News & Media

US News: Americans want a bar exam for teachers

September 16, 2014

This article examines the results of a national opinion poll by PDK and Gallup, which found strong public support for Board certification for teachers.   US News, Allie Bidwell Article  

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PDK/Gallup Poll Finds Strong Public Support for Board Certification for Teachers

September 16, 2014

ARLINGTON, Va. — More than 80 percent of Americans agreed that teachers should achieve Board certification in addition to be being licensed to practice, similar to professions like law and medicine, according to results from a national poll by PDK International and Gallup released today. The statement garnered the most positive overall response from respondents among the survey questions included in the 46th annual Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, published in the October issue of Kappan. In addition, 70 percent agreed that “new teachers should spend at least a year practicing under the guidance of a…

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Residency: Can it transform teaching the way it did medicine?

September 1, 2014

In this compelling article in PDK’s Kappan magazine, Ron Thorpe explores how the teaching profession can learn from the medical profession by adopting the residency model.    Kappan, September 2014 issue.  Article

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New Online Community Seeks to Crowdsource Teacher Leadership to Improve Education

August 28, 2014

WASHINGTON — As students and teachers across the country head back to school, the U.S. Department of Education and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards today unveiled “Commit to Lead,” a new online community that makes it easy for educators to share ideas for teacher leadership and collaborate to bring them to fruition. The community enables educators everywhere to provide feedback and vote on each other’s ideas, allowing the most talked about ideas to rise to the top so they can gain traction and prominence in the field. Commit to Lead is the online platform of Teach to Lead,…

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Ron Thorpe expands on medical residency analogy in Kappan

August 20, 2014

The September 2014 issue of Kappan magazine features a compelling article by National Board President and CEO Ron Thorpe titled, "Residency: Can it transform teaching the way it did medicine?" In the piece, Thorpe explores complex questions, including:  Should the education profession push for universal residency for teachers? What would it look like? How would it affect student learning and the basic culture of the teaching profession? Given that residency would substantially raise the bar for entry into the profession, what effect would it have on the workforce? How would we pay for it? Read the full text and let us know your thoughts by…

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How National Board Certification Helped Me Turn Around A Failing School

August 12, 2014

Dr. Kiela Snider, NBCT, shares the story of how she led her entire teaching staff through the National Board Certification process as principal at Julius Corsini Elementary in Desert Hot Springs, Calif. The results were a dramatic boost in student achievement, lower teacher turnover and increased parental involvement. Snider is now principal at the Palm Springs Unified School District.   The Edvocate, August 12, 2014. Article

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NEA Appoints National Board COO Andy Coons to Lead Policy and Teacher Quality Division as Senior Director

August 6, 2014

WASHINGTON – The National Education Association (NEA) announced today that it has hired Andy Coons, chief operating officer of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, to join its leadership team as senior director of its Center for Great Public Schools. In his new role, Coons will continue his work to elevate the education profession by directing the NEA’s efforts in several key areas, including: education policy, teacher quality, products and resources, education support professionals and research. He will begin his new role this fall. A National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) and 13-year teaching veteran, Coons taught middle school math in…

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NBCT Mary Cathryn Ricker Elected as AFT Exec. Vice President

July 14, 2014

ARLINGTON, Va. — Today the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) announced the election of Mary Cathryn Ricker, a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) from St. Paul, Minnesota, as the association’s executive vice president, its third-ranking leadership position. Ricker, who also serves on the NBPTS Board of Directors, previously served as an AFT vice president and announced that she will step down as the president of the local St. Paul Federation of Teachers. She will serve under AFT President Randi Weingarten, who was re-elected to a third term. Applauding the news, Ronald Thorpe, president and CEO of the National Board, issued…

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Op-Ed: Why the Bureau of Indian Education is partnering with the National Board

July 9, 2014

Ron Thorpe, president and CEO of the National Board, and Charles "Monty" Roessel, director of the Bureau of Indian Education, U.S. Department of the Interior, explain why Board certification will be pivotal in improving outcomes for Native American students.   Albuquerque Journal, July 9, 2014. Article

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EdTalk Radio: Supporting accomplished teaching for Native American Students

July 8, 2014

Host Larry Jacobs explores how Board certification fits with the Bureau of Indian Education’s efforts to improve outcomes for Native American students. Guests include Native American educators Jolyn Rose, NBCT, Kara Bobroff and Anpao Duta Flying Earth, both of the the Native American Community Academy in Albuquerque.   Education Talk Radio, Larry Jacobs, July 8, 2014. Listen to the Podcast

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