New NBCTs 2017

The Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union celebrated the achievement of 66 new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) and another 88 Board-certified teachers who successfully renewed their certification this year. Each of these accomplished educators earned or maintained the profession’s highest mark of achievement through a rigorous, performance-based, peer-review process, demonstrating their proven impact on student learning and achievement.

• Over the last two decades, since the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards began certification, CPS/CTU has produced more than 2200 NBCTs.
• This year our district is the third largest producer of NBCTs in the nation.
• More than 70 of our NBCTs are in district leadership positions, from principals to the CPS Executive Director of Educator Effectiveness.
• Karen Lewis, President of the CTU, is an NBCT.
• There are NBCTs in 385 schools in Chicago.
• 86 schools have 5 or more NBCTs.
• The district’s National Board professional development and support program, Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL), is a partnership between the CPS and CTU, funded by CPS and run by the Chicago Teachers Union Foundation’s Quest Center. Our labor-management collective bargaining agreement proudly codifies this structure.
• NTL has a 94% achievement rate, twice the national average.
• CPS NBCTs receive a $1900 annual stipend.
• NTL also works in partnership with local universities providing graduate credit and a track toward a Master’s degree.

In a message to Chicago’s new and renewed NBCTs, Peggy Brookins, president and CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and herself an NBCT, said, “I’m so proud to celebrate our new National Board Certified Teachers. This is a great personal accomplishment, but it’s more than that – this accomplishment is reason to celebrate!