National Board Alignment with Recovery Act Funding

Stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) are in the process of distribution to states. These funds can be used to pay for National Board Certification and the related program, Take One! for several reasons:

Both programs align with Recovery Act goals-e.g., advancing student achievement through teacher effectiveness and intervention strategies for lowest performing schools.
Both programs are offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), an organization created as a public-private initiative to develop advanced standards and related services for the teaching profession.
The NRC concluded that National Board Certification "distinguishes more effective teachers...with respect to student achievement."
A recent survey found that 83 percent of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) mentor new or struggling teachers, and 80 percent say that other educators look to them for leadership.
National Board Certification is already recognized and supported at the highest federal, state and local levels-with nearly 74,000 teachers nationwide.

Following is a breakdown of Recovery Act funds that can be used for National Board Certification and Take One! programs. Districts and schools should consider purchasing the NBPTS programs now and plan to implement them in the future.

Funding for National Board Certification and Take One! programs are currently available from two Recovery Act sources: 1) Title I Funds to support at-risk students and high-need schools; and 2) the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund designed to help states restore cuts to vital state education programs.
Four competitive grants will be ready for disbursement starting in the next six months.

FUNDING CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

Use Title I Recovery Act Funds for NBPTS Programs--$5 billion total allotted
The new Recovery Act Title I funds create an unprecedented opportunity for educators to expand their existing National Board Certification and Take One! programs—or implement new ones for at-risk students and high-need schools, while also stimulating the economy.

Many school districts have already utilized ongoing Title I funds to support National Board Certification programs, since they meet the federal requirements for professional development. More than 40 percent of NBCTs currently teach in schools that are eligible for Title I funding.
Funds from these programs will be delivered by formula through the governor’s office under each state's existing approved Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) Consolidated State Application. Accordingly, no new or amended application will be required for the first half of the Title I Recovery funds. In order to receive the second half of the funds, each state must submit an amendment to the application to address Recovery Act recordkeeping and recording requirements.

For details, see “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Title I, Part A Recovery Funds for Grants to Local Education Agencies”

Restore NBPTS Programs with the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF)--$ 48.6 billion total allotted
The U. S. Department of Education is awarding governors approximately $48.6 billion by formula under the SFSF program ($32.5 billion available by March 31) to help avert cuts in vital education programs and drive crucial education improvements.
• Many states are planning to use SFSF monies to specifically restore National Board Certification program cuts or to restore professional development opportunities for teacher quality programs such as Take One!.
• Take One! can be used as stand-alone professional development or as an initial step for teachers interested in National Board Certification candidacy. Many schools and districts are using Take One! with cohorts of teachers—building professional learning communities, changing the culture of their schools and improving student achievement.

For a copy of the draft application, click here

FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Plan for New NBPTS Programs—And Fund Them with Future Competitive Grants

The following four competitive grants will be available beginning September 2009.

State Incentive Fund ($4.35 billion) “Race to the Top” [Eligible entities: States]
- The U.S. Department of Education will conduct a national competition among states for a "Race to the Top" incentive fund to help states drive substantial gains in student achievement.
- The grant is designed to support states that are demonstrating dramatic progress on the Recovery Act reform goals and are effectively using other Recovery Act funds.
- The grants will be awarded in 2 rounds: Fall 2009 and spring 2010.
- In considering options for a grant application, applicants should keep in mind that independent research and surveys of National Board Certified Teachers have documented that the National Board Certification process improves student achievement and learning, helps teacher retention and is effective professional development.
Innovation Fund – “Invest in What Works and Innovation Fund” ($650 million). [Eligible entitles: Districts or partnerships between a nonprofit, district(s) or a consortium of schools]
- Funds will be made available through a competition that includes partnerships (as outlined above) with a strong record of results that have significantly closed achievement gaps.
  o Grant applicants should consider requesting funds for a cohort of teachers to go through either Take One! or National Board Certification. Both programs positively impact student achievement. For example, the National Resource Council concluded that students of NBCTs have higher achievement test scores than students of non-NBCTs. The National Board can provide information from several schools in the Take One! program that have experienced noted improvements in test scores.
Teacher Incentive Fund ($ 200 million). [Eligible entities: Districts, states or partnerships of districts and/or states and non-profits]
- Funds will be awarded to develop and implement performance-based teacher and principal compensation systems in high-need schools.
- Grant applicants should consider using monies from this fund to pay for fee support and stipends for National Board Certified Teachers.
- Funds will be made available beginning in fall 2009 based on the quality of the applications submitted through a competitive grant process.
Teacher Quality Partnership Grants ($ 100 million). [Eligible entities: A partnership that includes, at a minimum, a high-need LEA, a high-need school and an institution of higher education]
- These grants seek to improve teacher education programs, strengthen teacher recruitment efforts and provide training for prospective teachers.
- Funds will be made available beginning in fall 2009 based on the quality of the applications submitted through a competitive grant process.