Missy Testerman the 2024 National Teacher of the Year is a kindergarten through eighth grade English as a second language (ESL) teacher who is a staunch advocate for her students, their families and her fellow teachers. Testerman served as a first and second grade teacher at Rogersville City School in Rogersville, Tennessee, for three decades before taking advantage of the state’s Grow Your Own initiative and adding an ESL endorsement three years ago. She currently works as an ESL specialist at Rogersville City School, where she teaches K-8 students who do not speak English as their first language and supports them in all academic areas.

In her rural Appalachian community, Testerman builds bridges between cultures – families who have been in the area for centuries and newer immigrants – through a curriculum focused on a study of Americans from diverse backgrounds, allowing students to better understand that people are inherently the same and that they all belong. As Tennessee’s State Teacher of the Year, she forged partnerships with East Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee to encourage pre-service teachers and give authentic feedback to university leaders about their educator preparation programs.

Missy plans to use her year of service as National Teacher of the Year to empower teachers to advocate for students and fellow educators by using their voices and sharing their experiences with those outside of the classroom. Testerman believes strongly in teachers embracing their role as education experts to inform decision-makers of today’s classroom experiences to meet all students’ needs.

She prioritizes instruction that ensures her students have the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve. Testerman knows families are extensions of the classroom and often advocates for her families who speak little English. She considers her greatest contribution to her profession to be the love and desire for learning that she has instilled in countless students over the past three decades. A Tennessee native and first-generation college graduate herself, Testerman takes great pride in seeing her former students succeed in life and is motivated to ensure the next generation receives a broadened education while living in a rural setting.

Testerman holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and a Master of Arts in reading education from East Tennessee State University. She added ESL licensure through Freed-Hardeman University, wanting to ensure that immigrant students and families had an advocate in their rural Appalachian area. Testerman lives with her husband, David in Rogersville – where they both grew up and raised their children Andrew and Caroline.