Hershey, PA - Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin today announced that Ashlie Crosson, an educator at Mifflin County School District, has been named the 2024 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made during the SAS Institute, the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s annual professional development conference.
“At the Pennsylvania Department of Education, we celebrate all of our teachers across the Commonwealth, but the Teacher of the Year is a special designation highlighting the best and brightest practitioners in the field,” said Sec. Mumin. “Ashlie Crosson is a leader and a role model in her school district, championing practices and resources that will lead her students to infinite possibilities of success, and today we congratulate her on her dedication to her classroom and community.”
Ashlie Crosson teaches Grade 10 English, AP Language, & Journalism at Mifflin County High School in the Mifflin County School District in Lewistown. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English/Journalism from Susquehanna University, a Masters in Educational Leadership from Pennsylvania State University, and a gifted education endorsement from Millersville University.
As an educational leader, Crosson strongly believes in the importance of Career and College Readiness standards. She believes the courses she teaches should be intellectually and creatively stimulating while still grounded in practicality. Ashlie is an avid proponent of independent reading and invested significant personal funds to help her school build classroom libraries filled with diverse young adult books.
Through the National Teacher of the Year (NTOY) Program, the Pennsylvania Department of Education identifies and honors exemplary teaching and classroom practices across the commonwealth. NTOY annually recognizes a professional who inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn; who has the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues; and who plays an active and useful role in both school and community.
As Pennsylvania’s Teacher of the Year, Crosson will travel the state, meet, and collaborate with other educators, and will represent the commonwealth in next year’s National Teacher of the Year competition.
The Teacher of the Year program is co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Pennsylvania chapter of the National State Teacher of the Year, which was founded in 1995.
Crosson was one of 12 finalists, including:
- Anthony Angelini, Conewago Valley School District
- Brittney Bell, Carmichaels Area School District
- Jonathan Bickel, Eastern Lebanon School District
- Benjamin Hoffman, Kutztown Area School District
- Rachel Kalberer, Norwin School District
- Heather Kilgore, Chester County Intermediate Unit
- Stephanie Machmer, Jersey Shore Area School District
- Aspen Mock, Forest Hills School District
- Justin Ward, Laurel Highlands School District
- Sharon Williams, Rose Tree Media School District
- Sally Ann Wojcik, School District of Philadelphia
The 2023 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, named last December at PDE’s SAS Institute, was Ryan Hardesty—a seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teacher at Highland Middle School in Blackhawk School District in Beaver County.
Learn more about Pennsylvania’s Teacher of the Year program on PDE’s website.