National Board Portfolio
National Board For Professional Teaching Standards
The National Board for Professional
Teaching Standards (NBPTS) provides a voluntary certification process for experienced
classroom teachers. While state
licensing systems set basic requirements for teachers, the National Board gives
teachers the opportunity to demonstrate advanced practice. The process is available to teachers who have
completed at least three full years of teaching and takes most of a year to
complete. NBPTS currently includes 24
certification areas. To become certified
as "accomplished" by the NBPTS, teachers (who are called candidates) submit a
series of portfolio entries in which they present and reflect on their practice
against standards specific to their area and which are based on the Board's
core propositions:
-
Teachers are committed to students and their
learning.
-
Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to
teach those subjects to students.
-
Teachers are responsible for managing and
monitoring student learning.
-
Teachers think systematically about their
practice and learn from experience.
-
Teachers are members of learning communities.
In addition to submitting portfolio
entries, the National Board process includes an on-demand test at an assessment
center. Candidates who do not certify may "bank" passing scores and re-submit
portfolio entries and/or re-take assessments the following year.
The NBPTS Portfolio at UW Bothell
UW Bothell students who elect to use the
NBPTS portfolio as their M.Ed. culminating project participate in a candidate
support group during the autumn and winter quarters. This group meets at least four hours a
month to build an understanding of the standards and portfolio requirements,
engage in problem-solving discussions around teaching and learning, and critique
one another's work. The candidate support group is facilitated by a member of
the UW Bothell faculty and a National Board Certified teacher. It includes teachers from surrounding
districts as well as teachers from UW Bothell. The
UW Bothell candidate support group is part of a larger organization of support groups
organized through UW Seattle, and currently led by Julie Kang (sonjulie@u.washington.edu.). Candidates in the support group also attend
four Saturday morning workshops which provide an opportunity for Puget Sound teachers from different regions to meet
together by certificate areas.
UW Bothell students must complete all
required coursework (at least 36 credits) before the autumn quarter of their candidacy
year. Autumn and winter registration in
BEDUC 595, completion of a NBPTS portfolio and exemplary participation in the
portfolio process/candidate support group is required for graduation. NBPTS
certification is not a requirement for graduation.
Financial Information
BEDUC 595 - Professional Portfolio,
National Board - is taken for 3-5 variable credits for autumn and winter
quarter. Students who take 5 credits
each quarter are eligible for financial aid.
The fee for pursuing National Board
certification is currently set at $2,500.
Our state has been very successful at locating scholarship money to help
with this fee. Most candidates in our
state who have applied for a scholarship in the past have received one ($1,250)
for half of the National Board fee. One
of the requirements for the state scholarship is that candidates participate in
a recognized candidate support group.
The fees for these support groups range from $500 to $1000. Because UW Bothell candidates are paying tuition for
M.Ed. credits, there is no support group fee.
NBPTS Portfolio Culmination Project Timeline
Early in the M.Ed. Program
- Talk
to people who have completed National Board Certification to determine
whether or not this is a process that you would like to do. Candidates report that they spend between
200 and 400 hours on the certification process. It is a huge commitment
and not a process for everyone.
- Plan
coursework so that you are sure that you will have completed requirements
prior to the autumn that you want to begin the NBPTS support group.
- Visit
the National Board website (www.nbpts.org)
to determine what certificate area you want to pursue and to plan what
courses might help you succeed in the process.
- Participate
in leadership and professional development activities. This will help you
acquire the "Documented Accomplishments" needed for Entry 4.
Autumn quarter prior to the candidacy year
- Determine
whether or not you want to participate in "Take 1." Take 1 gives prospective candidates the
opportunity to try out one entry prior to doing the full portfolio. The specific entry used for "Take 1" is
chosen by National Board and there is some scholarship money available
from NBPTS and the state. The score
of this entry may be transferred towards a candidate's final portfolio
score. The registration and fee
($395) for "Take 1" is due Dec. 31st with the entry due at NBPTS
by April 15. For further
information see: http://www.nbpts.org/products_and_services/take_one1
Winter quarter prior to the candidacy year
- Apply
for National Board scholarships from the Office of Superintendent of
Public Instruction (OSPI).
Information is mailed from OSPI to schools and districts in January.
Applications are due in February. See
www.k12.wa.us/certification/nbpts
for information.
- Notify
designated UW Bothell faculty (Nancy Place) that
you intend to pursue NBPTS certification the following year.
Spring quarter prior to the candidacy year
- Download
and print portfolio information.
You may actually begin the portfolio process on April 1.
- Make
first payments to National Board and submit eligibility forms
- Register
and participate in Jumpstart, a WEA sponsored workshop designed to prepare
NBPTS candidates for the portfolio.
- Participate
in one or two UW Bothell "pre-support group" meetings designed to prepare NBPTS
candidates for work over the summer.
- Participate
in UW Seattle's NBPTS orientation for all UW Puget Sound candidates
End of summer prior to the candidacy year
- Participate
in UW Seattle's first Puget Sound
Saturday morning workshop
- Register
for autumn quarter BEDUC 595
Autumn Quarter, candidacy year
- Participate
in UW Bothell Candidate Support Group
- Participate
in UW Seattle Saturday workshop for all UW Puget Sound candidates
- Pay
complete fee amount to National Board
- Register
for winter quarter BEDUC 595
Winter Quarter, candidacy year
- Participate
in UW Bothell Candidate Support Group
- Participate
in UW Seattle Saturday workshop for all UW Puget Sound candidates
- Mail
portfolio so that it is received by NBPTS by March 31
- Make
an appointment with the NBPTS
Assessment Center
- GRADUATE!!
Spring Quarter, Candidacy Year
- Participate
in UW Seattle Saturday Assessment Center workshop for all UW Puget Sound
candidates
- Take
NBPTS assessments at the Assessment
Center
November-December Post Candidacy Year
- Receive
certification results
