CPS ranks 3rd in nation for highest number of NBCTs in any district.
Chicago boasts 49 new National Board Certified Teachers, 45 percent who are teachers of color, and ranks third in the nation for the highest number of NBCTs in any district. The 49 new NBCTs received their advanced certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in December and an additional 103 NBCTs renewed their NBCT credentials.
Since its inception, the CTU/CPS partnership has produced more than 2,430 NBCTs. Each of these accomplished teachers earned or maintained the profession’s highest mark of achievement through a rigorous, performance based, peer-review process, demonstrating their proven impact on teacher quality and student learning and achievement.
With this year’s additional 49 NBCTs, teachers of color now make up 39 percent of the district’s NBCTs and CTU continues to encourage more teachers of color to pursue this highest professional certification.
CTU President Stacy Davis Gates honored the new and renewing NBCTs.
“Our fight forward is more than just one about changing the leadership in city hall, it is also about ensuring that our students have the most highly accomplished teachers and counselors.” CTU Vice President Stacy Davis-Gates said. “Representation matters, especially in Chicago’s classrooms. Our Nurturing Teacher Leadership professional development program is aimed at preparing candidates for National Board Certification. It is our belief that students greatly benefit from having highly accomplished teachers that reflect the communities they serve.”
Through “NBC Chicago,” a partnership between the CTU and CPS, the CTU Foundation Quest Center’s Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL) program provides professional development, candidate support and mentoring for CPS teachers, counselors and librarians pursuing this advanced certification. The district funds the programming, as well as an annual pensionable stipend, for all CPS teachers who take the journey to National Board Certification.
The partnership and professional development program is codified in the CTU/CPS collective bargaining agreement. NTL’s achievement rate is 94 percent, compared to the national average of around 70 percent.
Other Meaningful Metrics
- Every CPS network boasts at least one NBCT.
- 346 schools have NBCTs on staff.
- 249 Title 1 schools have NBCTs on staff
- CPS NBCTs receive a $2,295+ annual stipend
- 17 percent of the new class of NBCTs are STEM teachers
- 15 percent of new NBCTS are Diverse Learner (Exceptional Needs) teachers
In addition to teaching and counseling, our NBCTs have worked in district and union leadership positions, including principals and assistant principals, network chiefs of schools, CPS and CTU project and program managers and directors, as well as the CPS executive director of educator effectiveness, and CTU President Emerita Karen Lewis.