Michael James, an English department chair at North Harford High School, was named the 2027 Maryland Teacher of the Year at the state’s 36th annual gala on Friday, Oct. 9. The award places a Harford County educator in a statewide role for the coming year and sends him into the national Teacher of the Year competition.
The Maryland State Department of Education announced James’s selection after a panel chose among seven finalists. The panel represented principals, educators, students and families. It evaluated candidates on student achievement, teaching philosophy, community involvement and their knowledge of education issues.
State Superintendent Carey M. Wright praised James’s innovation, compassion and commitment to student success. State Board President Joshua L. Michael also cited his work to elevate student achievement and empower fellow educators.
The gala was held at Valley Mansion by Martin’s in Hunt Valley. James entered the state competition after being selected as Harford County Public Schools’ 2026 Teacher of the Year. The school system says he was chosen from a group of 24 local system honorees and is its first recipient of the Maryland award since 1996.
Maryland’s process begins with each local school system selecting a Teacher of the Year. The state recognized 24 honorees on May 28, describing them as educators from pre-kindergarten through high school and across subjects; it said the group would collaborate on teaching and learning priorities. In the fall, a panel narrows the field to one state representative. James now carries Maryland’s name into the national program.
James has spent more than 30 years in education. Harford County Public Schools describes his work as including teaching, coaching, curriculum writing and professional development. The state announcement also notes his participation in district workgroups focused on grading, reading and technology. Those are separate parts of a career that has included classroom work and support for other educators.
In its April profile of James’s district Teacher of the Year award, HCPS described his practice as centered on growth for students, teachers and communities. The statewide materials add the concrete roles behind that summary: classroom teaching, educator development, district workgroups and student-voice advising.
His school and district roles also include advising Voices of Equity and editing North Harford’s Misentity magazine. The state department identifies both roles in its announcement. Harford County Public Schools describes James as an advocate for student voice.
That work sits alongside formal training in English and reading. James earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Washington & Jefferson College in 1993 and a master’s degree in reading from Towson University in 2004, according to Harford County Public Schools. The district also identifies him as a National Board-Certified Teacher.
The district’s announcement called the selection a milestone for Harford County schools. It quoted Superintendent Dyann Mack praising James’s commitment to keeping students at the center of his work. The district also shared a lighthearted glimpse of his classroom style: James said “groovy” is one of the most powerful adjectives he uses with students and described the gala as one of the grooviest nights of his career.
James told CBS Baltimore that teachers generally do not enter the profession expecting awards. He said the recognition reminded him that people appreciate educators’ efforts to help students become their best selves. The station’s report, published Oct. 12, independently confirmed his selection and the statewide role he is taking on.
During the upcoming year, James will take part in meetings and events hosted by the National Teacher of the Year Program as a speaker and advisor, the state department said.
He will also compete for the national Teacher of the Year award. CBS Baltimore reported that the national winner is expected to be announced in April 2027; that result remains ahead. The state honor is the confirmed outcome so far.
For North Harford, James’s recognition brings attention to a teacher whose documented responsibilities include instruction, curriculum work, educator development and student-voice activities. The award does not end those roles; it adds a year of statewide representation and a place in the national competition to a career already spanning more than three decades.
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