ARLINGTON, Va. – September 26, 2019. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards unveiled today a program that recognizes school districts across the country that work hard to promote student learning through accomplished teaching. The National Board Accomplished Districts program will initially honor 81 districts in which at least 20% of its teachers have achieved National Board certification,* encouraging teachers to be their best and effectively driving student learning.
The 81 Accomplished Districts come from ten states including Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington. The top three districts by percent of NBCTs are Piedmont City School Districts in Alabama, Bellevue School District 405 in Washington and Nashville Community HSD 99 in Illinois.
“High-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor impacting student learning. The districts that measured up to be included in the National Board Accomplished District program understand the value of accomplished teaching and support teachers to be their best. We encourage state and district leaders to support National Board certification because NBCTs have a measurable impact on student learning – and what parent anywhere doesn’t want the best possible teacher for their children?” said Peggy Brookins, a National Board Certified Teacher and the president and CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Districts will be recognized with an award for the district office and unique celebrations for the NBCTs in those districts.
As teachers achieve National Board certification, they grow, approaching teaching as a process, reflecting on their practice and helping their students. It’s not just about becoming Board-certified – it’s really about impacting their careers, their peers and, ultimately, the profession,” said Rachel Smith, Curriculum Coordinator, Piedmont (AL) City Schools.
*Districts with at least 10 NBCTs were selected based on self-reported NBCT data and information gleaned from the National Center for Education Statistics.
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About the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (www.nbpts.org):
The founding mission of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is to advance the quality of teaching and learning by: maintaining high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do; providing a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards, and advocating related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of National Board Certified Teachers. Recognized as the “gold standard” in teacher certification, the National Board believes higher standards for teachers means better learning for students.