LUMBERTON – Even during the pandemic, teachers at public schools in Robeson County continued to hone their skills and advance their careers.
Five teachers from Robeson County Public Schools received certification from the national board of the National Council for Vocational Education Standards based in Arlington, Va during the 2020-21 school year, according to Gordon Burnette, district communications director. Two achieved this educational summit during the academic year 2091-20.
Burnette revealed the fact of certification on the same day that the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction announced that 467 teachers received certification in 2019-20.
North Carolina now has 23,090 teachers with national board certification, according to the NCDPI. The certification process is based on high and rigorous standards that assess teaching practice through performance-based assessments. The end result is better performance and achievement for students in North Carolina.
In Robeson County, 58 of the 1,325 PSRC teachers are certified by the national council, according to Burnette.
“Teachers in North Carolina who obtain certification receive a salary supplement of 12% over the normal salary. They also receive eight continuing education credits, ”says an NCDPI statement in part.
And there are other benefits for teachers, according to Burnette.
“Council certification allows teachers to improve their practice, showcase their talent in the classroom and demonstrate their dedication to students and the profession,” he said. “Because certified teachers are recognized as experts, they are often sought after for leadership positions in their schools and districts. National Council certified teachers act as team leaders, department heads and instructional coaches ”.
As they advance in their careers, teachers certified by the national council often become administrators of schools and districts, or take jobs in the state department of education, according to Burnette.
And students benefit.
“Studies have found that the positive impact of having a certified teacher is even greater for minority and low-income students,” said Burnette. “As the Robeson County Public Schools is a school district comprised primarily of minority students in a county with low socioeconomic status, employing a larger number of certified teachers is critical to our students’ academic progress and success.”
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Catherine Truitt, said that every student in North Carolina public schools deserves an excellent and highly qualified teacher, and certification from the national council is a big step toward achieving that goal.
“It is an incredible achievement to have such a large percentage of certified teachers in our state, and I extend my sincere congratulations to everyone who has achieved this incredible feat,” said Truitt. “North Carolina teachers demonstrate their dedication to students each day, and their commitment to obtaining this certification shows how dedicated they are to giving the best to students.”
North Carolina also ranks first nationally in the percentage of teachers who have received certification from the national council, with 23% of all teachers in the state having certification, according to the NCDPI.
Certification by the National Council is the highest credential in the teaching profession and participation is voluntary. As part of the certification process, candidates build a portfolio that includes samples of student work, assignments, videotapes and a complete analysis of classroom teaching. Certification is currently available to educators in 25 areas.
Additional information on national certification is available online at https://www.dpi.nc.gov/educators/national-board-certification.