DALLAS — A Dallas ISD elementary school teacher has made history in the Lone Star State.

On September 30, David G. Burnet Elementary School teacher Eric Hale was named 2021 Texas Teacher of the Year. Hale is the first Black man given the distinction.

Hale was one of six finalists across the state for the honor, and the announcement was made during the virtual Texas Association of School Administrators and Texas Association of School Boards Convention.

Hale will now represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year program in the spring.

Hale’s accomplishments in the classroom were recently recognized on The Kelly Clarkson Show.