TEMPLE, TX – Out of 77 school districts across the 12-county education service area of Region 12, Temple ISD’s Jessica Cuellar has been named the 2027 Region 12 Secondary Teacher of the Year and regional nominee for Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year. Cuellar was selected as Temple ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year and moved forward to the regional level, where a committee of area educators selected her to represent Region 12.
“The best educators create opportunities that inspire students to see what's possible for their future,” said Dr. Kenny Berry, Executive Director of Education Service Center Region 12. “Ms. Jessica Cuellar does exactly that by providing authentic learning experiences that build the knowledge, confidence, and skills students need for success beyond the classroom. Her commitment to serving students and strengthening her community makes her an outstanding choice as Region 12's Secondary Teacher of the Year.”
Cuellar has taught at Temple High School since 2023 and currently serves as a Career and Technical Education Lead Teacher. She has been in education for over five years, previously teaching business at Vanguard Academy. Prior to becoming an educator, Cuellar worked in the banking industry for 10 years.
“I have firsthand experience seeing Ms. Cuellar provide instruction, work with students, and serve our community,” said Dr. Bobby Ott, Superintendent of Temple ISD. “She is the dictionary definition of a high school ‘master teacher’ and represents the perfect blend of professionalism, compassion, and expertise as an educator. I could not be more proud of her. Simply put, she impacts and improves lives every day.”
Cuellar currently teaches Principles of Business, Marketing and Finance, Accounting I, Accounting II and Practicum in Business Management at Temple High School. Cuellar started her professional career in the banking industry, gaining experience in finance, customer service and business operations. After 10 years in the field, she felt called to bring her real-world business experience into the classroom to help students develop the skills needed to succeed in college and beyond.
Cuellar strives to provide students with educational opportunities that go beyond memorization and allow them to apply their knowledge in authentic ways. This is evident in her Business Plan project in her Practicum in Business Management course. In this unit, students develop a business idea that is unique and meaningful to them. Students work through every component of a professional business plan, including business objectives and structure, products and services, and financial analysis, to create a plan that could be presented to an investor. Throughout the multi-week project, Cuellar’s classroom transforms into a collaborative business workspace where students ask questions, seek feedback and share ideas. While the project is challenging, Cuellar ensures that all students succeed by breaking tasks into manageable sections, providing examples, and offering individualized support. The project encourages students to think critically about economics, marketing and business ownership. Students finish the unit with confidence to pursue their goals, and some even go on to turn their project ideas into real businesses after graduation.
Cuellar believes that a strong classroom culture is built when students are trusted with meaningful responsibilities and empowered to lead. One way Cuellar provides students with work-based learning experiences and fosters leadership is through Temple High School’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, operated in partnership with United Way of Central Texas. Through this program, Cuellar and her students operate a fully functioning tax-preparation office where they prepare federal income tax returns free of charge for community members. Students complete extensive training on tax law, requirements, deductions, credits, and taxpayer confidentiality before taking the Internal Revenue Service certification exam. Once certified, students work directly with the community, reviewing tax documents, preparing returns, explaining tax information and guiding them through the filing process. Cuellar started the program during her first year at Temple High School, and it has grown from a small initiative into a student-led office serving hundreds of community members. During the most recent tax season, students prepared more than 300 tax returns, helping community members secure over $500,000 in tax refunds while saving them thousands of dollars in tax preparation fees. Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, students have been able to apply their technical knowledge, develop their professional skills, and make a real impact in their community.
Beyond teaching students, Cuellar has stepped into a leadership role as the CTE Lead Teacher for College, Career and Military Readiness. In this role, Cuellar helps fellow educators understand the importance of industry-based certifications and ensures they have the tools necessary to guide students toward earning them. She strives to continually expand her knowledge to stay up to date with requirements and to learn ways to better coach and collaborate with her peers. Cuellar has helped bridge the gap between accountability data and classroom practices by helping teachers understand CCMR requirements and why they matter. She works closely with teachers from various CTE programs to help them develop certification-aligned content, improve instructional practices, and prepare students for exams. By engaging in state-level professional development, aligning instruction with accountability and supporting teachers, Cuellar has helped strengthen campus programs and increase the number of students earning industry-based certifications.
Cuellar has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Texas A&M University - Kingsville. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, has a Business and Finance (6-12) certification and is a member of the Career & Technical Association of Texas. Cuellar was named the 2025-2026 CTAT Area 4 Teacher of the Year, 2024-2025 Temple ISD Teacher of the Year, 2024-2025 CTE Department Teacher of the Year and was a 2025 Workforce Solutions Phoenix Award recipient.
ESC Region 12 and Texas Farm Bureau Insurance, the Region 12 Educators of the Year program sponsor, will recognize Cuellar and other regional educators of the year in the coming months. The Texas Teacher of the Year process, facilitated by the Texas Association of School Administrators, will continue later this month when judges meet to review the regional Secondary Teacher of the Year nominees from all 20 education service areas in Texas. Three finalists will move on to interview with a panel of judges in September or October, after which TASA will announce the Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year.
ABOUT EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER REGION 12
(Release courtesy of ESC Region 12)