Last week it was announced that Richland School District Two led the state again this year in the number of teachers achieving National Board Certification with 45 of the 637 newly certified teachers statewide.

With nearly 4,000 teachers currently certified throughout the state, SC is well positioned to achieve its goal of having 5,000 National Board Certified teachers by 2005. This is a remarkable testament to the dedication and hard work put forth by SC teachers considering the fact that five years ago the state only had 19 National Board Certified teachers.

According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, SC has the third highest total number of National Board Certified teachers in the US and does a better job retaining minority candidates than NC and Florida, the only two states with higher overall numbers. In addition, 32% of the nationally certified teachers work in Title I schools that serve large percentages of children from low–income families.

The SC Department of Education is proud to report that since 1999, state legislators have supported this advanced professional development as a tool to retain high–quality teachers in classrooms while increasing student achievement. Research studies continue to illustrate the connection between board certified teachers and higher skill levels in students.

In order to be eligible for National Board Certification, candidates must submit proof they meet specific education, employment, and licensure requirements. They must then undertake a two–part process, which can take one to three years to complete. This process includes preparing a portfolio with videotapes of classroom teaching, lesson plans, and student work samples and reflective essays. It must also include reports that reflect their classroom practices and demonstrate their understanding of subject material and their preparation techniques. They must then complete assessment center exercises that show their mastery of the subjects they teach and how to teach them.

Many incentives are available to SC teachers who achieve National Board Certification, including a forgivable assessment fee loan for the $300 application fee and a $7,500 annual salary supplement for every year they teach after receiving certification for the ten–year life of their certificates.

The financial incentives are strong for teachers who undergo this process, but the driving force to embark on this effort and complete it is the desire to become a stronger professional educator. The process makes teachers take a hard look at their teaching practices and ask why they teach particular topics and how they do it. It is imperative that each and everything done in the classroom relates to student achievement, and if it doesn’t, then it shouldn’t be done it at all. The process is difficult and time–consuming, but the information gained is invaluable.

Kathy O’Quinn, Richland Two Teacher of the Year, was one of two teachers at Round Top Elementary to receive certification this year. She said, “The National Board process was a true educational experience for me. I did not pass the first two years I tried. It was a grueling experience that took many, many hours of hard work that could only be accomplished at home. My family is glad it is finally over and I can spend quality time with them again.”

Many teachers like O’Quinn throughout the state are working hard to improve education and quality of life for SC students and citizens.