For Immediate Release
(DES MOINES, IOWA) - November 30, 2004 - The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announced today that 37 Iowa teachers earned their National Board Certification in 2004. That brings to 461 the total number of Iowa teachers who have earned the teaching profession’s highest credential since the certification began in 1993.
National Board Certification is a symbol of teaching excellence. A voluntary process established by NBPTS, it is achieved through a rigorous performance-based assessment that takes nearly a year to complete. Through the assessment process, teachers document their subject matter knowledge, provide evidence that they know how to teach their subjects to students most effectively, and demonstrate their ability to manage and measure student learning.
“We are very proud of these teachers for their commitment to seeking national certification as part of their professional development,” said Judy Jeffrey, director of the Iowa Department of Education. “National Board Certification is an important confirmation that these teachers truly demonstrate top-quality teaching skills,” she said.
In Iowa, teacher candidates are eligible to receive state payment for half of the $2,300 registration fee and, upon certification, a $2,500 per year annual award for 10 years as well as reimbursement for the other half of the registration fee.
A complete list of 2004 recipients is attached. For more information about the National Board Certification process, please visit http://www.nbpts.org/nbct/index.cfm