Moroni Elementary educator Talia Casares named Utah's 2027 'Teacher of the Year'

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's state education board on Friday announced Utah's "Teacher of the Year" award, with the 2027 distinction going to Talia Casares, a sixth-grade Spanish dual language immersion teacher from Moroni Elementary in the North Sanpete School District.

Caseras was selected from a group of five finalists by a committee of representatives from the state board of education, parent and teacher advocacy organizations, higher education and charter schools.

Originally from Mexico City, Caseras earned her master's from Brigham Young University. While at BYU, she researched the integration of literacy, science, and technology in dual language immersion classrooms.

A teacher for the past nine years, Caseras has been recognized for creating "innovative learning experiences" that connect language, literacy, STEM and technology while helping students build confidence and discover their potential, according to a release from the board.

"Her commitment to instructional excellence earned her the 2025 Utah Coalition for Educational Technology Innovative Teacher Award, and she continues to support educator growth through mentorship, leadership, and professional learning opportunities. 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," said the release.

As part of the award, Casares was given a $10,000 check and will advance to a national competition next year where she will compete with fellow teachers of the year from around the country.

The four other finalists, each receiving $2,000 was made up of:

• Danielle Carter, a fifth-grade special education teacher at Delta Middle School in the Millard School District.
• Sondra Knudsen, a kindergarten teacher at Adams Elementary in the Logan City School District.
• Daren Lentz, a seventh-grade mathematics teacher at South Cache Middle School in the Cache County School District.
• Megan Morrison, a seventh- through ninth-grade special education teacher at South Jordan Middle School in the Jordan School District.

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