Nearly 300 district teachers honored as National Board Certified Teachers

Congratulations to 85 district teachers who earned National Board Certification, considered the gold standard in teaching certification, in December 2022. In addition, 198 of our district’s National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) renewed their National Board Certification through the Maintenance of Certification process, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). 

See a list of newly certified and renewed teachers. 

The National Board Certification process requires teachers to invest significant time and effort. Throughout the process, teachers must demonstrate “accomplished teaching practices” by analyzing their teaching practices and the impact of their instructional decisions on student learning, taking on leadership roles, and collaborating with peers to positively affect student achievement. The National Board Certification program is grounded in the belief that establishing higher standards for teachers equates to increased student achievement.  

Our district recognizes the value of National Board Certification and remains committed to supporting teachers at every step of the certification process, from initial candidacy through renewal. Supports for our teachers include our Beginner to Board Certified Program (B2BC), the first of its kind in the nation. B2BC is a professional learning opportunity that is designed to assist beginning teachers as they prepare to begin the National Board Certification process during a future school year. 

“Simply becoming familiar with the language, format, and key concepts associated with the Board certification process can make a significant difference in candidates’ confidence in their capacity to successfully achieve Board certification,” said district National Board coordinator Sherri Morris.  

In addition to the B2BC program, teachers and counselors who are actively pursuing Board certification or renewal are invited to participate in a district National Board support cohort led by a National Board Coach. 

“The Board certification process is an intense professional journey,” said Morris, “and it is critical that our colleagues know they do not have to navigate that journey alone.” 

In January 2023, NBPTS changed their data collection and reporting method for school districts. For the first time, NBPTS will not post national rankings based on a district’s total number of NBCTs; instead, rankings have been published based exclusively on the number of each district’s newly-certified NBCTs. Our district ranked second in the number of new NBCTs nationally for 2023. In total, more than 3,000 teachers have achieved this distinction while working in our district. 

“We could not be more proud of the accomplishments of our newly certified and newly renewed NBCTs, or more grateful for all they do to support our students, families, and community,” said Morris.  

The district’s new and newly renewed NBCTs will be honored at a Celebration of Teaching Excellence in March.

To learn more about the National Board Certification process, please visit www.nbpts.org.