Take One!

Take One! is a professional development opportunity that is based on the National Board Certification assessment program. Take One! participants study the NBPTS standards, complete a video portfolio entry featuring a classroom of preK-12 students and submit the entry to NBPTS for scoring in accordance with the deadlines and policies of the current NBPTS assessment program.

The video portfolio entry requires some direct evidence of teaching or school counseling (e.g., video excerpts of teaching or counseling sessions) as well as a commentary describing, analyzing and reflecting on this evidence. All evidence of work with students must be gathered during the 12-month period immediately preceding the portfolio entry submission deadline.

Take One! is high-quality professional development that provides a job-embedded and sustained staff development experience, helps build learning communities in schools, strengthen professional collaboration among educators and informs teachers who are thinking about pursuing National Board Certification.

Take One! is available to any educator that has access to a classroom of students for the purpose of demonstrating preK-12 teaching, including teachers, school counselors (regardless of their experience levels), educators in higher education, induction or pre-service teachers, principals, administrators, mentors and those who provide support for National Board Certification candidates. Take One! is classroom-based professional development and requires that educators have access to a preK-12 classroom to complete the portfolio entry. The class may be borrowed.

Principals can participate with faculty members who are Take One! participants. By going through the process together, they can build a common language and community of practice around standards-based teaching. Because Take One! is classroom-based professional development, principals  must have access to preK-12 classrooms.

Complete the Withdrawal Form and submit it to NBPTS in one of the following ways:

• Mail: NBPTS Processing Center
  11827 Tech Com Way, Suite 200
  San Antonio, Texas 78233
• Fax: 888-811-3514
• E-mail: submit an inquiry through online Candidate Inquiry Service.

Complete all forms that accompany your chosen entry, all forms in the Forms Envelope and the Attestation Form. Refer to the CD-ROM for more information about necessary forms. The CD-ROM refers to eligibility forms and prerequisites that are required for National Board Certification candidates only – they are not applicable to Take One! participants.  There are no eligibility prerequisites or forms required for a Take One! entry.

Upon receipt, of your entry, NBPTS will identify whether the correct forms were submitted. The Take One! entry will then be shipped to scoring sites where it will be scored by trained assessors.

Take One! entry submissions are received along with those of first-time and retake candidates and are scored simultaneously. Because NBPTS assessors are unable to distinguish a Take One! entry from those submitted by National Board Certification candidates, you can be assured a fair, reliable and psychometrically sound score.

The Attestation Form is where you indicate that you have acquired all necessary releases on the student and adult release forms. If you do not submit a signed Attestation Form, your entry will not be scored.

If a critical component (e.g., written commentary or video recording) is missing from your entry, it will not be scored. Due to the number of submissions NBPTS receives in a very short time, NBPTS is not able to notify participants of missing components. Participants should review their Take One! entry materials prior to submitting them to ensure they are complete. Note: NBPTS will not accept any additional components or substitutions to your initial Take One! submission.

You can track the status of your submission in several ways:

Various local school districts have recognized the value of National Board Certification by offering salary increases, bonuses or other incentives to educators who become NBCTs. There may also be state and/or local support for Take One!, including professional development funds. Check with your district for more information.

Generally, the following materials will be included in your kit, however, contents of the kit may change periodically.
Take One! Activity Book

• 1 CD-ROM

• DVD Instructions

• 1 Customer ID Bar Code Label Sheet

• 1 Entry Label Sheet

• 2 Entry Envelopes (1 for your entry, 1 for forms)

Follow all submission instructions,  refer to the Final Inventory Form for your Take One! entry, and review the Pack & Ship section of the CD-ROM for general requirements for submitting portfolio entry materials.

• The personal activity book gives guidance on evidence-based teaching and how it fits within the architecture of an accomplished teacher's practice, and enables educators to practice and self-assess evidence-based teaching and reflective analysis. 

• The CD-ROM contains valuable resources and organizational tools such as the portfolio organizer, entry tracking form, forms-at-a-glance chart and links to related Web sites.

If you are unable to complete your entry by the submittal deadline, you have the option to  defer.  Through the deferral process you can extend your submittal deadline and score release date by one year.

If you choose to defer you must notify NBPTS of your decision before the material entry submission deadline of April 15. If you do not inform NBPTS of your decision to defer and do not withdraw by the entry submittal deadline, you will not be refunded.

You can submit recordings of your classroom instruction on DVD or VHS formats. Should you elect to submit a DVD, please adhere to the DVD tips and procedures.

After you have followed the proper submission instructions, you can send your entry to NBPTS at:

NBPTS Processing Center
11827 Tech Com Way, Suite 200
San Antonio, TX  78233

Note: NBPTS recommends sending your entry using a traceable method. You are responsible for verifying receipt of your entry submission.

Participants spend about 30-50 hours studying, creating a video and writing the commentary for video portfolio entry over the space of several months.

No. Any assessment materials you submit as part of a Take One! entry become the property of NBPTS and can not be used for non-NBPTS purposes.

Take One! may be a valuable experience for those who may choose to continue pursuit of National Board Certification; however, it should not be seen as an indicator of success in the National Board Certification process.

The fee for Take One! is $395. $100 of this fee is non-refundable if participants withdraw within 60 days of the order date.

• Take One! fee: $395, due upon order

• Returned check fee: $35, due 30 days after notification

• Change certificate or specialty area: $75, due upon change

NBPTS will accept withdrawal requests from the time a participant applies until the entry submittal deadline.

To withdraw and receive a partial refund, you must submit the Take One! Withdrawal Form to NBPTS within 60 days of the date you become fully paid. The refund excludes the non-refundable materials fee of $100. If you make a withdrawal request after the 60-day limit, you will not be eligible for a refund.

Take One! participants have three opportunities immediately following receipt of their scores to transfer Take One! scores to National Board Certification. For example, if you receive your Take One! score in 2009, you may apply for full certification in any of the following certification cycles: 

• 2009-10 (application deadline December 31, 2009)
• 2010-11 (application deadline December 31, 2010)
• 2011-12 (application deadline December 31, 2011)