Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Teachers Union Celebrate National Board Certified Teachers

532 CPS educators earn or renew prestigious teaching credential during height of the pandemic

 

Chicago Public Schools, Chicago Teachers Union Celebrate National Board Certified Teachers 

532 CPS educators earn or renew prestigious teaching credential during height of the pandemic 

CHICAGO – Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez and Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Stacy Davis Gates joined Illinois State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards President and CEO Peggy Brookins, educators, school leaders and families at Amundsen High School for a District wide celebration of educator excellence. The celebration of National Board Certification, the country’s highest teacher certification, honored 532 CPS educators who earned or renewed their National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) credential during the height of the pandemic. This was the first NBCT certification celebration since 2019 and honors teachers, counselors and librarians who earned this credential during the past four years.  

“Our students are incredibly lucky to have this highly-talented and diverse group of educators in their classrooms every day,” said CEO Pedro Martinez. 

This year marks the 27th anniversary of the Nurturing Teacher Leadership program, a partnership between the District and the Chicago Teachers Union to enable CPS educators to earn National Board Certification. Since 1997, CPS and CTU have produced more than 2400 NBCTs, the third highest number of NBCTs of any district in the nation. 

“I am so proud of all the teachers, counselors and librarians who achieved National Board Certification over the last four years. The NBC process is rigorous and challenging during the best of times. But these educators completed the certification during a once-in-a-100 year global pandemic. I am inspired by their resilience,” CTU President Stacy Davis Gates said.  

National Board Certification is a rigorous, voluntary certification program for educators to develop and enhance their teaching practice and ultimately improve student learning that is developed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Research shows school districts that have a high number of NBCTs positively impact student performance and lead to an increase in collaboration among teachers.  

Gladys Joy de Guzman earned National Board Certification as an Early Childhood Generalist through the Nurturing Teacher Leadership (NTL) program, a professional development initiative made possible by the CTU-CPS partnership. A pre-k educator for more than 10 years, NTL connected de Guzman with like-minded educators who were committed to rigorous, effective and inclusive instructional practices and who also valued her experiences as an immigrant and former bilingual student. 

The District recently renewed its commitments to investing in teacher professional development and learning in the Three-Year Blueprint. The District is taking steps to improve awareness of professional development programs, like National Board Certification, especially among historically underrepresented groups. More information will be posted in the weeks to come on the Lead With CPS website.   

William Weaver, a social studies teacher at Kenwood Academy High School earned National Board Certification in 2020. With more than 10 years of experience in the classroom, Mr. Weaver also pursued National Board Certification through the NTL program to heighten the quality of teaching and learning in his classroom.  

To recruit new candidates, the CTU Quest Center hosts information sessions that explain their support offerings. 

In addition to the CTU program, CPS teachers can also access support through Illinois State University’s National Board Resource Center. 

  

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

STARR Community Services International, Inc.