Press Releases

Duncan Praises National Board Certification in Senate Hearing

January 15, 2009

ARLINGTON, Va.--U.S. Secretary of Education-designee Arne Duncan observed the positive impact of National Board Certification during his Senate confirmation hearing, Jan. 13, 2009.

“Over the past seven-and-a-half years, I’ve been the CEO of Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Our work is not done. There is a long way to go but at the same time we’re proud of the progress. We’ve tried to do everything we can to enhance the teaching profession. We’ve gone from 11 National Board Certified Teachers to (nearly) 1,200. We’ve tried to make Chicago the Mecca for people who are passionate about public education and want to make a difference in students’ lives.”

In 2008, CPS welcomed more than 300 new NBCTs, more than all but one other school district in the nation.

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NBPTS is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan and nongovernmental organization. NBPTS advances the quality of teaching and learning by developing professional standards for accomplished teaching; creating and administering National Board Certification, a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards; and integrating certified teachers into educational reform efforts. Today, nearly 74,000 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are making a positive difference in the lives of students across the nation.