NC Again Leads Nation in National Board Certified Teachers


North Carolina added 330 newly-credentialed teachers in 2013 to its National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT) cadre. This brings the state’s total number of NBCTs to 20,122, and once again places North Carolina first in the nation in the number of NBCTs.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) this morning released the latest numbers for states and the nation. Twenty-one percent of North Carolina’s educators are National Board certified.

State Superintendent June Atkinson commended the newly-certified teachers and thanked them for their dedication. “Pursing certification while adjusting to new standards and new assessments takes a depth of dedication that reaps rewards beyond the classroom. Students, colleagues and the community benefit from these educators’ commitment to educational excellence, whether they are in the classroom or in administrative roles.”

Nationwide, 4,115 teachers and counselors received National Board Certification, bringing the national total to 106,268. North Carolina accounts for almost 19 percent of the nation’s National Board Certified Teachers. Florida is the next closest state with 13,670 followed by South Carolina (8,663), Washington (7,259) and California (5,979).

In addition, six North Carolina public school districts placed in the Top 20 districts nationally for the total number of National Board Certified Teachers: Wake County Schools remained first with 2,365, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is fourth with 1,927, Guilford County Schools is 10th with 757, Winston-Salem/Forsyth Schools is 16th with 533, Buncombe County Schools is 18th with 498 and New Hanover County Schools is 20th with 452.

Along with the release of the number of newly certified National Board teachers, the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards again released the Top 50 public and private universities and colleges with the highest number of alumni who are newly certified National Board teachers. Five North Carolina universities made the Top 50: the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is 20th with 27; Appalachian State University is tied for 23rd with 25, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte is tied for 40th with 19, East Carolina University is tied for 42nd with 18, and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington is tied for 46th with 17.

North Carolina teachers have pursued National Board Certification since 1994. Teachers who achieve certification receive a salary supplement on top of their regular pay that is good for the 10-year life of the certification. They also are awarded 7.5 continuing education credits (CEUs).

North Carolina supports teachers pursuing National Board Certification by providing low-interest loans to pay the $2,500 assessment fee and three paid release days from normal teaching responsibilities to develop their portfolios. Also, the State Board of Education awards a North Carolina teaching license to out-of-state teachers who are employed in North Carolina and who possess National Board Certification.

National Board Certification is the highest credential in the teaching profession and participation is voluntary. Teachers achieve certification through a rigorous performance-based assessment that typically takes from one to three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers and counselors should know and be able to do. As a part of the process, candidates build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Certification is currently available to educators in 25 fields.

Additional information on National Board Certification is available online at www.ncpublicschools.org/recruitment/nationalboardcertification/.