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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 1999

News Release

NEA Members Put Teacher Quality High on the Agenda;
More than 2,000 Earn National Board Certification in 1999

Washington, D.C. -- More than 2,000 members of the National Education Association (NEA) this week earned the equivalent of a black belt in teaching when they successfully completed the requirements for National Board Certification. This brings the current number of National Board Certified Teachers to 4,799.

National Board Certification has become a critical step for many teachers in their quest for professional growth and empowerment. The year-long process requires extensive written and videotaped documentation of instruction inside the classroom, as well as evaluations, portfolios and tests. Most teachers spend more than 100 hours applying for Board Certification, which averages out to about one day a week over a semester.

"National Board Certification enhances teachers' skills, increases our stature, and improves the education of children," said NEA President Bob Chase. "I am proud that so many of our members, already overburdened in their classrooms, chose to seek this national recognition and validation of their abilities."

Last year NEA embarked on a campaign to increase the number of teachers holding National Board Certification. The ongoing effort includes educational materials, workshops and mentoring assistance to recruit new candidates. The Association also successfully advocated at the state level for salary recognition for teachers who successfully complete the National Board process, as well as release time for assessment activities and payment of the $2,000 registration fee.

The certification process is administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which has revolutionized the teaching profession by defining the knowledge and skills that add up to teaching excellence. Like physicians, architects and other professionals, teachers now have clear and objective standards for identifying accomplished teaching and recognizing those who practice it.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.