For More information:
NEA Communications 202-822-7200

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 1998

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Quality education starts with quality teaching. Building on this premise, the National Education Association (NEA) pledged to help 100,000 teachers over the next five years achieve National Board Certification, the nation's finest system to assess accomplished classroom practice.

Currently there are fewer than 1,000 nationally certified teachers. But with a commitment at the local, state and national levels, NEA's goal is to increase the number of teachers holding National Board Certification by a hundred-fold. The target of 100,000 National Board Certified teachers was originally proposed by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future and later endorsed by President Clinton in his 1997 State of the Union Address.

"The single most important factor in enhancing student achievement is teacher quality," said NEA President Bob Chase. "Without quality teachers in every classroom, learning can't go very far. Informing and mobilizing our members to take this professional challenge will strengthen the teaching profession and improve student learning in America's schools."

Founded 11 years ago, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards 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.

NEA's national campaign will provide educational materials, workshops and mentoring assistance to entice teachers to obtain National Board Certification. Using state incentives as a model, the Association will also advocate for salary recognition for teachers who successfully complete the National Board process, as well as credit toward recertification.

A nationwide network will be established to promote and support Board certification through various NEA channels, including tapping the minority leadership training program to increase the number of minority teachers ready to sit for National Board assessments, developing guidebooks through the NEA Professional Library, and highlighting the benefits of national certification at regional conferences.

Grants of up to $5,000 each will also be disbursed to 15 state affiliates for forums to prepare teachers to meet the Board's rigorous standards. Many states and localities have put in place programs to make National Board Certification more attractive to teachers -- among them North Carolina and Oklahoma, which provide peer mentoring, release time for assessment activities, and payment of the $2,000 registration fee.

"Teachers themselves cite this process as one of the biggest challenges of their teaching careers," explained NEA's Chase. "They come away stronger, more enthusiastic, and more committed to their profession. For our members, National Board Certification is the ultimate professional development experience."