Overview
National Board Certification (NBC) is the “gold standard” in teaching. It is also one of the most valuable and rewarding opportunities for professional growth and improvement.

Teachers with at least three years of experience work through an in-depth performance assessment process. They invest the better part of a school year in examining their practice, collecting evidence and preparing the submission of their work to be assessed by trained classroom teachers across the country. Student work and videotaped classroom teaching are part of the assessment requirements, as is a rigorous test of content knowledge in the teacher’s field.

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Support
Teachers pursuing NBC have access to a variety of supports. The Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Teachers Union, and National-Louis University each offer specialized programs to support teachers in the rigorous NBC process. Click on the links below to these support programs and select the program that is right for you.
   
Chicago Public Schools National Board Certification Program
Chicago Teachers Union Nurturing Teacher Leadership Program
National-Louis University Master of Education in Interdisciplinary Studies/National Board Certification Program
   

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Benefits for Teachers
Beyond the accomplishmen of achieving the profession's highest distinction and improving professional skills that contribute to improve student learning, completion of National Board Certification process (reagrdless of achievement) fulfills ISBE's requirements to recertify a Standard Teaching Certificate, and to move from an Initial to a Standard Teaching Certificate. Candidates have up to three years to achieve certification. National Board Certified Teachers working in Chicago Public Schools earn a salary stipend of $1,750 per year, per the current Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) contract (available only to CTU members).

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Cost
To apply for National Board Certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, candidates pay a $2,565 application fee. For the 2010-2011 application cycle, the Illinois State Board of Education is providing $2,000 subsidy to 1,000 teachers statewide. Prioritiy will be given to teachers in high-need schools, and applications for funding are due no later than May 15th, 2010. See the application website or contact for details.
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Getting Started
Begin by reviewing the national standards of accomplished teaching that best match the subjects you teach and the age group of your students. There are 25 assessments from which to choose. More information can be found at the NBPTS website.

If you are interested in becoming an NBC candidate for the 2010-2011 school year and beyond, explore the websites of the three NBC support programs listed above and selct the one that best fits your needs. (Note:it is not necessary to participate in a NBC support program to apply for or achieve National Board Certification. However, the success rates of candidates in these support programs is historically much higher than that of unsupported candidates.) CPS welcomes eligible teachers to start the exciting journey of becoming an NBCT. If you wish to be part of the CPS program please contact: .

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