(Arlington, VA, 1/09/2007)—The teacher quality movement has made a dramatic gain following today’s announcement by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) that the number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT®s) has climbed past 55,000.

Nearly 7,800 of the nation’s top teachers achieved National Board Certification in 2006, a 7 percent increase over the number of teachers who earned certification in 2005. The cumulative total of National Board Certified Teachers stands at 55,306. The states with the highest number of teachers who recently attained National Board Certification were North Carolina (1,525), Florida (1,513), South Carolina (636), Illinois (431) and Washington (407).

Among evidence that the National Board Certified Teacher movement is growing:

• The number of National Board Certified Teachers has more than tripled in the past five years (from 16,040 in 2001 to 55,300 in 2006).
• Nineteen states have at least 30 percent growth in the number of new 2006 National Board Certified Teachers, as compared to 2005.
• There is a westward increase in new National Board Certified Teachers. North Dakota, Utah, Texas, Colorado, South Dakota, Arizona, and Wyoming show the highest percentage growth of National Board Certified Teachers in 2006, as compared to 2005.
• While the number of Caucasian teachers achieving National Board Certification remained steady between 2005 and 2006, other racial/ethnic groups increased. During the same period, African American National Board Certified Teachers increased 24 percent, Hispanic teachers increased 13 percent and Native American teachers increased 50 percent.

In addition, nearly 39 percent of all National Board Certified Teachers are teaching in Title I schools as defined by NCES. (NOTE: This percentage is based on 44,206 teachers whose schools could be identified as Title I using NCES criteria.)

Since 2001, more than 5,000 math and science teachers have joined the ranks of National Board Certified Teachers. One out of every 10 teachers who hold National Board Certification teaches math or science. “Because of the increasing importance of math and science education relating to U.S. competitiveness, we are pleased to report increasing numbers of math and science teachers achieving National Board Certification,” said NBPTS President and CEO Joseph A. Aguerrebere.

“When more teachers achieve National Board Certification, they are helping raise the quality of education across this country,” said Edward B. Rust Jr., chairman and CEO of State Farm Insurance Companies® and chair of the NBPTS President’s Roundtable. “As a business leader, I see evidence every day that education is a critical ingredient in growing a strong economy that is full of opportunity. State Farm’s partnership with NBPTS demonstrates our commitment to the strongest teaching force possible, which will help lead us to a quality education for every child in America.”

“National Board Certification strengthens and reaffirms quality teaching strategies, adds credibility to the teaching profession, represents the profession’s highest standards, and has a positive impact on student learning,” said former Georgia Gov. Roy E. Barnes, chair of the NBPTS Board of Directors. “The single most important school-related factor in raising student achievement is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. These teachers are living proof that this process works to generate some of the most highly accomplished teachers in the field.”

National Board Certification is the highest credential in the teaching profession. A teacher-driven, voluntary process established by NBPTS, certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes one to three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. As part of the process, teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching. Additionally, teachers are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 700 local school districts recognize National Board Certification as a mark of distinction, similar to the way the medical, engineering and accounting professions recognize expertise.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2007, NBPTS continues to be the most thoroughly grounded, in research terms, of any assessment program in the teaching profession. “The vast majority of research indicates that National Board Certified Teachers make a significantly measurable impact on teacher performance as well as student learning, engagement and achievement,” said Aguerrebere. “Teachers who earn this advanced teaching credential are among the best qualified in the nation to improve instruction, raise student achievement, and improve teaching practices in their classrooms, schools and districts.”

For more information about NBPTS and National Board Certification, visit the NBPTS Web site at www.nbpts.org

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Created by educators and policymakers in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan and nongovernmental organization. NBPTS advances the quality of teaching and learning by developing professional standards for accomplished teaching; creating and administering National Board Certification, a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards; and integrating certified teachers into educational reform efforts. Today, more than 55,000 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are making a positive difference in the lives of students across the nation. more...