DENVER (KDVR) -- And then there were 22. The semifinalists for the 2026 Colorado Teacher of the Year were revealed Thursday, with the remaining contenders representing 22 schools from 17 districts and two charters.

The Colorado Department of Education said this year's semifinalists — which already beat out nearly 400 other contenders — are the most "geographically diverse" to date, with at least two representing every region in the state.

"We're proud to recognize this incredible group of educators who represent the best of Colorado's teaching profession," said Education Commissioner Susan Córdova, in a statement.

The semifinalists were selected from a pool of 419 initial applicants from a total of 106 school districts, the CDE said. The candidates were reviewed by a committee of more t

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