National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

National Board Certification (NBC) is the teaching profession’s highest credential. Teachers who achieve it successfully complete a rigorous, performance-based assessment process that requires them to demonstrate excellence. A recent, multi-year, multimillion-dollar, Congressionally-mandated study showed that NBC Teachers improve student achievement at a higher level than their peers – especially among low-income, minority students.

Impact

• More than 2,000 CPS teachers received National Board Certification.
• 85 percent of these teachers remained in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), with 75 percent continuing to teach in high-need and high-achieving or improving schools.
• Four programs seeded; continue to support NBC teachers today.
• Financial support for NBC teachers provided by state of Illinois and included in CPS Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• Initial development of an NBC extension to the principal level.