National Board Certification

National Board Certification is the most respected professional recognition available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students, and schools.

The certification was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide.

There is a decade of research to support the positive impact that board-certified teachers have on students. National Board Certification enhances teacher effectiveness by adjusting lesson plans to meet the needs of individual students and using data in new ways to assess student progress and learning goals, deepening their content knowledge.

These methods fit perfectly with the RISD North Star Goal of every student meeting or exceeding their academic growth goals.

Candidate teachers pursuing National Board Certification must learn to instruct at a high level using the National Board Standards for their certification area. National Board Standards describe the knowledge, skills, abilities, and dispositions that characterize accomplished practice. In addition, National Board Certified Teachers focus on the Five Core Propositions which are central to the objective of becoming an accomplished National Board Certified Teacher.

The Five Core Propositions include:

National Board Teachers in Texas

Many states provide incentives for teachers to complete National Board Certification. A NBCT in Texas earns a recognized designation on their teaching certificate. It comes with an annual allotment for 5 years between $3000-9000 each year (based on the socioeconomic status of students at their campus). This funding comes from the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) through the Texas Education Agency which was set aside by the state in 2019 as part of HB 3.

National Board Certification in RISD

RISD currently has seven National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) who have earned their certification through the district program. In the 2023-24 school year, 5 candidates in RISD’s Cohort 3 will complete their second year of certification and receive their National Board Certification. 29 candidates in RISD’s Cohort 4 are beginning their two year certification journey this year and are estimated to be fully certified in 2026.

Over the past several years, RISD has partnered with different organizations such as Region 10 Educational Service Center and Nevada National Board Professional Learning Institute to provide resources and support for teachers pursuing National Board Certification. The Richardson ISD Foundation has generously supported many of our National Board candidates with grants to help candidates pay for certification components.

Cohort 3 will continue working with the Nevada National Board Professional Learning Institute in the 2024-2025 school year to complete their certification. Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, Richardson ISD will support National Board candidates in Cohort 4 directly by providing monthly cohort meetings where candidates are provided opportunities to collaborate and support one another on this journey.

Cohort 1

Cohort 1: 2021-2023
Number of Candidates: 3 Candidates
Candidates: Brian Harper, Jennifer McEvoy, Maria Francke-Gonzales

Cohort 2

Cohort 2: 2022-2024
Number of Candidates: 4 Candidates
Candidates: Alexandra Enderica, Bobbie Weir, Christine Liou, Denisse Alvarado

Cohort 3

Cohort 3: 2023-2025
Number of Candidates: 5 Candidates
Candidates: Catherine Chesser, Erik Funke, Paula Rilling, Katie Outlaw, Brandi Jackson

Cohort 4

Cohort 4: 2024-2026
Number of Candidates: 28 Candidates
Candidates: Allison Han, Allison Schrank, Amy Caron Halstead, Aspen Hattley, Brenda Garza, Brenda Monterrosa, Brooke Baumgartner, Caitlin Zancana, Hope Dodson, Idabel Torres, Jennifer Price, Jillian Round, Taylor Nabors, Katie Palser, Andrew Pham, Kristy Marshall, Lars Landot, Meagan Stanaland, Michael Smith, Molly Fawkes, Rebecca Hoffman, Sandi Threadgill, Sarah Beaudrie, Sarah Kelley, Tasha Shell, Jennifer Hague

Cohort 5

Cohort 5: 2025-2027
Number of Candidates: 22 Candidates
Candidates: Allison Gillett, Miranda Hahlen Valez, Claudia Guerra Caballero, Dottie Dial, Andrea Mason, Natalie Roefer, Alma Medina Gonzalez, Michelle Simmons, Christine Cox, Ramona Thomas, Mary Jo Boney, Michelle Vallejo, Leigh Ann Hushfield, Justin Pata, Natalie Benningfield, Jamie Huckaby, Cailey Cotter, Lucila Castellano, Kristin Frank, Ashleigh Edney, Katy McDonald, Joseph Mehring

National Board Certification Facts

There are currently 133,444 National Board Certified Teachers in the United States.
In Texas, there are 1,196 National Board Certified Teachers, which ranks 24th among U.S. states.
National Board Certified Teachers renew their certification every five years to remain current in their practices.

Quotes from RISD Teachers

“National Board Certification provided me with a transformative journey in elementary education. Although I am certified in secondary science for grades 7-12 in Texas, this unique opportunity allowed me to gain experience at an elementary school. This experience has grounded me in supporting elementary staff as an instructional tech specialist, broadening my understanding of K-12 teaching. This growth has not only enhanced my own skills but has also significantly improved my students' learning experiences.”

"The NBCT process helped me to use my knowledge of students to provide them with tailored lessons to help them grow academically. I am now constantly reflecting on my teaching and figuring out how to improve on a daily basis. My students deserve it!"

"This is going to be an intense ride, and well worth it"

“After my journey with NBCT, I am constantly internalizing why I am doing what I am doing, and regularly stop and analyze if what I am doing is working or if I need to tweak it. I guess I am becoming more intentional.”

"Becoming a NBCT will take a lot of work, but it will increase my effectiveness as a teacher."

Contact Us

For more information, contact Frank Patranella at frank.patranella@risd.org