National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is a non-profit organization that aims to advance the quality of teaching and learning by recognizing and certifying accomplished teachers, such as Deborah Loewenberg Ball and Magdalene Lampert, who have demonstrated exceptional skills and knowledge in their subject areas, including Mathematics, Science, and English Language Arts. The organization was established in 1987 by a group of educators, including John Goodlad and James A. Kelly, with the goal of improving student achievement and promoting teacher professionalism, as advocated by Diane Ravitch and Linda Darling-Hammond. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has certified over 120,000 teachers, including National Teacher of the Year winners, such as Sarah Brown Wessling and Rebecca Mieliwocki, who have demonstrated expertise in teaching Special Education, English as a Second Language, and other subjects.

● Introduction

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and its certification process is recognized by American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association as a mark of excellence in teaching, similar to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and National Council of Teachers of English. The organization's certification is based on a set of rigorous standards, developed in collaboration with National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Education, that outline the knowledge, skills, and practices that accomplished teachers should possess, including expertise in Curriculum Development and Assessment. Teachers who undergo the certification process, such as those participating in the Teach For America program, must demonstrate their ability to teach subjects like Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, as well as their commitment to ongoing professional development, as emphasized by U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation.

● History

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards was established in 1987, with the support of Carnegie Corporation of New York and Ford Foundation, in response to the growing concern about the quality of teaching in the United States, as highlighted in reports like A Nation at Risk and Education for All. The organization's founders, including David Berliner and Lee Shulman, were influenced by the work of Benjamin Bloom and Ralph Tyler, and sought to create a certification process that would recognize and reward accomplished teachers, such as those teaching in New York City Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District. Over the years, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has certified teachers from all 50 states, including California, Texas, and New York, and has become a widely recognized and respected organization in the field of education, with partnerships with National Council for the Social Studies and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

● Certification Process

The certification process for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is a rigorous and multi-step process, involving Portfolio Development and Assessment Center Exercises, that requires teachers to demonstrate their expertise in teaching subjects like History, Geography, and Foreign Languages. Teachers must first meet the eligibility requirements, which include having a Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of three years of teaching experience, as required by Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. They must then complete a series of assessments, including a written exam and a portfolio of their teaching practices, which are evaluated by Peer Review and Rubric-Based Assessment. The certification process is designed to be challenging and rigorous, with a pass rate of around 50%, similar to the Bar Exam and Medical Licensing Exam.

● Standards and Components

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has developed a set of standards and components that outline the knowledge, skills, and practices that accomplished teachers should possess, including expertise in Technology Integration and Cultural Competence. The standards are based on the Five Core Propositions, which include a commitment to student learning, a deep understanding of subject matter, and the ability to manage and monitor student learning, as emphasized by U.S. Department of Education and National Education Association. The components of the certification process include Content Knowledge, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and Pedagogy, which are assessed through a combination of written exams, portfolio submissions, and Classroom Observations, similar to the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

● Impact and Effectiveness

Research has shown that teachers who are certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards have a positive impact on student achievement, particularly in subjects like Reading and Mathematics, as demonstrated by studies published in Journal of Educational Psychology and American Educational Research Journal. A study by Harvard University found that students taught by National Board-certified teachers showed greater gains in achievement than students taught by non-certified teachers, similar to the findings of Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley. Additionally, the certification process has been shown to have a positive impact on teacher retention and morale, as reported by National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers.

● Criticisms and Controversies

Despite its reputation as a rigorous and respected certification process, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has faced criticisms and controversies, including concerns about the cost and accessibility of the certification process, as raised by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and National Council of Teachers of English. Some critics have argued that the certification process is too narrow and does not adequately reflect the complexities of teaching, as argued by Diane Ravitch and Deborah Meier. Others have raised concerns about the validity and reliability of the certification process, as discussed in Journal of Teacher Education and Teaching Education.

● Governance and Funding

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is governed by a board of directors, which includes representatives from American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, and Council of Chief State School Officers, as well as U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation. The organization is funded through a combination of private and public sources, including Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, and U.S. Department of Education, as well as National Council for the Social Studies and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The organization's budget is around $50 million, which is used to support the certification process, as well as research and development initiatives, such as those conducted by National Center for Education Statistics and Institute of Education Sciences.

Category:Education