Professional Development
National Board Certification for Teachers
The Louisiana Initiative
The Louisiana Initiative is a State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education 8(g) funded project.
Purpose
Recognizing the value of having highly qualified teachers and the strong connection between teacher qualifications and student achievement, the Louisiana Initiative project provides funding for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification fees for qualified candidates and provides yearlong regional support and mentoring to applicants undergoing the NBPTS process.
Louisiana's NBCT Program Growth
Interest and participation in the NBC program in Louisiana, has increased significantly due to state and local efforts to recruit and retain teachers each year. Currently Louisiana ranks thirteenth nationally in the number of NBC teachers. Data collected by the department indicates that from 1998 - 2008, the program has grown from 6 to currently 1389 teachers achieving national board certification.
How does the program work?
The Louisiana Initiative is responsible for the following
- Recruiting interested teachers to pursue National Board Certification (NBC);
- Selecting qualified candidates through a competitive application process;
- Providing fee support to first-time candidates; and
- Offering Candidate Support Providers and mentoring throughout the entire NBC process.
Click on the link below for a brief description of how the Louisiana subsidy process works.
LA Subsidy
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Louisiana Ranks 14th in Number of National Board Certified Teachers
Excerpt from LDOE news release on 1/8/2009:
State Education Superintendent Paul Pastorek said National Board Certification is another positive step toward creating a world-class education system for all students in Louisiana.
"Educators that are committed to going through the rigorous process of becoming nationally certified also demonstrate a high level of commitment to the profession and to the students they teach,” Pastorek noted. "As a result, the academic achievement of our students will continue to increase as the number of NBCTs grows each year.”
A report released several months ago by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies backs up Pastorek’s claim. The NRC study found that National Board Certification had a positive impact on student achievement, teacher retention, and professional development.
"Teaching is a profession that requires continuous professional development and lifelong learning in order to be successful,” Deputy Superintendent Ollie Tyler said. "The teachers who achieve national certification are in-tune with the latest innovations and proven techniques in education and are able to connect with today’s students as they grow and learn. This generation wants to know how the lessons they learn in the classroom apply to the real world, and Nationally Board Certified Teachers are better equipped to make that connection and go beyond the usual classroom methods.”
Louisiana ranks 14th in the nation in the number of National Board Certified Teachers. Click on the link below for the press release.
Louisiana Ranks 14th
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State Salary Ajustment
Currently, 48 states grant salary supplements to teachers receiving National Board Certification. Since 1998, Louisiana Legislature has awarded a $5,000 salary supplement to NBCTs for the ten-year life of the certificate. Teachers must remain employed by a public school district to receive the supplement. For information on the supplement process in your area call your district contact.
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