Worcester County Public Schools partner with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) to encourage and reward teachers for pursuing and achieving National Board Certification (NBC).
National Board Certification is a comprehensive, performance-based assessment program, established by the National Board for 
Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) in 1987. The assessments measure what accomplished teachers “should know and be able to do” in order to improve student learning and achievement. The process, which is pursued on a voluntary basis by teachers, takes at least one year to accomplish – in many cases requiring an additional 500 hours of work within the school year.
“National Board Certification is our profession’s most prestigious credential, representing a complete commitment to students,” said State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nancy Grasmick. “These teachers are an inspiration to their students, their schools, and their communities.”
Achieving National Board Certification has many benefits including the improvement of student learning, the strengthening of teaching practices, and the qualification for increased pay during the validity of the NBC certificate.
NBPTS established five core propositions that a National Board Certified teacher must possess and demonstrate. The five core propositions are:
1. Teachers are Committed to Students and Leaning;
2. Teachers Know the Subjects They Teach and How to Teach Those Subjects to Students;
3. Teachers are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring Student Learning;
4. Teachers Think Systematically about Their Practice and Learn from Experience; and
5. Teachers are Members of Learning Communities.
Worcester County Public Schools has a total of 26 NBC teachers and the number continues to grow! Our NBC teachers are as follows:
Each year, our school system invites teachers to pursue National Board Certification. All interested teachers are invited to attend a mandatory orientation meeting, held each year in May. Approved teachers through our school system are then forwarded to MSDE for approval.
For more information about NBC, please visit www.nbpts.org . If you have questions relating to the “sponsorship” awarded through Worcester County Public Schools and the Maryland State Department of Education, please call Barbara Witherow at 410-632-5092.
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