2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year named

Meet the 2024 MN Teacher of the Year Tracy Byrd

Education Minnesota named Tracy Byrd as the 2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. The ninth-grade English teacher at Washburn High School joined FOX 9 Morning News to chat about the new title.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Education Minnesota has named its 2024 Teacher of the Year.

Taking home the award on Sunday was Tracy Byrd, a ninth-grade teacher at Washburn High School in Minneapolis.

Byrd is a Washburn graduate himself. According to his bio, he left a career in the financial industry to take a job in the Wayzata Public School District. First, he worked as a hall supervisor and coach before earning his teaching degree.

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"True access to education can change the trajectory of a student," said Byrd in a provided statement. "It could be the spark that ignites the flame for a young student into a field they didn't know existed. To me, that is the purpose of education: Not to give them something they already know, but to show them something new and authentic so they can learn and grow."

Byrd is the 60th winner of the Minnesota Teacher of the Year award.