National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

National Board Certification is a demonstration of a candidate’s teaching practice as measured against high and rigorous standards. It attests that a teacher has been assessed by their peers as one who is accomplished, makes sound professional judgments about student learning, and acts effectively on those judgments. While certification is voluntary, and does not replace state licensing, it is a professional certification increasingly used by states as an option for advanced licensing status. On the personal level, the process provides teachers a valuable way to deepen subject matter knowledge and become more skillful in daily classroom instruction and student assessment.

In the 2005 legislative session the law was changed so any teacher going through the certification process will be reimbursed $1500 upon completing the certification process and a reimbursement of the remainder of the application fee upon achievement of National Board Certification.