Meade County educator recognized as Kentucky’s 2025 Special Education Teacher of the Year
- Chad Hobbs
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
The Kentucky Department of Education’s (KDE’s) Office of Special Education and Early Learning, in collaboration with the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children (KYCEC), is proud to recognize Jessica Youart of Meade County as the 2025 Special Education Teacher of the Year.
The KYCEC Teacher of the Year award celebrates special educators who go above and beyond in providing direct services to children and youth with exceptionalities, demonstrating excellence in supporting students with disabilities.
Youart is an outstanding special educator recognized for her deep commitment to students both inside and outside the classroom. She initiated a community-based instruction program for diploma-tracked special education students, helping them gain real-world skills. Each year, she organizes a field trip to the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Center to expose students to college life and available resources.
Beyond the school year, Youart runs Camp TESSA (Teaching Effective Social Skills to Students with Autism), a summer program, and serves as a court-appointed special advocate for those in her area. As an exceptional math co-teacher, she is praised by colleagues and administrators for her strong connections with students and her dedication to their success inside and outside the classroom.
“She cares. She cares deeply,” said Haley Ross, a math teacher at Meade County High School and one of Youart’s colleagues. “Watching her interact and her devotion to her profession makes me want to be a better teacher and a better co-teacher.”
KDE and KYCEC would also like to recognize Madeline Kleier of Schaffner Traditional Elementary School (Jefferson County) and Emily Lane of the Phoenix School of Discovery (Jefferson County) as finalists for this award.