KEY TAKEAWAYS: Alisha Butler named Louisiana’s 2027 Teacher of the Year. Lauren Williams Rentrop selected as 2027 Principal of the Year. State honors top early childhood educators and New Teacher of the Year. Awards gala celebrated 20 years of recognizing Louisiana educators.   The Lo uisiana Department of Education recognized the state’s top educators Saturday during the 20th Annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, naming the 2027 Louisiana Teacher and Principal of the Year along with recipients in early childhood education and new teacher categories. The annual event, presented in partnership with Dream Teachers, celebrates educators and school leaders from across Louisiana for their contributions to student achievement and school improvement. The program also marked the 20th anniversary of the statewide awards. Alisha Butler Alisha Butler of the Louisiana Special School District was named the 2027 Louisiana Teacher of the Year. Butler teaches dual enrollment English and intermediate Braille at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired in Baton Rouge. In addition to classroom instruction, she has served as an instructional coach, school testing coordinator and technology coordinator. She is among fewer than 500 educators nationwide to hold the National Certification in Unified English Braille. Lauren Rentrop     Lauren Williams Rentrop, principal of Patterson Junior High in St. Mary Parish, was selected as Louisiana Principal of the Year. According to the department, the school improved by 18.1 points over six years under her leadership after previously receiving an Urgent Intervention Required designation because of declining assessment scores. Tammany Parish Jillian Graves Sarah Corley The department also recognized Jillian Graves of St. Louis Academy Head Start in St. James Parish as Louisiana Early Childhood Teacher of the Year, Sarah Corley of Louisiana State University at Alexandria Children’s Center as Louisiana Early Childhood Leader of the Year and Katie Weber of Fontainebleau High School in St. Tammany Parish as Louisiana New Teacher of the Year. “Each of these educators represents the significant impact one dedicated professional can have on students and our state,” Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley said in a statement. “Louisiana’s continued success depends on educators who refuse to settle, take pride in their craft, and keep pushing students toward the future they deserve.” Bridget Zeringue Kathy Michelle Blaney Corey Elizabeth Gilfoil Division-level Teacher of the Year honorees included Corey Elizabeth Gilfoil of West Feliciana Parish for elementary schools, Bridget Zeringue of Iberville Parish for middle schools and Kathy Michelle Blaney of Rapides Parish for high schools.       Terez LeBlanc Division-level Principal of the Year recipients were Casey Cheramie of Lafourche Parish for elementary schools, Terez LeBlanc of Terrebonne Parish for middle schools and Dr. Holly Franks Boffy of Lafayette Parish for high schools. In addition to the top awards, the department and Dream Teachers recognized Louisiana’s 2025 Milken Educator Award recipient, the Public Interest Fellow, Teacher and Principal of the Year semifinalists and finalists, and finalists in the early childhood and new teacher categories. The event also highlighted Donella Wagner, head custodian at Raintree Elementary in St. Mary Parish, who was named the 2026 National Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award recipient for her service to students and staff. The Louisiana Department of Education said the annual recognition program is designed to honor educators, school leaders and school employees whose work has made a meaningful impact on students and communities across the state. ...read more read less