National Board Certification
through The Educator Academy
The Educator Academy is continuing a National Board Certification (NBC) program for our graduate and alumni network. NBC was designed by teachers for teachers to develop, retain, and recognize accomplished teachers, promoting ongoing improvement in schools. It’s the highest and most respected certification for teachers in the US. Students of board-certified teachers have better learning outcomes than students taught by those without board-certification –this is particularly true for low-income and BIPOC students. In addition to improving student outcomes, NBC has also been shown to improve teacher retention. Both of these impacts directly align to The EA’s mission. Kansas City currently lacks a robust offering of support programs for teachers seeking NBC, so we are stepping in to fill this community need.
What’s involved?
In order to be eligible you must…
- Be a current graduate OR alum of The Educator Academy (formerly KCTR)
- Teach in the KC area at a Title I school
-
Be teaching in the subject area that you’ll be pursuing national board certification in for at least 1 year prior to applying.
- Submit a reference letter from your school admin, coach, team lead, or EA coach.
FAQ’s
- What is the application process for joining The EA’s NBC program?
-
The application for this year’s cohort has closed.
Applications open in March and close in May. If accepted, your spot is only secured after paying the registration fee otherwise your spot may be given to a waitlisted applicant. After the cohort has been finalized, programming begins in the middle to end of August and runs for 2 years.
- Does my district provide a stipend for having NBC?
-
Several districts in Kansas City offer an additional stipend to teachers with National Board Certification. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has compiled of list of districts and their corresponding rates for teachers with National Board Certification. The most accurate way to determine the change in pay is to contact your school’s HR directly.
- Why is The EA offering this now?
-
Receiving NBC has been shown to increase student learning AND teacher retention, both of which are directly aligned with EA’s mission and vision. As such, we want to support our teachers in achieving this distinction. Currently in Kansas City, there are no comprehensive support programs offered for teachers seeking NBC, so we are taking this opportunity to fill a need in our community.
- What should I expect in terms of workload?
-
Monthly meetings are 90 min; all meetings will have assigned pre-and post-work. You can anticipate 2-4 hours of work each week during the fall semesters and 4-6 hours per week during the spring semesters.
- What would I be responsible for if I did this?
-
For participants who pursue national board certification with The Educator Academy, they are agreeing to:
- Attend monthly 90-minute evening meetings for 2 years
-
- Applications will open in July of 2025 for the cohort that will run August 2025 – July 2027
-
- Pay the annual non-refundable registration fee ($75 per year, $150 total)
-
- More details on the fee can be found at NBPTS.org
-
- Complete 2 components of NBC each year
- Attend monthly 90-minute evening meetings for 2 years
- What support does The Educator Academy provide for this?
-
All participants will receive support from The Educator Academy as they work towards their National Board Certification. This includes:
- Advisement and collaboration during monthly meetings
- Feedback on component drafts
- Study support for component 1
- Coaching on component objectives as needed
- The EA will pay for all component fees ($475 per component, $1,900 total)
Components of National Board Certification
National Board Certification was designed to develop, retain, and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. The National Board’s standards and assessments were created by teachers, for teachers. There are four components to National Board Certification outlined below.
Component 1:
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE (40%)
A computer-based assessment administered at a testing center. In this assessment, you will demonstrate knowledge of and pedagogical practices for teaching your content area, including developmentally appropriate content, which is necessary for teaching across the full age range and ability level of your chosen certificate area. There are approximately 45 select-response questions and 3 constructed-response questions, with a total test time of 3 hours.
Component 2
DIFFERENTIATION IN INSTRUCTION (15%)
This portfolio entry provides you with the opportunity to highlight your ability to evaluate learning strengths and needs for individual students; plan and implement appropriate differentiated instruction for those students; and analyze and modify instructional strategies and materials based on ongoing assessment.
Component 3:
CONTENT KNOWLEDGE (40%)
A portfolio entry that requires video recordings of interactions between you and your students and among your students. Includes a written commentary in which you describe, analyze and reflect on the impact of your teaching on your students.
Component 4
EFFECTIVE & REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONER (15%)
This portfolio entry provides you with the opportunity to highlight your abilities in developing and applying your knowledge of your students. You will gather information from a variety of sources about a class of students; use assessments to effectively plan for and positively impact your students’ learning; and provide evidence of your collaboration with families and caregivers, the community, and colleagues and of your contributions to learning communities to advance students’ learning and growth.