A ninth-grade English teacher at Washburn High School in Minneapolis was named 2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year on Sunday at the St. Paul RiverCentre.

Tracy Byrd is the 60th recipient of the award and the third from the Minneapolis school district to be given that honor by Education Minnesota, the statewide teachers union.

Tracy Byrd teaches ninth-grade English teacher at Washburn High School in Minneapolis. (Education Minnesota)

Byrd, who graduated from Washburn, left a career in finance in 2008 to work in the Wayzata school district, first as a hall supervisor and then as a football and track-and-field coach.

He then took a teacher licensure program and worked as an  achievement specialist to prepare him for full-time teaching. After receiving his teaching credentials from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul in 2017, he began teaching at Washburn.

Byrd was selected from a field of 11 finalists for the Teacher of the Year award. Five of the 11 work in east metro school districts.

“Tracy Byrd is the epitome of excellence and integrity in public education,” said Katie Murphy-Olsen, an English as an additional language teacher at Minneapolis Edison High School, in her nomination letter for Byrd. “His dedication to the students at Washburn through educating, coaching, advocating and leading is palpable in his work. He exudes a dynamic energy, a kindness to all, and he is incredibly supportive to fellow educators and the Minneapolis community.”

Congratulations to Minnesota’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, Tracy Byrd! Minnesota schools lead the way because of educators like you. pic.twitter.com/tuBGrqauSN

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) May 7, 2024

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