Bridging Dreams and Reality: Advocating for Undocumented High School Graduates
By: Maria Derner, NBCT – Belton, Missouri In this great nation of boundless opportunities, I have had the privilege of instructing a group of young dreamers for several years. These resilient, gifted, and compassionate students have profoundly enriched my experience as an educator. Yet, despite their dedication and excellence, they face a devastating dilemma: the…
A Tribute to Dr. Lee Shulman: A Visionary Leader and Passionate Advocate for Education
ARLINGTON, VA. – January 8, 2025 Today, we honor and celebrate the life of Dr. Lee Shulman—a visionary leader, a passionate advocate for education, and a dear friend whose impact on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (National Board) and the lives of countless educators cannot be overstated. It’s difficult to capture the breadth…
Endings Help to Create Beautiful Beginnings
By: Zakiyyah Omar, NBCT – North Carolina "Sunsets are proof that endings can be beautiful." This quote by Beau Taplin resonates deeply with me as a National Board Certified school counselor. It is a constant reminder to approach the end of every counseling relationship, group session, and social-emotional lesson with intentionality and grace. As school…
Neurospicy: A Seasoning for the Soul
By Mechelle Gilford, Ed.S., NBCT https://www.nbpts.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Gilford-Neurospicy-Article-for-National-Board.mp3 Let’s face it: being a neurodivergent teacher in a neurotypical world sometimes feels like navigating a grocery store with a map to the moon—a bit of a wild goose chase, but hey, at least it’s an adventure! Think of neurodiversity as the secret ingredient that makes the…
National Board Standards Update: Refreshed Standards for Literacy Instruction
ARLINGTON, VA. – August 27, 2024 The National Board has refreshed standards documents for certificate areas that discuss literacy instruction. Newly posted documents include the following: Updated Early Childhood Generalist Standards and a separate addendum highlighting changes between the 3rd and 4th editions Updated Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Standards and a separate addendum highlighting changes between the 2nd and 3rd editions Updated Middle Childhood…
New Multi-Million Dollar Program to Recruit 900 New National Board Certified Black Teachers
LOS ANGELES, CA. [July 11, 2024] – The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), in generous partnership with Ballmer Group, announced a new multi-million dollar initiative to recruit Black teachers in California to be new candidates for National Board certification over the next three years. The new program, called the California Black Educator Initiative…
California Black Educator Initiative
Elevating Black Educators Through National Board Certification. The California Black Educator Initiative (CBEI) is dedicated to increasing the number of Black educators achieving National Board Certification. Through targeted support, financial incentives, and community engagement, CBEI is transforming the educational landscape by fostering excellence and equity in classrooms across California. Since its inception, the initiative has…
National Board Standards Update: Revising the National Board Standards
ARLINGTON, VA. – June 26, 2024 The National Board is revising its standards, starting with What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do (also known as the What Book). The What Book contains the Five Core Propositions. They address critical aspects of accomplished teaching practice: knowledge of students and subjects, responsibility for student learning and professional reflection, and membership in learning…
