Danielle Cunningham helps Washington rank in the top 1

Danielle Cunningham helps Washington rank in the top 10 in the U.S. in teachers who’ve been certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The state superintendent of public instruction announced last month that another 919 Washington teachers had earned certification, the third biggest newly certified “class,” behind only Florida and North Carolina. Washington’s updated total of 2,726 board-certified teachers ranks eighth in the nation.

January 21, 2009 8:17 pm

Board walk

Danielle Cunningham helps Washington rank in the top 10 in the U.S. in teachers who’ve been certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The state superintendent of public instruction announced last month that another 919 Washington teachers had earned certification, the third biggest newly certified “class,” behind only Florida and North Carolina. Washington’s updated total of 2,726 board-certified teachers ranks eighth in the nation.

Certification is a year-long process that requires teachers to submit a four-part portfolio and a six-exercise assessment. The 10 entries document a teacher’s success in the classroom in the form of students’ learning. The work is evaluated by a national panel of peers.

Washington awards a $5,000 bonus to each certified teacher.

According to the National Board, a 30-month study by the National Research Council found that students taught by board-certified teachers make higher gains on achievement tests.