CPS Teachers Achieve National Board Certification

Congratulations are in order!  We are excited to recognize CPS teachers, teacher-librarians, and counselors for their achievement of NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION! On December 16^th, 2017, 66 candidates learned they had joined more than 2,200 other National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) actively serving in the Chicago Public Schools.* In addition, this year 87 of our NBCTs renewed their certification.  This makes CPS the school district with the third highest number of NBCTs in the country – truly a milestone!

Now in its 20^th year, Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL), the CPS/CTU partnership program that supports district teachers, counselors, and teacher-librarians in pursuing National Board Certification, happily celebrates the achievement of these new NBCTs.  The Quest Center, with its 94% National Board Certification achievement rate, is proud to provide the professional development and candidate support programming for CPS’ National Board Certification candidates.

As Peggy Brookins, NBCT and CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) says, “These teachers have proven that they teach to the highest standards…and they have put in the work to show their commitment to their practice and to their students.”

CTU President Karen Lewis, herself an NBCT, congratulates our new NBCTs, “It continues to be good for CPS to grow this professional group of educators, who have met the most rigorous standards of accomplished practice. The best part is how much our students benefit from teachers who have earned the highest credential an educator can attain.”

An increasing body of research shows that National Board Certified Teachers are more likely to improve academic outcomes for students – up to one and a half months of additional learning in a year – as well as advance their careers. President Lewis added that, “Experiencing the process of becoming an NBCT also helps teachers master the REACH Framework” as they are observed and present and defend student achievement in their classrooms.

This year’s new NBCTs are the first to certify under a redesigned assessment system. It is organized around four key components: three classroom-based portfolio entries and a set of computer-based written Assessment Center exams of content area knowledge. Teachers, counselors and teacher librarians who enroll in the NTL program receive a full scholarship for the NBPTS application fee and for the program’s two-year process, in which candidates demonstrate how they tailor instruction to drive individual academic gains, submit videos of classroom teaching with analysis of their practice and reflections on what went well and what didn’t, and provide examples of ways they’ve used data and school and community resources to improve outcomes for their students. They examine their learning environment and instructional practices to determine and highlight the best ways in which they address student needs. The CPS REACH teacher evaluation system aligns to the four components of National Board Certification.

As Brookins said, “National Board Certification is about helping teachers become great, it is about elevating the teaching profession, and it is about helping children achieve at a higher rate. The certification process impacts teaching and learning well beyond an individual teacher’s classroom.”

The rewards of this predominantly performance-based process also reflect this impact beyond the classroom. CPS NBCTs are the first to be considered for leadership and advocacy opportunities at the district, union, university, and state level, such as Framework Specialists, Consulting Teachers, ISBE licensure board membership, mentoring of new teachers, adjunct professorships, and more.

Financial rewards for CPS NBCTs include a $1960+ annual stipend. As they go through the process, candidates can earn graduate credit (leading to an optional master’s degree) as well as CPS Lane Placement credit, enabling them to advance on the CPS salary schedule.

We invite you to join this challenging process. Nurturing Teacher Leadership, with its 94% achievement rate, is now recruiting candidates for the 2018-20 certification cycle. Please go to the CTUF.org/QuestCenter/NTL website  for further information about National Board Certification and to https://www.ctuf.org/ntl-informational-meeting/ to register for the meeting. You can also email us at NationalBoard@ctuf.org, or call Lynn Cherkasky-Davis at 312-329-6274.

*New CPS NBCTs (as of Dec. 16, 2017)