Nurturing Teacher Leadership
National Board Certification
Established in 1997, Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL) is a collaborative, two-year professional development and candidate support program offered through the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The program provides free professional development, individualized guidance, and ongoing support to CPS teachers, counselors, speech pathologists and librarians pursuing National Board Certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)—one of the most respected professional credentials in the education profession. Our candidates are mentored by National Board Certified Teachers. Participants read, study, and discuss literature and research on current educational issues in their certificate area applying new or refined insights to their practice.
NTL is designed to help educators strengthen their instructional practice, deepen their understanding of student learning, and demonstrate their professional expertise through the National Board Certification process. Over the two-year program, candidates receive structured support as they navigate the certification requirements, reflect on their practice, analyze student learning, and develop evidence that demonstrates their impact on students and school communities.
Through collaborative learning, professional dialogue, and guidance from experienced educators, NTL creates a supportive environment where candidates share strategies, address challenges, and grow as reflective practitioners and teacher leaders. The program emphasizes the connection between effective teaching, student achievement, and continuous professional growth.
In providing multiple resources, support and incentives, NTL’s focus is on developing, improving and validating teaching/counseling/ library/ and speech pathology practices, thereby increasing student achievement and well-being.
By investing in educators’ professional development and leadership capacity at, and between, weekly classes, NTL advances a culture of teacher-led learning and educational excellence across Chicago Public Schools. The program recognizes that accomplished educators are essential to student growth, strong schools and thriving communities, and that National Board Certification can serve as a meaningful pathway for professional recognition, multiple incentives, career growth, and expanded leadership opportunities.
NTL’s mission is to make National Board Certification accessible to CPS educators by providing the free, sustained professional learning and candidate support they need to pursue this advanced certification, strengthen their practice, and expand their impact on students and the broader educational community.
Chicago has a success rate of more than 90%, significantly higher than the
Illinois state and national average of 71%.
Congratulations to our new and newly renewed 2025 National Board Certified Teachers
Congratulations to our new and newly renewed National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) for meeting the highest standards of our profession.
NTL Resources
Did you know that:
- Our contract provides a $2800+ annual pensionable STIPEND for all National Board Certified Teachers, librarians, and counselors (going up 27% to 29% by the end of the contract).
- Our 2-year National Board Certification support program (Nurturing Teacher Leadership) is FREE to CTU members.
- You can earn 30 CPS Lane Placement credits and 18 graduate credits while participating in the Nurturing Teacher Leadership program.
- You earn an ISBE National Board Certification Endorsement on your Professional Educator License – and all the PD Hours you need for your entire re-licensure cycle. And every cycle thereafter National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) only have to complete half the required ISBE PD hours.
- CNA research indicates that students of NBCTs gain 1 to 2 months of additional learning compared to their peers in other classrooms. The positive impact of having an NBCT is even greater for students of color and low-income students.
- Paid teacher leadership roles increase after attaining National Board Certification.
- Research from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research shows that CPS NBCTs score higher on their REACH ratings than non NBCTs.
- CTU manages all National Board Certification programming for CPS.
- Almost 3000 CPS teachers, counselors, and librarians have achieved National Board Certification – earning us the status of being the district with the 3rd largest number of NBCTs in the nation.
- YOUR STUDENTS ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING!
