360 SC educators earn National Board Certification
December 7, 2011
ROCKHILL, SC – December 7, 2011 – South Carolina remains third in the nation for the total number ofNational Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) after 360 South Carolina educatorsrepresenting 48 school districts earned National Board Certification in 2011,according to data released today by the National Board for Professional TeachingStandards (NBPTS).
This group of new NBCTs increases the state’s total to 8,142, trailingonly North Carolina and Florida. According to NBPTS, South Carolina issecond in the nation for percentage of teachers who have been orcurrently are National Board Certified.
Thirteen school districts had at least 10 teachers earn the advancedteaching credential. Richland 2 led the state with 37 teachers achievingNational Board Certification. Greenville had 29 and Lexington 5 had 24to round out the top three.
Greenville has the highest total number of NBCTs in South Carolina with622. This ranks them 13th in the United States. Richland Two’s 612 ranks14th nationally while Charleston’s 479 is 17th.
Nursery Rd. Elementary School in Lexington 5 set the pace for schools inSouth Carolina and ranked 10th in the country for number of new NBCTs.
Teachers seeking National Board Certification undertake a two-partprocess that takes from one to three years to complete. The processrequires candidates to reflect on their own classroom practices,understanding of subject material and preparation techniques. Inaddition to preparing a portfolio with video recordings of classroomteaching, lesson plans, student work samples and reflective essays,teachers must complete assessment center exercises based on contentknowledge that prove they have mastered the subjects they teach and metthe high standards for accomplished teaching.
“It was a very difficult and time-consuming endeavor that really forcedme to analyze my teaching and reflect on ways that I can improve mypractice in the future. It was worth the effort to get better at mycraft,” said Eric Sauthoff, a Social Studies teacher at Carolina ForestHigh School in Myrtle Beach.
“Anytime that you can improve your teaching methods and have a positiveimpact on the students you serve it is well worth the time and effort.Therefore, the value is immeasurable.”
The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA)provides an infrastructure of support including awareness sessions forteachers interested in becoming certified and guidance for candidatesduring the certification process. This infrastructure includes adistrict liaison in each of the state’s 84 school districts and manyspecial schools, and collaboration with other state agencies includingthe State Department of Education, The South Carolina EducationAssociation, and the Palmetto State Teachers Association.
“We are proud of every teacher who participates in the rigorous NationalBoard Certification process,” said Jenna Hallman, Assistant Directorand Program Director for National Board at CERRA. “We celebrate withthose who received certification this year and will continue tooffer support and encouragement to those teachers who are continuingwith the process.”
“As a candidate support provider, I always remind candidates thatstudent learning is at the heart of the certification process. Thenumber of National Board Candidates and National Board CertifiedTeachers therefore, speaks volumes to the dedication South Carolinaeducators have for their students and the profession. We are fortunatethat our state appreciates the impact of the NBC process as a high levelof quality professional development.”
Since 2000, CERRA has been charged by the South Carolina GeneralAssembly to administer the South Carolina National Board CertificationLoan Program for teachers choosing to pursue National BoardCertification. The loan program was disbanded last year, however,private and federal funds with minimal cost to the applicant remainavailable for teachers interested in pursuing the certification. Furtherinformation about alternative funding sources for interested teachersis available on the CERRA Website at www.cerra.org.
About the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
NBPTS is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan and nongovernmentalorganization. NBPTS advances the quality of teaching and learning bydeveloping professional standards for accomplished teaching; creatingand administering National Board Certification, a voluntary system tocertify teachers who meet those standards; and integrating certifiedteachers into educational reform efforts. Today, tens of thousands ofNational Board Certified Teachers are making a positive difference inthe lives of students across the nation.
About the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, & Advancement
CERRA, an independent state agency located on the campus of WinthropUniversity, is the oldest and most established teacher recruitmentprogram in the country. The purpose of CERRA is to provide leadership inidentifying, attracting, placing and retaining well-qualifiedindividuals for the teaching profession in South Carolina. CERRA’sprograms have been adopted at school, district and state levels in morethan 30 states in the United States. More information about the Centerand its programs is available at www.cerra.org. You can now follow CERRA on Facebook (teachsc), Twitter (cerrasc) and YouTube (cerrasc).
