The start of May marks the tail end of the 2025-2026 school year for most K-12 schools across the United States. It also marks the beginning of Teacher Appreciation Week.
Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated annually during the first full week of May and this year that is Monday, May 4, through Friday, May 8. Teacher Appreciation Day is on Tuesday, May 5.
The week was established in 1985 by the National Education Association, or NEA, with President Ronald Reagan declaring the first National Teacher Appreciation Day the following year, according to the labor union.
“Our teachers in public and private schools, from preschool through elementary, secondary, and beyond, deserve the gratitude of our Nation for their wisdom, sacrifice, community service, and devotion to their students,” Reagan wrote in his proclamation.
Before its designation, however, former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt urged Congress to designate a day to honor educators in 1953, according to the NEA.
“Prior to her involvement, it’s believed that some states did practice some kind of annual teacher celebration,” according to Schoolyard Connect. “However, that part of the history is unclear and unsubstantiated. It’s believed that a teacher from either Wisconsin or Arkansas wrote letters to the First Lady to get help establishing a day of recognition.”
It’s still observed by not just schools, but also businesses across the country hoping to show appreciation to educators outside the classroom.
Businesses such as Chipotle, Buffalo Wild Wings and Peet’s Coffee are just a few companies in California offering deals for to educators.
Here’s a list of companies in the state with deals.
Chipotle free meal deal
Teachers and educators have a chance to win one of 100,000 free meals as part of Chipotle Mexican Grill’s Teacher Appreciation Week giveaway. Through May 12, teachers can go to Chipotle’s Teacher Thanks website and enter their name and email for the chance to win an e-gift card.
Starting May 13, randomly selected winners will be notified and asked to confirm their employment as an educator via ID.me within 48 hours. Those who don’t verify their employment will be removed from the list of winners, and another name will be drawn.
Chipotle launched the programs to reward teachers – and a similar promotion for National Nurses Week, which runs May 6-12 – in 2016; since then, the company has given away a combined $16 million in free food to teachers and healthcare workers.
“Recognizing teachers and healthcare workers through this program is one way we can give back meaningfully,” said Stephanie Perdue, Chipotle’s senior vice president of brand marketing, in a statement.
National Teacher Appreciation Week deals
Contributing: Drew Pittock/ USA TODAYMike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Freebies, discounts in California for Teacher Appreciation Week 2026
Reporting by Mike Snider, Ernesto Centeno Araujo and Daniella Segura, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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