Florida — October 3, 2025 — The Florida Charter School Alliance (FCSA) is proud to announce the finalists for the 2026 Florida Charter School Teacher of the Year Award. This prestigious honor celebrates the dedication, innovation, and impact of outstanding educators within Florida’s public charter school community.
This year’s finalists come from vastly different programs that reflect the diversity of quality charter schools available to young learners and families who seek educational environments that meet their needs and talents. While varied in their approach — Classical curriculum, community school, or credit recovery – the finalists and programs they support share a common mission to support and raise every student to their full potential.
The finalists are:
Angeles Boniche, Lead Math teacher at C.G.Bethel High School (Miami-Dade) for fifteen years.A highly effective math teacher and department head, Ms. Boniche’s “dedication, leadership, and results-driven approach have had a profound impact on our students, staff, and school as a whole,” said Principal Alex Madrigal. “Her ability to motivate and support students—particularly those who face academic or personal challenges—has been transformative.
Nicole Leon, 4th and 6th grade Literature teacher, Department head, and instructional coach at True North Classical Academy (Miami-Dade). “A cornerstone of our faculty and a guiding light for our scholars,” said Principal Chereen Coile. “Year after year, Ms. Leon has led her scholars to some of the highest reading scores across the state of Florida. But her impact goes far beyond test scores…her scholars gain not only knowledge but also wisdom—learning to think critically, articulate their ideas, and listen with respect.”
Callie Moore, 5th-grade English Language Arts teacher at Dale R. Fair Babson Elementary (Polk County). Considered a cornerstone of her school community, Mrs. Moore’s academic expertise and ability to build meaningful connections with students and colleagues have helped create an environment where academic success, along with kindness and respect, flourish. “Mrs. Moore plays a vital role in shaping a unified, positive school culture. Her personalized approach to support, unwavering encouragement, and belief in every person’s potential make her impact profound and lasting. Though she doesn’t seek the spotlight, her legacy of compassion, excellence, and community-building is undeniable,” said Principal Elizabeth Tyler.
“The Florida Charter School Teacher of the Year Award is an important way for us to recognize the hard work, passion, and unwavering commitment of public charter school educators, said Lynn Norman-Teck, Executive Director of the Florida Charter School Alliance. “Finalists Angeles Boniche, Nicole Leon, and Callie Moore exemplify the qualities that make Florida’s charter schools innovative, student-focused, and successful. Their commitment, creativity, and passion for student learning have made a profound difference in the lives of their students and their broader school communities.”
This annual award recognizes teachers who go above and beyond to inspire students, elevate classroom experiences, raise student achievement, and strengthen their school communities. The winner will be announced at the FCSA’s Florida Charter School Teacher of the Year reception on October 15, 2025, at the Florida Charter School Conference + School Choice Summit being held in Orlando, Florida.
The three finalists were selected from the more than 20,000 charter school educators across the state. Candidates were nominated by school administrators and evaluated based on student achievement data, leadership qualities, and recommendations from school administrators. The 2026 award winner will serve as an ambassador for Florida’s charter school movement and will represent the Florida Charter School movement as a nominee at the Florida Department of Education’s 2027 Florida Teacher of the Year program.