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If you're an Illinois teacher or counselor, you could be eligible for a $1,900 state subsidy to help cover the costs of National Board Certification. This subsidy supports the four required components of the certification process (a total value of $1,900), though candidates are still responsible for a non-refundable annual registration fee of $75.

Eligibility Criteria

• Full-Time Teacher or Counselor: You must be employed as a full-time teacher or counselor at an Illinois public school.
• Valid Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL): You need to hold an active Illinois PEL and have a current Illinois Educator Identification Number (IEIN).
• First-Time Applicants: The subsidy is available to first-time candidates who have not previously used the Illinois NB First-Time Candidate Fee Subsidy. (If you've withdrawn from the program in the past, you may still apply for funding in future years.)
• Exclusions: The subsidy is not available for administrators, part-time positions, or retired educators. However, roles such as Curriculum Specialists, Reading Interventionists, and Instructional Coaches may be eligible if they are employed under a district's teacher contract.
  

2026-2027 First-Time Candidates: After applying for the Illinois NB First-Time Candidate Fee Subsidy and being found eligible, you must create an account with NBPTS and complete your registration before starting the National Board Certification process. This includes paying the non-refundable $75 NBPTS registration fee. The registration must be completed in order to be approved for the Fall Subsidy.

Returning Candidates (2024-2025 & 2025-2026 cycles): If you are a returning candidate, you must first pay the non-refundable $75 NBPTS registration fee and release your information to the 'Third Party Payer' (Illinois) before proceeding to register for additional components. The registration must be completed in order to be approved for the Fall Subsidy.

Important Information When Registering with NBPTS:

• Illinois Payment for Components: If approved for the Illinois NB First-Time Candidate Fee Subsidy, Illinois will make payment for the components you will be working on during the 2026-2027 school year. The payment will be made before the NBPTS final payment deadline.

• Select the Correct NB Certificate: Ensure that you select the correct NB Certificate for your role. Double-check the age group of the students you teach before making your selection. If you need to switch certificates later, there may be a $75 fee, and missing the deadline of February 28th, 2027 to change your certificate could impact your candidacy.
• Releasing Information to the Third Party Payer: You must release your information to the 'Third Party Payer' (Illinois) each time you pay the $75 NBPTS registration fee. Payments can only be made to your account if this step is completed.
• Monitor Your Account: It is your responsibility to regularly monitor your NBPTS account to ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date.​
  

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) offers two types of withdrawals: component withdrawal (often called a "pause") and registration withdrawal. Here's what you need to know:

Component Withdrawal

You are expected to complete all components you register for in the same assessment cycle. If you can't complete a component, you can withdraw by contacting NBPTS at 1.800.22TEACH before the February 28th, 2027, deadline.

Important: The State of Illinois will only pay for each component once. If you don't submit a component or withdraw by the February 28th, 2027, deadline, you'll be responsible for paying for that component the next time you attempt it.

Registration Withdrawal

If you need to cancel your candidacy entirely, you can withdraw your entire registration, which will end your pursuit of certification. If you later want to continue, you'll need to reapply.

• For First-Time Candidates: If you haven't completed any components (e.g., you haven't submitted a component or tested at the assessment center), you can withdraw by contacting NBPTS before the withdrawal deadline.
• For Returning Candidates: If you've submitted any components in previous cycles, you can still withdraw by contacting NBPTS. You must withdraw by February 28th, 2027, deadline to avoid penalties and ensure any unused funds are returned to Illinois.

Deadlines & Penalties

• Withdraw by the February 28th, 2027 deadline to ensure unused funds are returned to the state.
• Failure to withdraw by February 28th, 2027 means you may be required to repay the Illinois NB First Time Candidate Fee Subsidy if you don't complete the components. For example, if Illinois paid two components, but you didn't submit any work, you may need to repay the $950 for those unused components.
• Non-refundable Fees: The $75 NBPTS registration fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. Service fees are also not refundable.
• Unused Funds: If you don't submit a component by the June 15, 2027, deadline and didn't withdraw by the February 28th, 2027 deadline, you may need to repay Illinois for any unspent subsidy funds.

Please note that regardless of the withdrawal option selected, notification to ISBE is required.​

​Candidate Steps for Purchasing Components with Third-Party Payer Funding

• Create or Log into Your National Board Account: Start by creating an account or logging into your existing National Board account.
• Pay the $75 Registration Fee: Complete the payment for the $75 non-refundable NBPTS registration fee.
• Complete the Candidate Registration Agreement: After paying the registration fee, you'll need to complete the Candidate Registration Agreement, which is located on the Certification Dashboard of your National Board account. Your registration will not be finalized until this step is completed.
• Select Your Certification Area (For Initial Candidates): If you haven't already selected a certification area, click “Browse" under Certifications in the left-hand navigation menu. Once you find your desired certification area, click “Save to my home" to return to the homepage. If you've already selected your certification area, skip this step. For more details on selecting the right certificate, refer to Choosing the Right Certificate.
• Select Your Components: In the “Your Component Selections" section, click the name of the component you wish to purchase. Note: You must complete (test and submit) each component within the cycle it is purchased. Only purchase the components you intend to complete this cycle.
• Do Not Pay for Components: Do not make any payments for the components. After completing the steps above, ISBE will submit the funding to NBPTS on your behalf and notify you of your next steps.

