Rachel Johnson, a 15‑year veteran of Akron Public Schools, received the State Board District Teacher of the Year award for 2027. Representing a district that covers Summit County, part of Cuyahoga County and a portion of Geauga County, Johnson was recognized for her work with deaf and hard‑of‑hearing students.
Teaching from a minivan
Johnson does not have a traditional classroom. She travels in a minivan that holds her son’s baseball gear, foldable chairs, a striped umbrella and a plastic tote filled with student files. A whiteboard, secured with carabiners, displays her daily itinerary and family photos. Inside the van are binders for each of her 11 assigned students, which grow with assessments, goal trackers and individualized education plans.
As an itinerant teacher, Johnson provides one‑on‑one instruction and support to students with hearing loss, moving between schools and community sites. She recently spent an afternoon at Ritzman Community Learning Center, working with kindergarten‑through‑second‑grade children who use cochlear implants or in‑ear hearing aides. While the regular teacher took a planning period, Johnson signed a story about a park visit and helped each child engage with the material.
Special‑education focus
Johnson’s schedule mirrors that of a speech therapist, concentrating on phonics, adaptive technology selection and self‑advocacy skills. Her caseload includes children ranging from those with cognitive delays to intellectually gifted students, spanning kindergarten to 12th grade and serving both special‑education and general‑education settings.
She explained, “I’m literally just doing that one thing—whatever the team feels the student needs from me.” The role is transient, requiring her to work in hallways, stairwells and libraries to squeeze essential instruction into busy school weeks.
Path to the profession
Johnson’s commitment began after a youth‑group experience at First United Methodist in Hamilton, a Cincinnati suburb, where a hard‑of‑hearing friend introduced her to sign language. She later earned a degree from Kent State University’s Deaf Education program in 2009 and joined APS at Ellet Community Learning Center in 2011.
When an itinerant position opened, she stepped in and has remained in the role, even as the district restructured high‑school pathways. She now maintains an office at Ellet CLC but spends most of her time on the road.
Supporting the next generation
In addition to her direct work with students, Johnson will help onboard three new teachers for hearing‑loss programs this school year, including a recent graduate of Shawnee State University and two hires from out of state and Columbus.
She noted, “Education is a field fewer people are pursuing, and a niche within that makes it even harder to fill. This award brings needed exposure to a profession many don’t know about.”
Johnson looks forward to a statewide Teacher of the Year cohort conference, hoping to inspire future educators to serve the deaf and hard‑of‑hearing community.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
