In 2009 the Foundation added Teacher Excellence as one of its funding priorities. Since then the Foundation has invested more than $27,000 to support teachers who are pursuing their National Board Certification (NBC).
NBC is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers--and make them better. While state licensing systems establish a baseline of requirements for teachers, certified teachers have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills, and practices. NBC is the only credential process that compares a teacher's knowledge and skills with a national set of professional standards. The process requires teachers to reflect on how they form and deliver lessons and demonstrate leadership in their schools and communities.
The application process in intense. NBC candidates average about 400 hours throughout the school year putting together a two-part submission package that includes: 1. A portfolio with lesson plans, student work samples, and a videotape of live classroom teaching, all of which demonstrates the teacher's impact on student learning; and 2. A written assessment that shows the teacher's mastery of subject-area knowledge, classroom practices, and curriculum design.
A national panel of teachers either approves the submission or returns it to the applicant for further development.
In a recent Northshore School District panel discussion that featured current and potential NBCT's, it was strongly noted that active participation in a support group is for many the single most important aspect of success; this is true regardless of specialty.
After researching the NBCT program and several funding options, the Foundation focused on the UW Mentorship Support Program. This program is designed to aid and support teachers going through the rigors of the National Board Certification process. The success rate for those candidates going through the UW Mentorship Support Program is higher than those who do not participate in this component. The tuition cost for the UW Mentorship Support Program is currently $672.
On average, 14 teachers participate in the UW support group annually. To fully fund this program we must raise more than $9408 for the coming year.
Make your end-of-the-year donation
in support of Teacher Excellence
and you can help us meet that goal!
