CHARLESTON, W.Va. - As 2015 gets underway, nearly 70 additional West Virginia teachers will go back to work with the nation's highest teaching certification. The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announced that 69 teachers in West Virginia achieved National Board Certification this year, demonstrating that they have attained the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare students for success in college and career.
"We're thrilled to celebrate the achievement of our new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCT)," said West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Mike Martirano. "Their achievement is not only a testament to their hard work, determination and impact on their students' learning, it is a reflection of the state's strong commitment to supporting all teachers in their pursuit of National Board Certification."
For 2014, West Virginia ranks 15 in the number of teachers who certified this year. The total number of NBCT in the state is 825, making it 25th in the nation.
Berkeley County leads this year's list of newly certified teachers with 14 new NBCTs, bringing their total to 72 and landing them in second place for counties with the most NBCTs. Wood County has six new certified teachers and remains in the top spot in the state with a total number of 92 NBCTs. The top five counties are: Wood, 92; Berkeley, 72; Cabell, 61; Monongalia, 53; and Putnam, 42.
West Virginia's 69 teachers receiving national certification in 2014 are:
Founded in 1987, the NBPTS is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization. Its mission is to establish high and rigorous standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to recognize and reward great teachers - and make them better.
For more information about NBPTS and National Board Certification, contact Liza Cordeiro in the WVDE Communication Office at 304-558-2699. Information also is available on the NBPTS website at www.nbpts.org.