The Alabama Scottish Rite Foundation is proud to be the most longstanding sponsor of the Alabama Teacher of the Year. This program annually honors and recognizes excellence in the teaching profession by identifying outstanding Alabama classroom teachers at local, district, and state levels. It operates in conjunction with the National Teacher of the Year program that began in 1952.

The Teacher of the Year spends the ensuing year traveling Alabama as a full-time ambassador for the teaching profession by speaking to civic and professional organizations, P-12 schools, colleges and universities; conducting workshops for teachers; and writing newspaper and magazine articles. Nomination is open to any public school certified classroom teacher, librarian, counselor, or other certified individual whose major responsibility is to work with children in a P-12 setting and provide learning opportunities to meet the academic goals and graduation requirements set by the Alabama State Board of Education. Individuals must be selected by the faculty at the participating school and serve in a capacity for which they hold proper certification.