2024 Illinois Teacher Of The Year

Dr. Rachael Mahmood, the 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year, is an educator at Indian Prairie School District 204 in Aurora, IL. With over two decades of experience, she has chaired equity teams, facilitated dialogue circles, and authored curricula in her district and across the state. Dr. Mahmood chairs the Educational Task Force for the Muslim Civic Coalition and is a Teach Plus policy fellow. Her accolades include the Michael Feldman Educational Leadership Award (Elmhurst University) and the Rising Star Alumni Award (Benedictine University). In 2020, she founded Equity Teacher Leader, LLC, where she designs professional development, frameworks, and dialogue opportunities for educators.