Professional Development: National Board Certification

National Board Certification

By Tiffiny Creech

National Board Mission

The mission of NBPTS is to advance the quality of teaching and learning by:

Maintaining high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do

Providing a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards, and

Advocating related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of National Board Certified Teachers

Certification Requirements

Candidates must submit a portfolio consisting of four entries. Three of the entries are classroom-based and include videotapes and examples of student work as supporting documentation. The videos and student work examples are supported by commentaries about the goals and purposes of instruction, analysis about what occurred, the effectiveness of the practice and the rationale for the candidate's professional judgment. The fourth entry requires candidates to demonstrate their work with students' families and the local community, their collaboration with the professional community and their growth as a learner in their teaching practice. Once the portfolio entries and the assessment center exercises are submitted to the National Board, they are scored by teachers who have participated in intensive training and have qualified for scoring by demonstrating an understanding of NBPTS Standards, directions to candidates and scoring guides.

Candidates must also complete a three-hour written assessment. At computer-based assessment centers, candidates are presented with six computer-delivered prompts, each allowing up to 30 minutes for response. Prompts are designed to elicit knowledge of subject matter. Accommodation is made for those with disabilities.

Applicants will spend 300 to 400 hours completing these steps.

Application Requirements

For teachers:
Hold a baccalaureate degree
Have completed at least three years of teaching
Have held a valid state teaching license for those three-plus years

For counselors:
Have completed at least three years as a school counselor
Have held a valid state license as a school counselor for those three-plus years

Step-By-Step Guide

1. Read the Guide to National board Certification in order to understand the calendar, eligibility requirements and policies. Available online at http://www.nbpts.org/candidates/guide/

2. Decide which certificate to seek (listing of certificates is included in the guide (see Step 1).

3. Apply and pay a $65.00 application fee. Do not pay the $300.00 that is requested of you until you know whether or not you will receive a federal/state subsidy.

4. Apply to DESE for a subsidy that will pay 75% of the assessment fee. Go to http://www.dese.mo.gov/divteachqual/leadership/nbc/application.html for information and a state subsidy application form. Follow the directions on the web site.

5. Teachers in the St. Louis Public Schools should contact Wayne Walker to determine if they qualify for assistance from the Parsons Blewett Memorial Fund.

6. After you have applied, contact Wayne Walker if you want to be in a support group with other candidates as you go through the process.

7. Candidates in 2005-2006 are required to submit their portfolios by March 31, 2006 and complete the written assessment by mid-June, 2006.

9. You may take the written assessment at any time after the entire $2,300 assessment fee has been paid. Candidates will receive their scores in November/December, 2006.

10. If you do not achieve certification on the first attempt, you can bank the scores on entries that you pass, and retake entries that you do not pass for a fee of $350/entry. You have an additional two years to achieve certification from the time you receive your scores on the first attempt.