National Board Certification

National Board Certification, offered by the National Board For Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), is a way to recognize the accomplished teaching that is occurring in North Carolina's classrooms. The certification process is based on high and rigorous standards that evaluate teaching practice through performance-based assessments; the ultimate result is improved performance and achievement for North Carolina's students.

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards mission is to advance the quality of teaching and learning by:

• maintaining high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do;
• providing a national voluntary system certifying teachers who meet these standards; and
• advocating related education reforms to integrate National Board Certification in American education and to capitalize on the expertise of National Board Certified Teachers.

At the core of the National Board certification process are standards that describe the highest level of teaching in different disciplines and with students at different developmental levels. These standards represent a consensus among accomplished teachers and other education experts about what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. NBPTS Standards can be found at www.nbpts.org or www.boardcertifiedteacher.org.

Teachers who have participated in National Board Certification have overwhelmingly stated it is the most powerful professional development experience of their careers. They say the experience changes them as professionals and that through the process they deepen their content knowledge and develop, master and reflect on new approaches to working with their students.

According to research conducted by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, teachers who have achieved National Board Certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) significantly outperform their peers who are not Board Certified on 11 of 13 key dimensions of teaching expertise, according to a study released by the National Board. Based on student work samples, the study's authors declared that National Board Certification "is identifying and certifying teachers who are producing students who differ in profound and important ways from those taught by non-certified teachers."

National Board Certification Process

The National Board of Professional Teaching Standards is designed to collect standards-based evidence of accomplished teaching across four components:

• Content Knowledge
• Differentiation in Instruction
• Teaching Practice and Classroom Environment
• Effective and Reflective Practitioner

Candidates can work on any component in any order or all at one time. The cost for each of the 4 components is $475. For more information and accessing the certification application:

Eligibility and Application

Certificate Areas

CEUs for Completion of National Board Certification

• 8.0 CEUs for attempting and/or completing all components.
• 2.0 CEUs for successful renewal of National Board Certification (2 for content or 2 for general)

Support from the State of North Carolina

Loan and other Funding Sources  
The state of North Carolina will loan the assessment fee to eligible teachers. Information regarding this loan and other funding sources can be found on this website.

North Carolina provides every ELIGIBLE* initial candidate three days of paid professional leave. *Eligible is defined as those candidates who meet requirements for the state loan, whether or not they take the loan.

Eligibility Criteria for State Funding

This loan ($1,900) can be borrowed by first-time candidates only and it will pay for all four Components. This loan cannot be used for renewal and retake candidates or borrowed in increments. If you do not want to borrow the full amount, please do not complete this application. To withdraw from the process before the withdrawal deadline, follow all the rules. Loan rules and procedures can be found by viewing the following document:

• National Board Certification Loan by the NC State Education Assistance Authority
• New North Carolina Funding Information
• Truth in Lending Disclosure

Candidates are eligible for the state loan program if they:

• are paid entirely from state funds
• have completed three full years in North Carolina Public Schools (This includes DOC, DHHS, Office of Juvenile Justice, and public charter schools)
• hold a valid, clear, continuing North Carolina teaching license

IMPORTANT: If you do not meet the criteria listed above, please contact your local school system to determine additional steps needed to qualify for State funding.

Eligibility Criteria for NBC Pay Differential

Guidelines for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards  
(NBPTS) Pay Differential 115C - 296.2

Candidate Frequently Asked Questions

Where to go to learn more about NBPTS in North Carolina

The deadline to apply for the loan in the 2023-2024 cycle is January 31, 2024, or until all funds are dissolved, whichever comes first.

North Carolina National Board Certification (state.nc.us)

For more information about state assistance, completing the application, or candidate support contact Sonja Brown, Educator Advancement Coordinator, at 984-236-2112

NBC Coordinator in your school district.