National Certification for Teachers
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
The California Department of Education
(CDE) actively supports teachers in their efforts to achieve advanced
certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS).
The NBPTS
is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and nongovernmental
agency governed by a 25-member board of directors, the majority
of whom are classroom teachers. The NBPTS mission advances the quality of
teaching and learning by:
The National Board seeks to elevate the status, voice, and role of accomplished teachers in shaping a true profession. This includes: 1) raising public awareness with respect to the cognitive complexity, collaborative, and expertise-driven nature of teachers' work; 2) setting higher standards for entry, advancement, and leadership in the profession; and 3) recognizing accomplished teaching through a rigorous professional certification process comparable to those found in other professions such as medicine, engineering, and law.
National Board Certification
Following the development of certificate standards, the National Board collaborated with a skilled team of psychometricians to create the process by which a teacher could be fairly and reliably assessed as meeting those standards.
This new certification was the first of its kind in education. Built and overseen by the profession, the process of becoming National Board Certified was performance-based, multiple-measure, peer-reviewed, anonymously submitted and built on the highest standards of measurement to assure the results were valid and reliable. There was now a process for asserting when teachers had successfully moved through their novice years and had reached a level of accomplishment, similar to what had existed in other major professions.
By 1993, only six years after its founding, the National Board was ready to welcome the first teachers who elected to pursue certification. Within a few years, National Board Certification became the most rigorous, coveted, and respected professional certification available in education.
For more information on becoming a candidate for National Board Certification, visit the Candidate Center
.
For information regarding NCLB compliance, see the CDE Web page Improving Teacher and Principal Quality.
Eligibility Criteria
The prerequisites for National Board Certification are highlighted below and are detailed in the Guide to National Board Certification
(PDF).
You will be required to submit one or more of the forms found in the Eligibility Verification Forms and Instructions
(PDF) to verify you meet these prerequisites. To be eligible for National Board Certification you must:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree
- Have completed three full years of teaching/school counseling
- Possess a valid state teaching/school counseling license, or, if teaching where a license is not required, have taught in schools recognized and approved to operate by the state
If you have questions about your eligibility, please call the NBPTS at 1-800-22TEACH.
Assessment Process
The assessment center portion of the certification process requires candidates to demonstrate content knowledge in response to three exercises and 45 selected response items that were developed by practicing professionals in each certificate area. Candidates are expected to demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate content necessary to teach across the full age range and ability level of the certificate area in which they applied. Assessments are administered at over 300 computer-based testing centers across the United States.
For more information about the assessment, review the following resources and information:
- Component One at a Glance
(PDF)
- Rubrics found in the Scoring Guide
- Online Tour
of a Pearson Professional Center
- Assessment Center Tutorial
- Assessment Center Policy and Guidelines
(PDF)
that describe the accomplished level of teaching for different subject areas and grade-levels. The assessment process
for each area is guided by these standards. An important first step in the process is to study the standards for the particular certificate you choose to pursue.
Support for National Board Candidacy in California
While there is no requirement that candidates attend a support program, most teachers find it helpful to work with others throughout the process. Support is found in a variety of formats ranging from working informally with a colleague to enrolling in a university degree program. Support is available both online and through face to face meetings. Some programs are free and others charge a fee. Information about the major support programs in California is listed below.
California State University, Fullerton
Chris Street
cstreet@fullerton.edu
California Teachers Association
jrobb@cta.org
Folsom-Cordova Unified School District
Wendy Sol, NBCT
wsol@fcusd.org
Fresno National Board Network
Fresno Unified School District
Tiffany Castillo
Tiffany.Castillo@fresnounified.org
Lodi Unified School District Network
Lori Celiz, NBCT
lceliz@lodiusd.net
Long Beach Unified School District
Cara Hale-Hanes, NBCT
CHaleHanes@lbschools.net
Los Angeles Unified School District/United Teachers Los Angeles
mdelatorre@thesupportnetwork.net
Marin County
Andrea Keenan
akeenan@rossbears.org
Mills College National Board Network
Pilar Beccar-Varela, NBCT
pbeccarvarela@mills.edu
National University
Dr. Donna Elder
Associate Dean of the Sanford College of Education
delder@nu.edu
Orange County Department of Education
Susan Carle, NBCT
scarle@ocde.us
San Diego Partnership for Accomplished Teaching
Tammy Harris, NBCT
tharris@nbpts.org
San Joaquin County Office of Education
kagonsalves@sjcoe.net
(209) 468-4967
Stanford University
Linda Bauld, NBRC Director
National Board Resource Center
nbrc.stanford.edu
San Francisco Unified National Board Support Group
Sara Saldaña, NBCT
415-314-1873
nationalboard@sfusd.edu
Twin Rivers Unified School District
Beverly Weber, NBCT
beverly.weber@twinriversusd.org
University of California, Los Angeles, Center X
Erin Powers, NBCT
epowersedu@gmail.com
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Cinda Rapp, NBCT
crapp@wccusd.net
Sources of Financial Support
Financial support can be had to achieve advanced certification with no or little out-of-pocket expense. Local Service Organizations, such as Rotary or Lion's Club, or even an individual small business, may be willing to sponsor your candidacy, a letter or a short presentation to explain the program and why you are pursuing National Board Certification may lead to financial help. NBPTS scholarships may also be used to supplement or offset cost. For help putting a presentation together, contact one of the support programs or persons listed above.
Finding National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) in California
More than 5,000 California teachers have earned National Board Certification. To learn who these accomplished teachers are, please visit the NBCT Directory
where you can search by name, certificate, state, district, and year.
NBCTs and California Teaching Credentials
National Board Certification can be used to clear a preliminary credential as well as add a credential in a new subject area.
Resources
Candidate Support by School District
Higher Education Support for Teachers
California Development Centers and Support Groups
Teacher and Leader Policy Office| educatorexcellence@cde.ca.gov | 916-445-7331