755 Teachers Earn National Board Certification
By Mychal Frost
Public Information Coordinator, CERRA
803-323-4032
frostm@cerra.org
South Carolina Ranks Third in Nation With 6,499 National Board Certified Teachers
ROCK HILL, S.C.—Seven hundred fifty-five South Carolina educators representing 58 school districts earned the distinction of becoming National Board Certified Teachers, according to data released today by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
This year’s number of newly certified teachers increases the total number of nationally-certified teachers in the Palmetto State to 6,499, which is the third highest in the country behind North Carolina and Florida. National Board Certified teachers represent approximately 13 percent of the state’s teaching force of nearly 50,000 teachers.
“The number of National Board Candidates and National Board Certified Teachers speaks volumes to the dedication South Carolina educators have for their students and the profession,” said Brett Vaughn, National Board Program Director with the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA).
There has been significant growth in the 15-year history of South Carolina teachers pursuing the nation’s highest teaching endorsement; five teachers earned the designation in 1994 and the highest single-year total came in 2002 with 1,073 teachers achieving National Board Certification. The 755 teachers achieving National Board Certification ranks fourth-highest to earn the status in South Carolina.
Three South Carolina school districts are among the nation’s leaders in number of National Board Certified Teachers earning certification this year. Greenville County Schools ranks 14th with 75 new NBCTs and is followed by Richland Two and Horry County, ranked 17th and 18th, respectively as both district had 58. Greenville County Schools (473), Richland Two (453), and Charleston County School District (388) each rank in the top 20 nationally for total number of total NBCTs.
CERRA continues to provide an infrastructure of support for not only high levels of awareness for National Board initiative, but also for the retention of candidates once they identify themselves as accomplished teachers who desire support in achieving National Board Certification. This tri-level infrastructure includes a district liaison in each of the state’s 85 school districts, the Board Certification Network of South Carolina Educators, and collaboration with other state agencies including the State Department of Education.
“We’re proud of all South Carolina’s teachers who participate in the National Board Certification process,” said Dr. Gayle Sawyer, CERRA Executive Director. “We celebrate with those who received certification this year and offer continued support and encouragement to those teachers who are still in the process.
“NBC standards are incorporated in the teaching performance standards in many states and in the standards for teacher preparation programs around the country. We are fortunate that our legislature appreciates the impact of the NBC process as a high level of quality professional development and as a career path for our teachers” she said.
The National Board process defines the knowledge, skills and accomplishments that symbolize teaching excellence. It was created so teachers, like professionals in other fields, can achieve distinction by demonstrating through a demanding performance assessment they meet high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.
“National Board is a rigorous process that requires dedication, countless hours of hard work and a great deal of sacrifice, not only by our teachers, but by their families as well,” said State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex. “Achieving teachers tell me that it strengthens what they do in the classroom and forever changes them. That can only have a positive impact on instruction. I congratulate all of them.”
Teachers seeking National Board Certification undertake a two-part process that takes from one to three years to complete. The process requires candidates to reflect on their classroom practices, their understanding of subject material and their preparation techniques. In addition to preparing a portfolio with videotapes of classroom teaching, lesson plans, student work samples and reflective essays, teachers must complete assessment center exercises based on content knowledge that proves they have mastered the subjects they teach and also know how to teach them.
Since 2000, CERRA has been charged by the South Carolina General Assembly to administer the South Carolina National Board Certification Loan Program for teachers choosing to pursue NBPTS certification.
REMINDER:
A complete list of all newly certified National Board Teachers will be available at www.cerra.org beginning at 9:00 a.m. December 9 through January 30, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. After the link at CERRA expires, NBCTs can be identified through a searchable database at www.nbpts.org.
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CERRA, an independent state agency located on the campus of Winthrop University, is the oldest and most established teacher recruitment program in the country. The purpose of CERRA is to provide leadership in identifying, attracting, placing and retaining well-qualified individuals for the teaching profession in South Carolina. CERRA’s programs have been adopted at school, district and state levels in more than 30 states in the United States.