Talia Casares named Utah’s 2027 Teacher of the Year
(Photo Courtesy NSSD)
MORONI—Talia Casares, a sixth grade Spanish dual-language immersion teacher at Moroni Elementary, has been named Utah’s 2027 Teacher of the Year.
Casares, who teaches in the North Sanpete School District, was announced as the recipient Thursday during a banquet at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. She received a $10,000 award.
She was selected from five finalists by a committee that included representatives from the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah Education Association. The other four finalists each received $2,000.
Each school district and charter school in the state were able to nominate a candidate. Casares is the first teacher of the year from North Sanpete School District.
“Through her teaching, leadership, and service, Casares strives to create learning environments where every student feels valued, empowered, and capable of making a positive difference,” the Utah State Board of Education said in a news release Thursday.
The annual award recognizes educators who demonstrate excellence in teaching, student growth and professional leadership, according to the state education board.
Casares is originally from Mexico City. She earned a Master of Arts in Spanish Pedagogy from Brigham Young University and received the Utah Coalition for Educational Technology’s Innovative Teacher Award in 2025.
As Utah’s Teacher of the Year, Casares will advance to the national Teacher of the Year competition, where she will compete with teachers selected from other states. She also will have opportunities to participate in state and national education leadership programs.