For Immediate Release
December 4,
2007
Illinois recognized as a leader for National Board Certified
Teachers
Illinois 4th in the nation with more than 500 achieving
highest teaching credential in 2007; 2nd year Illinois
attains national ranking
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois State Board of Education
announced today that Illinois ranks fourth in the nation
for having the highest number of teachers achieving National
Board Certification in 2007. The National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards (NBPTS) released the findings today
as part of National Board Certification Day. This is
the second year in a row that Illinois has been ranked
fourth nationally for the number of new teachers achieving
the profession’s highest credential.
“This is an exciting day for education in Illinois.
All success inside the classroom starts with the teacher.
The quality of a teacher’s skills, practices and
teaching knowledge is an essential component to raising
student achievement,” said State Superintendent
of Education Christopher A. Koch. “I congratulate
each and every National Board Certified Teacher in Illinois
who has worked so hard to achieve this prestigious national
certification.”
In 2007, 511 Illinois teachers achieved National Board
Certification, which is the highest credential in the
teaching profession. That is an 18.6 percent increase
over the number of teachers who achieved the recognition
in 2006. Between 2001 and 2006, the number of National
Board Certified Teachers in Illinois increased more than
five fold – from 352 in 2001 to 1,986 in 2006.
Illinois’ National Board Certified teachers are
among the nearly 8,500 teachers nationwide who achieved
the prestigious certification in 2007. There are now
63,281 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in the
United States. Nationally, Illinois continues to be among
the leading states for the total number of teachers who
have achieved this certification over time.
"Here in Illinois we've made significant investments
in education. Our ranking as fourth in the nation with
the most new National Board Certified Teachers shows
not just our administration's commitment to education,
but the dedication and determination of our teachers," said
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich. "I congratulate each
of the more than 500 Illinois teachers who earned this
national recognition and thank them for the work they
do every day to inspire their students to learn and achieve."
National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment
program designed to recognize and reward great teachers—and
make them better. Certification is achieved through a
rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically
takes one to three years to complete. 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.
In May 2000, the Illinois State Board of Education began
issuing Illinois Master Certificates valid for 10 years
and renewal thereafter every 10 years through compliance
with requirements set forth by the State Board of Education
for NBCTs. Through state appropriations, ISBE also provides
an annual $3,000 stipend for National Board Certified
Teachers who hold the Illinois Master Certificate as
defined by the Illinois Teacher Excellence Act. In addition,
nationally certified teachers are eligible to receive
an additional $1,000 if they provide 60 hours of mentoring
and/or $3,000 to assist candidates teaching in academically
at-risk schools or schools located in economically disadvantaged
communities.
More information about NBPTS and National Board Certification,
visit the NBPTS web site at www.nbpts.org.
A list of National Board Certified teachers in Illinois
can be found online at: http://www.nbpts.org/resources/nbct_directory.
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