Arizona K12 Center announces 48 new National Board Certified Teachers
The Arizona K12 Center is proud to announce that Arizona is home to 48 new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs). These teachers have earned the highest certificate an educator can achieve in the United States through a process that enhances their teaching practice, ultimately better supporting Arizona’s students. Administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, National Board Certification is a rigorous and reflective process that requires teachers to showcase the National Board Standards in their practice. Teachers often take three to five years of continual work to achieve certification. In Arizona, the Arizona K12 Center is the home for support and resources for teachers seeking National Board Certification.
Along with the usual rigor of the National Board Certification process, these 48 new NBCTs also faced additional challenges from both teaching and documenting that teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The unique piece about National Board is that it is totally focused on a teacher’s practice. A teacher must provide clear, consistent, and convincing evidence of the National Board Standards in their teaching,” says Dr. Kathy Wiebke, NBCT, executive director of the Arizona K12 Center. “Teachers choose to seek National Board Certification. There is no guarantee they will achieve and yet they persevere. What I admire most about this group of teachers is they chose to continue during a pandemic. They were given the option of deferring and they did not do that. They are a testimony to the great teachers that can be found throughout Arizona.”
Research shows that students of NBCTs have improved learning outcomes. “The positive impact of having a Board-certified teacher (NBCT) is even greater for minority and low-income students,” according to the National Board. Find more data about research on the effects of NBCTs at nbpts.org. This year, about a quarter of this group of new NBCTs received funding for the process through the state’s new Arizona Teachers Academy, a budget appropriation from the Arizona State 99 E Virginia Avenue, Suite 100 • Phoenix, AZ 85004 • 602.443.6444
Legislature under the direction of Gov. Doug Ducey. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards also announced earlier this fall that 25 Arizona teachers successfully renewed their National Board Certification this year. Altogether, Arizona is home to 1,576 NBCTs Arizona with another 656 teachers currently pursuing National Board Certification. Nationwide, there are 127,781 NBCTs.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards provided candidates multiple due dates for National Board component submission. As a result, another round of NBCTs will be announced in a few months. If you are a teacher interested in pursuing National Board Certification, the Arizona K12 Center’s next Pre-Candidacy Class begins January 6. This online course will help you build a system of support and understand the foundation and process of National Board Certification before committing to candidacy. You can find more information about that at bit.ly/Jan6NBPreCan and information about funding support for National Board Certification at bit.ly/AZNBFeeSupport
Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org and about National Board Certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards at nbpts.org.
