NIE opens contest for Educator of Year
The annual Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education Educator of the Year contest recognizes educators who use the Tampa Bay Times and Newspaper in Education materials to enhance student learning and the learning environment.
Educators (teachers, media specialists, paraprofessionals, etc.) of any grade and subject in public and private schools in Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties are eligible to enter.
Entries for the 2026 contest will be accepted through April 1. Educators are encouraged to nominate themselves; administrators, supervisors and parents may also nominate.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $1,500 cash prize, a Grand Prize plaque, a Tampa Bay Times prize pack, inclusion in 2026 NIE Educator of the Year Teacher Guide and an invitation to the 2026 Florida Media Conference.
Up to five runners-up will receive $300 cash prizes, certificates of recognition, a Tampa Bay Times prize pack and inclusion in the 2026 NIE Educator of the Year Teacher Guide.
Contest details can be found at nieonline.com/tbtimes/educator_of_the_year_info.cfm.
The Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education program (NIE) serves educators, students, families and community members in the Tampa Bay area by providing classroom access to the Pulitzer Prize-winning Tampa Bay Times, plus award-winning original educational publications, teacher guides, lesson plans, educator professional development resources and much more – all at no cost to schools, teachers or families.
NIE is a member of Florida Press Educational Services (FPES), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization of newspaper professionals that promotes literacy, civic engagement and critical thinking, particularly for young people.
Reports: Housing costs hamper growth in education, innovation
Companion economic reports have found increases in education and innovation are leading factors in the growth of the Tampa Bay economy but are restrained by the lack of affordable housing.
Those are the main findings from the 2026 Regional Competitiveness Report and 2026 Tampa Bay E-Insights Report released Feb. 17 by the Tampa Bay Partnership and the USF Muma College of Business.
The region is becoming more educated, with increases to educational attainment at every level, the reports found. Innovation sparked by higher educational levels was manifested by university research and development rising by $58 million to $467 million, and an increase in small business awards.
However, increases in pay and net worth were offset by higher living costs. Roughly three out of five renters are spending 30% or more of their income on housing, the reports said.
Overall, the Regional Competitiveness Report shows that Tampa Bay has had year-over-year improvements in 39 of 61 indicators, including 83% of talent indicators, 80% of civic quality metrics, and 67% of Florida talent indicators.
The reports, issued together over the past nine years, explore how the Tampa Bay area’s eight-county region stands when compared to 19 similar-sized peer and aspirational metropolitan areas in key economic and socioeconomic metrics.
The research teams selected comparison communities based on factors such as population and demography, the size of the economy and the presence of regional assets. They include Minneapolis-St. Paul, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Austin, Houston and Charlotte.