and an ambassador to various communities across the state.
I would like to congratulate Stephanie again and thank her for her service to our state.
Iowans can be very proud that teachers like Stephanie call our state their home.
I visit about ten to twelve high schools a year to have a Q&A with young people because they never come to my open town meetings.
One of the surprises that happens at the high schools is meeting Iowa Teachers of the Year. This year, that was Stephanie Pritts, and I congratulate her for a second time.
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