Special to Iredell Free News
The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards recently announced that North Carolina continues to lead the nation with teachers who hold National Board Certification, with 467 teachers earning this certification in 2019-20.
North Carolina now has a total of 23,090 teachers who have earned the respected National Board Certification offered by the Arlington, Va.-based non-profit organization. This certification is a way to recognize the accomplished teaching that is occurring in North Carolina’s classrooms. The certification process is based on high and rigorous standards that evaluate teaching practice through performance-based assessments. The ultimate result is improved performance and achievement for North Carolina’s students.
North Carolina also ranks No. 1 nationally in the percentage of teachers who have earned board certification, with 23 percent of all teachers in the state holding the certification.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt says that her North Star for education in North Carolinians that every student deserves a highly-qualified, excellent teacher in every classroom, and National Board Certification is a great step to achieving this.
“It’s an incredible accomplishment to have such a large percentage of board-certified teachers in our state, and I extend sincere congratulations to all who have achieved this incredible feat,” Truitt said. “North Carolina teachers demonstrate their dedication to students each day, and their commitment to attaining this certification shows how devoted they are to being their very best for students.”
Nationally, a total of 128,411 of teachers have earned board certification, with North Carolina accounting for nearly 18 percent of all nationally certified teachers.
North Carolina school districts also continue to rank among the top 30 districts nationwide for numbers of teachers with national certification, with seven LEAs making the list:
♦ 1st – Wake County (3,304)
♦ 4th – Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (2,301)
♦ 10th – Guilford County (720)
♦ 18th – Buncombe County (622)
♦ 9th – Winston-Salem Forsyth County (589)
♦ 22nd (tie) – New Hanover County (551)
♦ 30th – Durham Public Schools (465)
Teachers in North Carolina who achieve certification receive a 12 percent salary supplement to their regular pay. They also are awarded eight continuing education credits (CEUs).
North Carolina supports teachers pursuing national certification by providing low-interest loans to pay the $1,900 assessment fee and three paid release days from normal teaching duties for new candidates to develop their portfolios.
Certification by the National Board is the highest credential in the teaching profession, and participation is voluntary. As a part of the certification process, candidates build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Certification is currently available to educators in 25 fields.
Additional information about the national certification is available HERE.