University of Kansas Educator Measures Up - Again

by Terri Kaiser

Emporia, KS (12/05/2019) — Suzanne Myers, senior research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning, is one of 4,786 educators across the United States to renew their certification as a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT).

A decade ago, Myers went through the challenging year-long process of becoming an NBCT A year ago, she chose to attempt to renew her certificate as the life of her original 10-year certificate was soon to expire.

Myers was among the 13 educators from across the state who went through the challenging process of renewing their certificates in 2018-19.

"This process of board certification is similar to how a doctor becomes certified in a special area," said Alvin Peters, director of Emporia State University's program which assists teachers working toward national certification. "This is voluntary - no state, school district, or program requires they go through this process."

While state licensing systems set the basic requirements to teach in each state, NBCTs have demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. National certification takes from one to three years to complete.

Emporia State's Great Plains Center for National Teacher Certification maintains a 99.5% renewal rate with candidates achieving recertification on their first attempt since 2005.

The process of national board certification is often misunderstood to mean a teacher passed a test or was nominated for the award. Peters adds, "National Board certification is a different kind of honor. Teachers must submit extensive documentation of their instruction, including videos of their students at work in the classroom."

The accomplishment of national board certification benefits the teachers, the schools they work in, and studies have shown NBCTs improve student learning. Guidance for the candidates comes from Emporia State's Great Plains Center for National Teacher Certification. More information about the program can be found at www.emporia.edu/gpcntc.

Is your teacher board certified?

They are among the best teachers in the profession, undergoing a rigorous process taking at least one year to complete. They are told to expect a 400-hour time commitment, and less than half will achieve certification on their first try.

NBCTs represent less than 1% of all educators in Kansas. The voluntary process is the equivalent of national board certification for physicians and other health professions. There are 452 teachers in Kansas who are NBCTs.

To see a list of NBCTs, go to www.nbpts.org/nbct-search.

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