Of the 349 new National Board Certified Teachers named last November, 81 are National University alumni, students or previous enrollees in NBCT courses.
Those 81 alumni constitute 23 percent of the statewide total. That is almost one in every four new NBCTs in the state, which exceeds the already-impressive five year average. Below is data regarding National Board Certified Teacher, year by year, since 2005:
Year: No. of CA NBCTs: No. from NU: Percentage:
2009-2010 349 81 23 percent
2008-2009 366 91 25 percent
2007-2008 251 68 27 percent
2006-2007 291 37 13 percent
2005-2006 296 32 11 percent
Past 5 Years: 1553 309 20 percent
National Board Certification is a voluntary process, requiring a rigorous performance-based assessment that can take from one to three years to complete. Once achieved, it is considered a mark of teaching excellence.
National University provides a program that offers both support and graduate credit for teachers who engage in the development of the NBCT portfolio process. Each course is taught by NBCT adjunct faculty, trained as Certified Support Providers, according to NBCT Program Director Ronarae Adams.
In California, National University is one of only three of 32 universities that offer a master’s degree incorporating NBCT coursework into the program. The Master of Arts in Teaching with a specialization in National Board Certified Teacher Leadership is one of the University's most popular programs.
Additionally, National University serves as one of five California National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Professional Teaching Development Centers (PTDC), offering the following:
* monthly and one-to-one support by trained Candidate Support Providers (CSPs) for active candidates
* an online NBCT Accomplished Teaching and Leadership Collaborative
* leadership and advocacy training and opportunities
* opportunities for aspiring teachers and first and second year teachers to be linked to NBCTs in their region
* annual celebrations of accomplishments that impact student learning
For information, and to get involved in the University’s PTDC activities, List Serve and online Accomplished Teaching and Leadership Network, please contact NU-NBCT Program Director, Ronarae Adams, @nu.edu or 858-642-8352.
