Connecticut

Connecticut Candidate Financial Support

Connecticut is pleased to announce that funding is available to help offset the cost of the assessment fee. This funding is made possible through a Federal Subsidy grant from the United States Department of Education and the AFT Connecticut. Please read the information below for specific details, deadlines and contact information.

Funding Available - First-Time Candidates State Funding
AFT Connecticut is contributing additional monies to be allocated for candidate subsidy funds. These funds will be targeted to support federation teachers and teachers of low-income students, teachers of color and teachers in high poverty urban and rural areas, if candidate recruitment activities yield sufficient candidates.

Funding Available - First-Time Candidates Federal Funding
The Connecticut State Department of Education will utilize NBPTS Candidate Subsidy funds to support 31 candidates at 50% of the $2500 certification fee. Deadline to apply: December 31, 2008

Funding Available Retake Candidates
Connecticut does not provide funds for retake candidates.

Several organizations provide scholarship support to candidates pursuing National Board Certification. For more information, visit the Scholarship page.

• The General Assembly passed a new act requiring the State Board of Education (SBE) to issue a Connecticut provisional or professional certificate, with an appropriate endorsement, to any teacher from another state, U.S. possession or territory, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico who (1) applies; (2) holds a national board certification from an organization the education commissioner considers appropriate; and (3) has taught for at least three of the past 10 years in another state, U.S. territory, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico. The teacher must receive a provisional educator certificate if he has not completed 30 credits of qualifying coursework beyond a bachelor’s degree. If he has the 30 credits, SBE must give him a professional certificate. Under the act, SBE can still deny a certificate to a nationally certified out-of-state teacher for the same reasons it can deny any other applicant, namely because (1) the teacher seeks the certificate through fraud or misrepresents a material fact; (2) the teacher has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude or some other crime that, in SBE’s opinion, would impair the standing of the state’s teaching certificates; or (3) it has other due cause. A teacher denied certification can ask SBE to review its decision.
• The 2001 legislative session passed a law that allows teachers earning National Board Certification to utilize that experience toward earning their continuing education unit (CEU) requirement. Specifically, Section 10-145b (I)(1) of the General Statutes was amended by Section 15 of Public Act 01-173, to provide the professional educator the option of utilizing “documented completion of National Board Certification assessment in the appropriate endorsement,” as continuing education activity valid toward completing the CEU requirement.
• Legislation was passed in 2004 that grants a professional educator certificate to an NBCT who holds a valid certificate in another state and moves to Connecticut. As a result, these teachers would be exempt from taking any Praxis exams.
• The Connecticut Federation of Educational and Professional Employees (formerly known as the Connecticut Federation of Teachers) will pay ten $1,000 grants per academic year to federation members teaching in high poverty rural and urban areas.

Please click here for a list of school districts in this state that offer support and/or incentives for candidates and National Board Certified Teachers.  It is possible that your school district or local businesses offers support not included in the above link.   Check with your school, your school district’s Web site or your state program administrator for more information.

If you are aware of local incentives supporting National Board Certification in your school district please Contact Us.  Include complete contact details so that we can reach you to verify the information.