The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) in partnership with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is providing professional development, support, and mentoring for BIE teachers and counselors who want to pursue National Board Certification (NBC). The BIE will pay for NBC training for any teacher interested in pursuing their NBC certification and will award bonuses to individuals who obtain certification.
The goal of this initiative is to help teachers pursue certification, a rigorous, performance-based, peer-reviewed process that ensures teachers have the necessary skills to improve learning and achievement among students. Research has shown that students of Board-certified teachers outperform students in other classrooms. Through this initiative, teachers in BIE schools who become Board-certified will make a lasting impact in changing the odds for Native students.
The initiative also provides support to improve instructional capabilities of BIE teachers who are not yet eligible for board certification by fostering a dialogue among all 4,000 BIE teachers and aspiring teachers in their pre-service training. NBPTS will provide leadership support and work to connect Board-certified teachers who have self-identified as Native American within BIE schools.
To be eligible for NBC you must be an educator in a tribally-controlled school or BIE-funded school, hold a bachelor's degree, have completed three full years of teaching or counseling and possess a valid state teaching or school counseling license.
News Releases
