Download: Complete Bulletin (440k pdf)

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) was established in 1987 in response to a central recommendation of the Carnegie Corporation's report, A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century. The Board was created as an independent, non-governmental body focused on improving student learning by setting clear, high, and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.

National Board Certification (NBC), developed for teachers by teachers, represents professional acknowledgement of "accomplished" teaching practice meeting the highest standards. Teachers actively engaged in the profession and teacher committees develop standards and performance-based assessments for certifying "accomplished practice". A cadre of specially trained teachers rates the performance assessments.

NBPTS requires that candidates be experienced teachers (three years minimum) voluntarily seeking recognition for meeting rigorous standards in one of twenty-five areas defined by subject and students' developmental level (see page 5 in the PDF). A National Board certificate is valid for ten years and is renewable. Additionally, the National Board standards can serve as a solid base for, or a component of, professional development, resulting in improvements in teaching and learning.

National Board Certification in New York State

In December 2008, NBPTS announced the names of 93 teachers in New York State who achieved National Board Certification. Eight hundred eighty teachers in our state have achieved National Board Certification. The Board also reports that there are nearly 74,000 NBCTS in the United States. NYSUT's Vice President, Maria Neira, and Regent Roger Tilles are both members of the NBPTS.

Download: Complete Bulletin (440k pdf)