Washington State Again #1 in New Board-Certified Teachers

From OSPI:

Washington has the largest group of new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) for the third consecutive year, according to numbers released today by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

A total of 329 Washington teachers achieved their certification this year. Washington ranks fourth, nationwide, in the total number of NBCTs (8,614)*.

“The National Board certification process is not easy,” said Randy Dorn, superintendent of public instruction. “It takes content knowledge and commitment to student learning. I’m proud of the work these teachers have done for their students and their profession.”
Washington by the numbers 
  • Number of new NBCTs in 2015: 329 (national rank: 1st) 
  • Total number of NBCTs: 8,614 (national rank: 4th)
  • Washington has two of the top 30 school districts in the nation for the total number of NBCTs.
  • 38% (126) of new NBCTs teach in “challenging schools.”
  • 14% (8,614) of teachers are NBCTs. 
  • 33% (107) of new NBCTs teach in STEM fields
Top 9 school districts in Washington with new NBCTs: 
 
Seattle+ (23)
Kent (18)
Evergreen – Clark (17)
Federal Way (16)
North Thurston (11)
Pasco (11)
Spokane (11)
Tacoma (11)
Clover Park (10)

+ Seattle Public Schools ranks nationally in the top 30 districts by total number of NBCTs.


In 2007, the state Legislature passed a bill that awards a $5,000 bonus to each NBCT. Teachers can receive up to an additional $5,000 bonus if they teach in “challenging” schools, which are defined as having a certain percentage of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch (50 percent for high schools, 60 percent for middle schools and 70 percent for elementary schools). 

To note, there is research that says having an advanced teaching degree doesn't matter/help and yet other research says students do learn more from board-certified teachers.

Comments

Anonymous said…
A study is as good as the check from those who commissioned and paid for it. I would hope the board that issues the certificates praises them it would be odd if they did not versus a College of Education that is researching well education. Hmm.. who would I trust.

Always look at the bottom line...

- Skeptic
Anonymous said…
Interesting that Issaquah has none. So why does Seattle need charter schools and Issaquah doesn't? I would ask Chad that.

HP
Anonymous said…
My thoughts about this:

"To note, there is research that says having an advanced teaching degree doesn't matter/help and yet other research says students do learn more from board-certified teachers."

I watched two teachers who were fantastic teachers go through the National Board Certification process. Their students definitely learned an incredible amount from these great teachers both before and after they became "Super Certified".

I do not question the statement that "students learn more from board-certified teachers" than the average teacher.

I do not believe that the "board certification process" produces this favorable result.

-- Dan Dempsey
(Now teaching at Hopi Jr/Sr High School near Keams Canyon, AZ on the Hopi Rez.)
Anonymous said…
Certification is just jumping through flaming hoops, blindfolded and with your hands tied behind your back. The only reason anyone certified this year (myself included) is because we failed last year and re-submitted. The process has changed to a 3-year model, starting last year. This year won't have but a very few candidates pass as it's the third and final re-submit year of the old model, the new model folks will still have one more year before they're ready.

I know teachers who are great and aren't certified because it's too much work and utterly no payoff, I know teachers who are terrible in the classroom and are certified (coasting? I don't know). The whole process is convoluted, expensive, unrelated to being a good teacher and (surprise!) owned by Pearson.

The one thing that is right about it is the 5-year teaching requirement before submission, it's way more reasonable than the state's 3-years then mandatory pro-cert. The state makes it harder for teachers to do boards as they must start the pro-cert process in the 3 years, and after that much work in that little time a lot of folks just let that be enough. Initial Residency licenses need to be good for 5 years so there are more options and a greater chance of stability and success for those attempting. In my first 3 years I was at 3 schools (RIF), after 3 different grades and 8 different preps, 2 of which I wasn't even certified to teach. There's no way I was going to be successful at anything starting that third year, though I paid my money, didn't submit, and got an extension on my certificate.

Newly certified
peonypower said…
One of the best teachers I ever knew did pro cert and then national boards. She believed that having national boards was the mark of a great teacher. She inspired students in so many ways but national boards is not about that amazing spark that some educators have it is about hoop jumping. She finally achieved board status after 3 tries but sadly she died without knowing the previous August. I went into the board process with no illusions. I had to have a cert and pro cert seemed lame. It was a miserable year teaching and the one good thing I can say is it's done. Did "it make me better as a teacher no. I have had much more rewarding professional experiences that improved my instructional practice far more than natty dread. What I can say is any teacher who passes boards is tenacious and that counts for something.
peonypower said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said…
The worst teachers we have had have been nationally board certified, and almost everyone I know who has experienced a year with a teacher going through the certification process has had a terrible year- relative to other years that teacher taught, and in absolute terms. It's a complete time suck, and I wish they wouldn't do it. Our family's best teachers have not (some of them have just been too new to, though, and probably will later). Whatever they get teachers to do- it doesn't help make them better teachers, and the year they are doing it, they're pretty bad compared to usual. Do we pay more than average as a bonus for the cert? I wonder why we have such a high number. Maybe I will be impressed with older grade teachers with the cert, but with my current experience, when I hear a teacher has it or especially is getting it, I'm a little disappointed in the quality year my child will have.

-sleeper

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