National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Name	National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Abbreviation	NBPTS
Formation	1987
Headquarters	Arlington, Virginia
Region	United States
Leader title	CEO
Leader name	Lisa Coons

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonprofit organization established in 1987 to advance the quality of teaching profession through national standards, certification, and professional development. Founded following initiatives by James A. Kelly, influenced by reports from Carnegie Forum, and supported by leaders such as William H. Zelman and policymakers associated with NEA, the organization has intersected with institutions including U.S. Department of Education, AFT affiliates, and state education agencies in California, Texas, and New York. Its work connects to benchmark efforts like the Spencer Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and certification models used by Teach For America alumni and university schools of education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Stanford Graduate School of Education, and Teachers College, Columbia University.

History

The board was launched after recommendations from the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy and was shaped by policy leaders including Albert Shanker, Jimmy Carter advisors, and members of the U.S. Congress during the late 1980s. Early collaborations involved organizations such as the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and philanthropic supporters like the Gates Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation. Expansion of the program occurred across states such as Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania with partnerships involving state departments like the Ohio Department of Education and school districts including Los Angeles Unified School District and Chicago Public Schools. Over time, the board's initiatives intersected with federal initiatives like the No Child Left Behind Act era policy discussions and later dialogues around Every Student Succeeds Act implementation, while interacting with research centers including the RAND Corporation and university partners at University of Michigan and Vanderbilt University.

Purpose and Mission

The organization's mission emphasizes voluntary, advanced certification for experienced teachers to promote professional excellence, professional learning communities, and student achievement. Its goals align with reform efforts from entities such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and state teacher incentive programs modeled on initiatives in Tennessee and Louisiana. The mission links to educator preparation efforts at institutions like University of Washington and policy analyses by think tanks including the Brookings Institution and American Enterprise Institute. Collaboration networks extend to National Board Certified Teachers working in districts such as Houston Independent School District and charter networks like KIPP.

Certification Process

Certification requires teachers to submit portfolio entries and performance assessments aligned with standards, following processes influenced by assessment research from Educational Testing Service and psychometric practices informed by American Educational Research Association. Candidates engage with tasks resembling performance assessments used by National Board Certified Teachers in classrooms within districts like Miami-Dade County Public Schools and collaborate with mentors from institutions such as University of Chicago's urban education programs. The process includes scored components processed by panels including educators from North Carolina State University and evaluation frameworks similar to those developed by Danielson Group and assessment vendors contracted historically by the board. Financial support models have drawn on scholarships from foundations such as Walton Family Foundation and state subsidy programs in New Jersey and Connecticut.

Standards and Core Propositions

Standards rest on core propositions developed by panels of master teachers and scholars, reflecting pedagogical principles resonant with works by Loris Malaguzzi and research traditions at Teachers College, Columbia University and Harvard Graduate School of Education. The propositions articulate expectations for accomplished practice similar in ambition to standards from the International Society for Technology in Education and curricular benchmarks like those used in Common Core State Standards Initiative-aligned districts. Subject-specific certificates map to content fields taught in departments at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and University of California, Berkeley and connect to professional learning frameworks used by state certification systems in Washington (state) and Oregon.

Impact and Research

Research on outcomes has been conducted by organizations including the RAND Corporation, Brookings Institution, American Institutes for Research, and university researchers at Vanderbilt University and University of Pennsylvania. Studies have examined effects on student achievement in districts like Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and Dallas Independent School District, teacher retention in systems such as Denver Public Schools, and career pathways into leadership roles connected to districts like Wake County Public School System. Evaluations reference comparisons to other credentialing models used by Teach For America alums and influence policy debates in state legislatures in Illinois, Michigan, and North Carolina.

Governance and Funding

Governance comprises a board of directors with representatives from higher education, practitioner groups, and philanthropic organizations including ties to Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Gates Foundation, and state education leaders from Massachusetts and Georgia. Funding streams include grants from foundations, candidate fees, and state incentive payments administered in collaboration with agencies such as the Texas Education Agency and the New York State Education Department. Financial and governance oversight has interacted with auditors and consultants previously engaged by entities like KPMG and research partners including RAND Corporation.

Category:Educational organizations in the United States