If you have any questions, contact NBPTS directly at 1.800.22TEACH. Please note, ISBE does not have access to candidate accounts and cannot assist with issues related to component purchases.​

​Returning Candidates (2024-2025 & 2025-2026 cycles):

If you are a returning candidate, you must first pay the non-refundable $75 NBPTS registration fee and release your information to the 'Third Party Payer' (Illinois) before proceeding to register for additional components. 

Funding and payment information

All component payments for new and returning candidates will be sent by ISBE to NBPTS by February of 2027. Candidates will receive an email from NBPTS once the funding has been applied to their NBPTS.org account and is available for use toward component fees.​

​The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is proud to support Illinois National Board Candidates by offering a Retake Subsidy for candidates who have completed and submitted all components (1-4) and received final scores by December 2026.

Retake candidates have two options: they can retake immediately after score release with deadlines by June 15th, 2027 (for portfolio components) and June 15th, 2027 (for the testing component), or they can choose to wait until the following school year if more time is needed.

Eligibility Requirements of Retake Subsidy

If eligible, fees for retaking Components 2, 3, and/or 4 will be covered once. For Component 1, the fees for the three Constructed Response Exercises and/or the Selected Response Items (SRIs) will be covered once per section.

To qualify for the Illinois NB Retake Candidate Fee Subsidy:

• You must have completed and submitted all components (1–4) to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and received final scores for all components by December 2027.
• You must be a full-time teacher or counselor in an Illinois public school.
• Your Illinois teaching license must be current and unencumbered (i.e., not suspended or revoked).
• You must have a valid Illinois Educator Identification Number (IEIN).
• You must hold a valid Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL).

Subsidy Payment Details:

• Component 1 Retake: Payments of $125 per exercise (up to a maximum of $500) will be made to NBPTS for Retake Candidates who complete all required steps.
• Components 2, 3, and 4 Retakes: Payments of $475 per component will be made to NBPTS for each component that is retaken, up to a maximum of $475 per component, for candidates who complete all required steps.

​The Illinois NB Retake Candidate Fee Subsidy will be credited directly to the candidate's NBPTS account once all required steps are completed. The payment will not be made directly to the candidate.

​Time to Renew? Begin Your Maintenance of Certification (MOC)

If you're eligible to renew your National Board Certification, now is the perfect time to start the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) process. Renewing your certification demonstrates that your professional practice continues to meet the high, rigorous standards of your certificate area.

The MOC pathway allows National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) to keep their certification active and extend it for an additional five years beyond the current expiration date. This process is designed with best assessment practices in mind and is built by teachers to ensure that NBCTs continue to grow professionally while maintaining a substantial impact on student learning.

Learn more about Maintenance of Certification (MOC)

Eligibility Requirements for MOC

In order to qualify, you must be in an eligible renewal year for certification. NBCTs expiring in 2027 and 2028 qualify. Visit the NBPTS Eligibility and Timing site and click the MOC Calendar link at the bottom of the page for more details.

• Complete National Board registration for MOC and pay the $75 registration fee directly to NBPTS through your NB Account. DO NOT pay the $495 fee—if approved for the subsidy, the subsidy will cover this fee.
• Compile, complete, and submit a Profile of Professional Growth (PPG) to NB by the NBPTS submission deadline (check with NBPTS for the exact date).
• Your Illinois teaching license must be current and unencumbered (e.g., not suspended or revoked).
• You must hold a valid Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) and a valid Illinois Educator Identification Number (IEIN).
• MOC candidates who are not actively teaching but plan to work with students of a colleague must meet Illinois teaching licensure requirements.
• You must be employed as a full-time teacher, school counselor, or administrator in an Illinois public school.

Important: 

Do not complete the checkout process.

Do not pay the $495 component fee upfront. 

Once all steps are complete and your eligibility is confirmed, you'll receive an email notification letting you know that ISBE has sent your subsidy payment to NBPTS. Subsidy payments are made directly to NBPTS, not to individual candidates.

To be APPROVED for eligibility, Complete Both Steps Below

1. Register: Complete the National Board registration and pay the $75  registration fee using the NBPTS MY PROFILE system.
2. Select MOC Component(s): After paying the fee, click the “Complete Your Application" button to select your MOC component(s) and navigate to the checkout page.​