Nurturing Teacher Leadership

National Board Certification

Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL), established in 1997, is the Chicago Teachers Union/Chicago Public Schools 2 year program of FREE professional development and candidate support that prepares Chicago Public School teachers, counselors, and librarians for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification, the highest credential a teacher or counselor can earn.

Nurturing Teacher Leadership has a success rate of more than 94%, twice the national average.

Did you know that:

1. Our new contract provides a $2080+ pensionable STIPEND for all National Board Certified Teachers, librarians, and counselors (going up to $2295 by the end of the contract).
2. Our 2-year National Board Certification support program (Nurturing Teacher Leadership) is FREE to CTU members.
3. You can earn a Master’s Degree and/or graduate credit while going through the NBC process.
4. You can move to Lane 5 on the CPS pay scale during the program.
5. 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.
6. 94% of our candidates achieve National Board Certification (twice the national average).
7. Paid teacher leadership roles abound after you attain National Board Certification.
8. Research from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research shows that CPS NBCTs score higher on their REACH ratings than non NBCTs.
9. CTU manages all National Board Certification programming for CPS.
10. More than 2,200 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.
11. YOUR STUDENTS ARE THE BENEFICIARIES OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING!

NTL Candidate Testimonials

Middle Childhood Generalist mentors Kathy Barabasz, Shauna Edgar, Kathy Kriston, and Tina Franklin-Bertrand welcome our 23^rd cohort of NBC candidates

“Nothing in my entire training and experience as a teacher has pushed me harder to be a better teacher than Nurturing Teacher Leadership/ National Board Certification support. NTL’s NBC candidate support program is the real deal. If you are ready,  peer into the dark corners of your teaching practice and make the changes that your students really need from you.” – Ira Abrams – Adolescent and Young Adulthood English Language Arts candidate

“NTL has provided me with a wonderful learning community within my English Language Arts cohort. Since candidates in my certificate area are from schools all over the city, I have applied what I have learned from their diverse experiences and perspectives to grow in awareness of my own students’ needs and my ability to provide equitable learning experiences to each child. Even after this program is over, I know I will still have a network of teachers there to support me and help me grow.” – Deirdre Littleton – Early Adolescent English Language Arts candidate

“I am so happy to be a part of such a wonderful group of educators. I have learned so much not only from my wonderfully supportive and knowledgeable mentors but also from my fellow teachers. We have been able to share ideas in a respected, collaborative space, and I feel like my teaching has already improved since our Summer Institute began in August. Although I know the hardest work is still ahead, I am looking forward to continuing my learning and will remind myself to TRUST THE PROCESS because I know I am in good hands.” – Katherine Young – Early Childhood Generalist candidate

NTL Resources