The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has announced the opening of the 2016 spring window for the $1,900 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Candidate Fee Subsidy.
The National Board Resource Center at Illinois State University will process applications for eligible Illinois teachers. Funding has been made available for 500 candidates. Please invite an outstanding teacher or counselor to become a National Board Certified Teacher by forwarding this information to them and adding a personal note of encouragement.
National Board Certification offers a way for accomplished teachers to be assessed and recognized, and a way for parents to know their child’s teacher has met high and rigorous standards. The single most important action the nation can take to improve schools is to strengthen teaching. NBPTS develops high and rigorous standards for accomplished teachers, and 100,000 teachers across the country and 6,068 teachers in Illinois have demonstrated that they meet those standards by achieving National Board Certification.
National Board Certified Teachers are among the nation’s most effective teachers who have demonstrated that they meet the highest teaching standards.
Education Week: “Board Certified Teachers More Effective, New Studies Affirm.”
The NBPTS certification process takes from one to three years to complete. Throughout this period, candidates
- Analyze and reflect on student learning, based on small- and large-group work with students, which is supported by video recordings of classroom teaching.
- Analyze and reflect on student learning using student work samples.
- Document accomplishments of working with families and the community, colleagues and the profession and show evidence of how that work impacts student learning.
- Respond to online assessment exercises that demonstrate subject-matter expertise.
Important information
- Revisions to the certification process: Certification has been revised to make the process more flexible and efficient for teachers, to incorporate the latest research, and to reduce the cost.
- Crosswalk Illinois Education Initiatives and National Board: Illinois State Board of Education education initiatives align to National Board Five Core Propositions.
- National Board Certification is the only avenue to become a Master Teacher in Illinois.
Standards for each content area and developmental level are created by teachers, for teachers. They represent a consensus among educators about what accomplished, effective teachers should know and be able to do to improve student learning and achievement. Board certification is available in 25 certificate areas, from Pre-K through 12th grade.
Certification consists of four components: 1) written assessment of content knowledge, 2) reflection on student work samples, 3) video and analysis of teaching practice, and 4) documented impact and accomplishments as a teaching professional. Throughout its more than 25-year history, the National Board has sought to review and revise its standards and certification process to reflect best practices in teaching. Throughout the process, you will be able to apply what you’re learning to your classroom practice and connect with other teachers pursuing certification. Recognizing the many demands on teachers’ time, the process is designed to be flexible, efficient and affordable.
Candidates in Illinois will complete only components 2 and 4 during the 2016–2017 cycle.
Note: The Illinois National Board Subsidy application closes on May 3, 2016.
