[Source: National Board for Professional Teaching Standards] — The teacher quality movement has made a dramatic gain following today’s announcement by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) that the number of National Board Certified Teachers has climbed past 55,000. Nearly 7,800 of the nation’s top teachers achieved National Board Certification in 2006, a 7 percent increase over the number of teachers who earned certification in 2005. The cumulative total of National Board Certified Teachers stands at 55,306. The states with the highest number of teachers who recently attained National Board Certification were North Carolina (1,525), Florida (1,513), South Carolina (636), Illinois (431), and Washington (407).
Among evidence that the National Board Certified Teacher movement is growing:
- The number of National Board Certified Teachers has more than tripled in the past five years (from 16,040 in 2001 to 55,300 in 2006).
- Nineteen states have at least 30 percent growth in the number of new 2006 National Board Certified Teachers, as compared to 2005.
- There is a westward increase in new National Board Certified Teachers. North Dakota, Utah, Texas, Colorado, South Dakota, Arizona, and Wyoming show the highest percentage growth of National Board Certified Teachers in 2006, as compared to 2005.
- While the number of Caucasian teachers achieving National Board Certification remained steady between 2005 and 2006, other racial/ethnic groups increased. During the same period, African American National Board Certified Teachers increased 24 percent, Hispanic teachers increased 13 percent and Native American teachers increased 50 percent.
In addition, nearly 39 percent of all National Board Certified Teachers are teaching in Title I schools as defined by NCES. (NOTE: This percentage is based on 44,206 teachers whose schools could be identified as Title I using NCES criteria.)
Since 2001, more than 5,000 math and science teachers have joined the ranks of National Board Certified Teachers. One out of every 10 teachers who hold National Board Certification teaches math or science. “Because of the increasing importance of math and science education relating to U.S. competitiveness, we are pleased to report increasing numbers of math and science teachers achieving National Board Certification,” said NBPTS President and CEO Joseph A. Aguerrebere. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]