Illinois now 4th in National Board Certified Teachers
December 18, 2009 by IEA Communications
(News release from The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards – NBPTS)
Illinois continues its progress in advancing the National Board Certification education reform movement with the announcement of 732 new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in 2009. The state ranked fourth nationwide in the number of teachers achieving board certification this year and ranks sixth in the total number of NBCTs over time (3,923).
An “extraordinary group,” is how U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan referred to this year’s class of National Board Certified Teachers in a September interview with NBPTS. He said teachers who achieved National Board Certification have “demonstrated a commitment to taking their teaching practice and the teaching profession to a different level.”
“The leadership and example they’re setting for the system is phenomenal,” said Duncan. “What if every child had a chance to be taught by a National Board Certified Teacher? I think the difference it would make in students’ lives would be extraordinary.”
