National Teaching Certification
Are you interested in finding out about obtaining your national teaching certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards? Dr. Mark Wasicsko, Dean of the College of Education at Eastern Kentucky University, is establishing a mentoring program for teachers who are interested in pursuing their national certification. The benefits of this program include:
- 75% of the cost ($2,300) will be paid for by the state;
- The state will reimburse your district for 5 days of release time;
- The state will pay you $200 per day for 2 days (non-school days) to study for the test;
- Teachers who get their national certification will receive $2,000 supplemental pay (from the state but through their school district) per year for the 10 years that the certification is in effect. After 10 years the certification can be renewed through a less intensive program.
- Assistance for all candidates who wish to participate through a mentoring program as well as help from the College of Education as needed. Mentors will be teachers who are national board certified persons;
- Regularly scheduled meetings of the mentor groups throughout the certification process;
- No more than a 6:1 ratio of candidates to mentor;
The program will begin early in the 2002-03 school year; There are a wide variety of certification content areas; It will take the better part of the school year to complete the process; There is about a 50% success rate nationally for those who participate in the program (the success rate in Kentucky is somewhat higher than the national rate); If you are interested in more information concerning the EKU program as it becomes available, contact me, Tom Bonny at tom.bonny@eku.edu or at 417 Combs Building, EKU, Richmond, KY 40475.