National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Steps to take if you are interested in becoming a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT):
- Visit the National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) (Outside
Source) to decide which certificate area is right for you. You
can download the standards, an overview, and specific portfolio
instructions for each certificate. You do not have to pay any
fees to receive this information. For general information, please
call 1-800-22TEACH.
- Complete an application and submit an initial payment of candidate
fees to NBPTS.
- Investigate the Candidate
Subsidy Program and the National
Board Scholarship Program (Outside Source) for assistance
in paying your candidate fees.
- Contact your district office to tell them of your intentions
and to determine whether the district plans to support National
Board candidates.
- If your district provides support to candidates, participate
in these support activities. Explore options for developing
or joining a candidate support network that will help you to
maximize what you take from the process. Working with NBCTs
may be very helpful. For a listing of California districts that
provide incentive and support programs, please see District
Support.
- For a listing of university-based support, including masters
degree programs, please see Higher
Education Support.
- Investigate other university-based and statewide candidate
support opportunities. For a listing, please see California
Support Groups.
- Contact the National
Board Resource Center (Outside Source) at Stanford to join
a ListServ that will provide timely candidate information and
suggestions throughout the process.
- If you withdraw from the process by sending written notification
to the NBPTS before your portfolio due date and before your
assessment center appointment, $2,000 of your fee will be refunded.
Upon notifying the NBPTS of your withdrawal, you must also submit
a CSP Withdrawal
Form to CDE.
- Make your appointment early with the Assessment Center to
allow some flexibility with dates and times. The Assessment
Centers provide examinations for many other professions, and
some sites are very busy.
- Complete and mail your portfolio to the NBPTS by your due date.
