National Board Certification

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NDEA Offers National Board Certification
Mentoring Program for Member Candidates

Nervous about the uncertainty of undertaking the National Board Certification process?  Scared you will not know who to contact when you have a question or are in need of clarification?  Worried you will be alone in the process?  If so, the time is now to apply for National Board Certification!!  Why?

North Dakota is excited to announce we are one of only six states to host a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards training for National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTS).  NBCTS will mentor candidates through the National Board process. They will help candidates:  understand the standards; schedule portfolio and assessment dates and times; critique classroom videos; critique classroom instruction; and format their portfolio.

Another very important component of the training is the mentoring of candidates who are in the process of retakes.  Where do I apply for retakes?  What do I need to retake?  Trained National Board Certified Teachers will be able to answer these questions and more.

If you have been contemplating applying for National Board Certification, the time to do so is now.  The fee for National Board Certification is $2,500 but with a state and federal government dollar match, the fee is covered for the first twenty-five candidates.  Currently there are twenty-one Board Certified teachers in North Dakota so the estimated mentor per candidate ratio is 1:2. 

The following is more information about the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Avenue To Excellence

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is an independent, non-partisan organization.  It has revolutionized the teaching profession by defining the knowledge, skills and accomplishments exceptional teachers should possess and certifying those who meet those standards.

The organization was established in 1987 following a recommendation from the Carnegie Corporations’ Task Force on Teaching as a Profession report.  The exciting aspect of NBPTS’ success is the fact that teachers are the experts behind the process.  In fact, 42 of the 63-member board of directors are classroom teachers who set standards, assess and score candidates.  The NEA is one of approximately 25 organizations with representatives on the NBPTS board.

The Process

NBPTS certification begins with a twofold process.  Applicants must develop and submit a portfolio reflecting their teaching methods and evidence of student work, videotapes of classroom interaction and written commentaries.  Additionally, applicants must go through a day of demonstration and response activities at an assessment center.  The entire process takes one to three years.

To be eligible for NBPTS certification, a teacher must have a bachelor’s degree, a minimum of three years teaching experience and a valid state teaching license.

The success rate for those applicants achieving certification has increased each year, with the current average being nearly 45 percent.  An important aspect of the process is that teachers can now “bank” their scores on exercises completed and re-take other exercises.  There are no “winners” or “losers.”  The NBPTS predicts this incentive will increase the number of teachers who successfully complete all the exercises and lead to higher success rates.  “The single most important professional development activity in my teaching career has been achieving National Board Certification,”  States 2002 ND Teacher of the Year, 2003 National Teacher of the Year Finalist, 2005 NEA

Foundation for Teaching Excellence Awardee Jennifer Montgomery of Bismarck.

Funding

Very few teachers pay the initial $2,500 certification fee, according to the NBPTS.  The process is funded with grants from the US Department of Education, the National Science Foundation and non-governmental sources. In North Dakota, it is funded through legislative action from the Department of Public Instruction and the Educational Standards and Practices Board.

Results

The first comprehensive study of teachers earning the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) recognition reveals the results are worth it for educators who tackle the challenging, time-consuming process of becoming certified.

The Accomplished Teaching Validation Study commissioned by NBPTS provides strong evidence that certified teachers gain improved teaching skills and more knowledge of students’ learning abilities.

Board certified teachers scored higher on all 13 teaching attributes examined by the study, including extensive knowledge of subject matter, ability to adapt and improvise instruction methods, formulating challenging lessons and promoting academic achievement.

For additional research on the effects of National Board Certification on teacher performance visit the NEA website at:

 http://www.nea.org/nationalboard/research-nationalboard.html

The process can start as soon as early summer, so those interested in being National Board Certified should contact the NDEA office at 223-0450 or 1-800-369-6332 or mailto:leann.nelson@ndea.org . 

Tips for Teachers

If you are considering applying for National Board certification, here are some words of wisdom from other educators:

• Understand the commitment you are making.  The process is designed to take one year to complete.
• Remember to make time for yourself and your family.
• Have an answer ready for people who ask why you are doing this.
• Remember you are not competing against others, you are going through a self-assessment process.
• Realize you may feel overwhelmed.  Don’t give up.
• Keep your sense of humor.