Vol, 7, No. 3: January 22, 2008		Get SEAchange by email

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2. Wisconsin in top 10 for increasing national board certification

110 Wisconsin educators earned certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in 2007. Wisconsin's 49 percent increase over last year puts it in the top 10 states for the percentage increase in national board certified teachers.

The state now has 515 teachers who have earned national certification, putting Wisconsin 16th in the nation for the number of teachers holding a 10-year national certificate.

Many educators who become nationally certified describe this voluntary step as “the most important and valuable professional development of my career.” The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nongovernmental organization. Its mission is to establish standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.

“These new nationally certified teachers exemplify the quality teaching we need to lift academic achievement for all students and close the achievement gap, said State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster.

A growing body of research shows that educators who earn national certification use classroom practices that have a positive impact on student achievement.

The state’s nationally certified teachers are eligible to apply to become master educators under Wisconsin’s Quality Educator Initiative—PI 34, the highest level of Wisconsin’s three-tiered certification program. They can receive up to $2,000 to reimburse costs associated with earning national certification. Additionally, they receive nine annual stipends of $2,500 if they remain employed as teachers.

Burmaster’s initiative to get national board certified teachers and master educators teaching in high needs schools gained support in this year’s state budget. With passage of the biennial budget, the annual stipend increases to $5,000 for nationally certified teachers or master educators who work in high-needs schools. The department is developing procedures for identifying high-needs schools and claiming the additional stipend.

More information and a list of the 110 teachers who achieved national board certification in 2007 are available from a DPI news release.

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Last updated on 1/22/2008