St. Louis Park music teacher named Minnesota Teacher of the Year
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(FOX 9) - A St. Louis Park music teacher has been named as the 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.
St. Louis Park music teacher named MN Teacher of the Year
What we know:
David Davis has been named the 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year by Education Minnesota. He teaches instrumental and general music to students in grades K-5 at Park Spanish Immersion Elementary in St. Louis Park Public Schools.
Davis is the 62nd recipient of the state award and only the second teacher from his district to receive this honor.
Big picture view:
Davis has earned national recognition for his work in music education and innovation. He was the first Minnesotan named a top 25 semifinalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award and has received honors including the Give A Note Foundation Music Education Innovator Award, the Music for All Elementary Excellence Award and Yamaha’s "40 Under 40" recognition.
Dig deeper:
Davis is a leader in advancing more inclusive, student-centered education. He serves on the National Association for Music Education’s Council of Innovations, participates in the Minnesota Department of Education’s Culturally Responsive Arts Education cohort and is part of Education Minnesota’s Racial Equity Advocate program.
His background
The backstory:
His academic background includes a master’s degree in music education from the University of St. Thomas and a bachelor’s degree in saxophone performance from Lawrence University. He is also completing graduate coursework in Change Leadership at the College of St. Scholastica.
Davis’s recognition highlights the importance of innovative and culturally responsive teaching in Minnesota schools.
Davis began his teaching career in Wisconsin and Virginia before returning to Minnesota, where he taught in Minnetonka Public Schools prior to moving to St. Louis Park in 2021.
What they're saying:
A news release from Education Minnesota included this quote from Davis:
"A major issue in public education is that students often have too little ownership over their own learning," Davis said. "The future of public education can be meaningful, relevant and joyful when we trust students’ inherent brilliance, creativity and intrinsic motivation."
"David is, quite literally, a living monument to change in both mindset and practice," wrote Jess Davis (no relation), the 2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, in a letter of recommendation. "He has been open about the ways his perspectives have evolved and uses that growth to build learning spaces where students see themselves as artists, thinkers and collaborators."