ARLINGTON, Va. – December 11, 2017 – The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, a nonprofit organization created by the teaching profession to set and maintain standards of accomplished practice, announced the election of three prominent educators to its board of directors. Elections were held during the organization’s November Board meeting.
“I couldn’t be more excited to welcome the newest members of our Board of Directors. They bring great expertise and I know their perspective will make the National Board stronger,” said Peggy Brookins, NBCT, president and CEO of the National Board. “I look forward to getting to work with these education leaders to advance our mission and make Board certification the norm in the profession.”
Joining the NBPTS Board of Directors are:
- Elizabeth Brown-Davis is a National Board Certified Teacher (Literacy: Reading-Language Arts/Early and Middle Childhood) and a teacher at Lockhart Elementary Magnet School in Tampa, Florida.
- Kelly Elder is a National Board Certified Teacher (Social Studies-History/Early Adolescence) and a Social Studies/History Teacher at C.R. Anderson Middle School in Helena, Montana. He is the 2017 Montana State Teacher of the Year,
- Gavin Payne is the CEO at GPC Advisors in Davis, California, former Director of U.S. Policy, Advocacy & Communications for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and former Chief Deputy State Superintendent of Public Instruction at the California Department of Education.
The new directors join a driven team of education professionals on the NBPTS Board, including former Commissioner of the Kentucky Board of Education, Terry Holliday, who serves as chair, other accomplished teacher leaders, and the presidents of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. The majority of NBPTS Board members are National Board Certified Teachers.
“Along with the staff, our Board of Directors is helping to assure that all students have the chance to be taught by an accomplished, Board-certified teacher. I’m excited to welcome these new education leaders to the NBPTS Board,” said Dr. Holliday. “Our new Board members, with experience from the classroom to the boardroom, have the right experience, insight and energy to help us elevate the profession and advance accomplished teaching.”
Retiring members of the Board of Directors include: Deborah Ball, the director of Teaching Works at the University of Michigan; Cheryl Redfield, NBCT, a teacher at Highland Junior High School in Mesa, AZ; and Haydee Rodriguez, NBCT, a teacher at Central Union High School District in El Centro, CA.
Nationwide, more than 112,000 teachers have achieved National Board Certification, demonstrating that they have met the profession’s standards for accomplished practice. National Board Certification is available in 25 certificate areas, from Pre-K through 12th grade.