LONGVIEW, Texas (AP) – Four Outstanding educators from East Texas have been named nominees in the 2026 Region 7 Teacher of the Year competition. The honorees include Casey Acker and Kati Mckinney of Bullard, Shyrah Jones of Troup and Casey Treat of Whitehouse—will be celebrated Tuesday, July 15, at Mobberly Baptist Church–Elevation in Longview .
Bullard ISD is represented in the elementary category by Casey Acker, who advanced after being named her district’s Elementary Teacher of the Year. Acker joins fellow finalists from across Region 7 in the competition to earn the regional title.
In the secondary category, Kati McKinney, Theatre Bullard High School; Shyrah Jones of Troup ISD was selected as her district’s Secondary Teacher of the Year and automatically qualified for the regional-level judging. Alongside her sat Casey Treat, representing Whitehouse ISD, who also received her district’s honor at the secondary level esc7.net.
The awards ceremony at Mobberly Baptist–Elevation begins at 10:30 a.m., with lunch served to nominees and guests who RSVP’d. All district Teacher of the Year candidates will receive trophies and gifts, and Region 7 winners—one elementary and one secondary—will be announced during the ceremony esc7.net.
Regional winners will then move on to the state-level Texas Teacher of the Year competition, with state finalists to be named Sept. 4
