News & Media
Ron Thorpe expands on medical residency analogy in Kappan
August 20, 2014
The September 2014 issue of Kappan magazine features a compelling article by National Board President and CEO Ron Thorpe titled, "Residency: Can it transform teaching the way it did medicine?" In the piece, Thorpe explores complex questions, including: Should the education profession push for universal residency for teachers? What would it look like? How would it affect student learning and the basic culture of the teaching profession? Given that residency would substantially raise the bar for entry into the profession, what effect would it have on the workforce? How would we pay for it? Read the full text and let us know your thoughts by…
Read MoreHow National Board Certification Helped Me Turn Around A Failing School
August 12, 2014
Dr. Kiela Snider, NBCT, shares the story of how she led her entire teaching staff through the National Board Certification process as principal at Julius Corsini Elementary in Desert Hot Springs, Calif. The results were a dramatic boost in student achievement, lower teacher turnover and increased parental involvement. Snider is now principal at the Palm Springs Unified School District. The Edvocate, August 12, 2014. Article
Read MoreNEA Appoints National Board COO Andy Coons to Lead Policy and Teacher Quality Division as Senior Director
August 6, 2014
WASHINGTON – The National Education Association (NEA) announced today that it has hired Andy Coons, chief operating officer of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, to join its leadership team as senior director of its Center for Great Public Schools. In his new role, Coons will continue his work to elevate the education profession by directing the NEA’s efforts in several key areas, including: education policy, teacher quality, products and resources, education support professionals and research. He will begin his new role this fall. A National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) and 13-year teaching veteran, Coons taught middle school math in…
Read MoreNBCT Mary Cathryn Ricker Elected as AFT Exec. Vice President
July 14, 2014
ARLINGTON, Va. — Today the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) announced the election of Mary Cathryn Ricker, a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) from St. Paul, Minnesota, as the association’s executive vice president, its third-ranking leadership position. Ricker, who also serves on the NBPTS Board of Directors, previously served as an AFT vice president and announced that she will step down as the president of the local St. Paul Federation of Teachers. She will serve under AFT President Randi Weingarten, who was re-elected to a third term. Applauding the news, Ronald Thorpe, president and CEO of the National Board, issued…
Read MoreOp-Ed: Why the Bureau of Indian Education is partnering with the National Board
July 9, 2014
Ron Thorpe, president and CEO of the National Board, and Charles "Monty" Roessel, director of the Bureau of Indian Education, U.S. Department of the Interior, explain why Board certification will be pivotal in improving outcomes for Native American students. Albuquerque Journal, July 9, 2014. Article
Read MoreEdTalk Radio: Supporting accomplished teaching for Native American Students
July 8, 2014
Host Larry Jacobs explores how Board certification fits with the Bureau of Indian Education’s efforts to improve outcomes for Native American students. Guests include Native American educators Jolyn Rose, NBCT, Kara Bobroff and Anpao Duta Flying Earth, both of the the Native American Community Academy in Albuquerque. Education Talk Radio, Larry Jacobs, July 8, 2014. Listen to the Podcast
Read MoreNational Board Praises TALIS Findings on the Teaching Profession
June 27, 2014
ARLINGTON, Va. — Speaking about OECD’s release today of the Teaching and Learning International Study (TALIS), Ron Thorpe, president and CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, praised the results of the study: “Teachers across the nation have confirmed that professional development is too often disconnected from what teachers do every day in the classroom. What regularly passes for professional development is seldom aligned to any vision for how educators grow in effectiveness, beginning with teacher preparation and extending to standards of accomplished practice that have been established by the profession and maintained by the National Board. TALIS speaks to the need for professional…
Read MoreNational Board Partners with Bureau of Indian Education to Certify 1,000 New Accomplished Teachers
June 13, 2014
ARLINGTON, Va. —The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards today announced a groundbreaking initiative with the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to boost accomplished teaching in BIE-funded schools. As part of the Obama Administration’s continued commitment to working with tribal leaders to address the challenges facing Indian Country, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Education Secretary Arne Duncan convened a study group to work with tribes and other BIE stakeholders to identify the causes of low-performance in BIE-funded schools. After numerous listening sessions and tribal consultations, the study group released a “Blueprint for Reform,” a comprehensive plan to redesign the BIE…
Read MoreEdTalk Radio: Increasing teacher ‘Board certification’ in Kentucky
June 12, 2014
Ruth Ann Sweazy, Jeffrey Wright and Donna Brockman discuss the importance of making Board certification the norm for teachers in Kentucky. Education Talk Radio, Larry Jacobs, June 12, 2014. Listen to the Podcast
Read MoreThe National Board Seeks Thousands of Teachers for Field Tests
May 22, 2014
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is seeking thousands of PreK-12 teachers to take part in field tests of the revised National Board Certification process. The field tests begin today, starting with the Content Knowledge component, but enrollment will continue through the fall. Click here to learn more and apply today.
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