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More Puyallup teachers earning national certification

School district has 64 teachers certified and another 45 going through process of certification

Neil Pierson/of The Herald

National board certification is something that has been available to teachers for more than two decades, but it has become a growing trend only within the last few years.

The Puyallup School District is a prime example of the trend. The state’s ninth-largest district doubled its number of board-certified classroom teachers this year, going from 28 to 64. Another 45 teachers are undergoing the process, which lasts between one to three years.

The process is done through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), a non-profit, non-governmental organization formed in 1987.

“It’s a very rigorous process of both self-examination and learning about best teaching practices (and) strategies and then demonstrating one’s own improvement and effectiveness,” explained Jay Reifel, the district’s assistant superintendent for student learning and instructional support.

Across the country, the proliferation of board-certified teachers is evident within the last five years. More than 82,000 teachers have been certified through 2009, up from 40,000 in 2004. Washington certified the second-most teachers among all states in 2009 and is now fifth nationwide for total certified teachers.

There’s a big financial incentive to becoming board certified.

Washington lawmakers enacted a $5,000 stipend for qualifying teachers two years ago, an amount that has increased to $5,090 because of inflation. Any teacher who earns certification in the next eight years can receive the stipend and gets it for as long as they maintain NBPTS standards, the state superintendent’s office says.

The time invested into the certification process can range from 300 to 400 hours per teacher, said Liz Knox, principal at Maplewood Elementary School. Knox has one staff member, kindergarten teacher Lori Cottle, who is working on her certification as an early childhood generalist.

“It’s kind of a rollercoaster for teachers because it’s really demanding,” Knox said of the process. “I’ve given (Cottle) as much support as I can because I know how difficult it is.”

Teachers can qualify for national certification through 26 separate focus areas. Elementary, middle school and high school teachers are generally separated into their own categories. Math, social studies, science, physical education and art are some of the more defined certification areas.

Knox credits five district facilitators for helping to increase the number of certified teachers in Puyallup. The facilitators have each gone through the certification process and additional training. They meet often with groups of eight to 10 teachers to review strategies, offer advice and coordinate videotaping efforts, a mandatory step in the process.

“I honestly believe we wouldn’t be certifying as many people as we are without those facilitators,” Knox said.

The NBPTS requires each candidate for certification to submit four portfolios. Two of them are video recordings, documenting a teacher’s work with whole classrooms and small groups. The third portfolio contains examples of student work and how the teacher helped them improve. The fourth recites professional accomplishments over a five-year period, ranging from test scores to testimonials from parents and peers.

“I’ve had a number of teachers comment that they felt it was more rigorous and more difficult than getting their master’s degree,” Reifel said of the process.

“It’s much more personal than the master’s degree is,” Knox added.

The next step for Puyallup, Reifel said, could be to track student test scores and compare the results of those taught by board-certified teachers with those who weren’t. The district has the ability to track students by individual classrooms, he added, and finding a connection between board-certified teachers and higher student achievement might be possible now that Puyallup has a larger sample size.

“We’ve been emphasizing improved instruction and focus on student learning for all of our teachers,” Reifel said. “We’re hoping all teachers are becoming more effective with students in their work.”

Obtaining national certification can cost teachers more than $2,000, though Puyallup reimburses $765 of that, Knox said. The district trimmed more than $3.8 million from its budget this year for professional development and she believes the NBPTS process is something more teachers will be considering.

“I think it’s an excellent professional development process,” Knox said. “I think teachers are anxious to improve and be better at what they do.”

Reach Assistant Editor Neil Pierson at 253-841-2481 ext. 313 or e-mail neil.pierson@puyallupherald.com.