Boston Special Education Teacher Named Massachusetts Teacher of the Year
Luisa Sparrow, a teacher at Oliver Hazard Perry School, won the 2025 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year award. She was chosen from among 80,000 teachers at public schools across the state. Her role as Teacher of the Year means she’ll work with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She’ll connect with teachers throughout Massachusetts, sharing teaching strategies and creating connections. The award comes with a $10,000 classroom grant. Teachers will work together to figure out the best way to spend the money to help students.
With 16 years of teaching experience, this fifth and sixth grade teacher has extensive background working with students who have intellectual disabilities. Her teaching career has taken her through several states and countries. After beginning in regular classrooms, she moved to special education, where she combines academic lessons with essential life skills.
At the Boston school, kids know her as ‘Ms. S.’ Every other week, she takes her students into the community. These field trips help bring classroom lessons to life in everyday situations. From museums to grocery stores, students get to practice what they’ve learned.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu celebrated the achievement: “She is always determined to help every single one of her students get as much joy, experience, and learning out of every moment possible.”
She’s the first Boston Public Schools winner in five years, with the last winner being in 2020. The selection process included writing samples, interviews, and classroom observations to choose the winner.
