CTA & NBRC BIPOC Cohort
Are you an educator of color considering pursuing National Board Certification? Are you a CTA member looking to deepen your teaching practice and connect with other educators of color? The California Teachers Association (CTA), the UCLA National Board Project, and the National Board Resource Center at Stanford (NBRC) are partnering to launch a second fully-funded cohort of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) teachers teachers committed to earning National Board Certification and serving as teacher-leaders in their communities.
Please read the information below and apply here. Applications are due Aug 25, 2023 at midnight.
NBRC Certification Support Services and the CTA/NBRC/UCLA BIPOC Cohort include:
- Regular BIPOC Cohort online community-building, mentoring, and support facilitated by National Board Certified teachers of color
- NBRC’s online nationwide certification support group, including regular opportunities to work with a group of educators and a National Board Certified facilitator in your content area and gradespan.
- Asynchronous materials and resources designed specifically for candidates in the NBRC or UCLA National Board program.
- Individualized coaching on writing and artifact selection for the National Board portfolio components
Read about our BIPOC cohort as featured in the Aug, 2022 issue of the California Educator
Eligibility criteria:
- Teach in a high-priority* California public school (See the California Department of Education's list of eligible high-priority schools at this website)
- Be a member of the California Teachers Association (if you are unsure, check with your local union leadership or visit the CTA Chapter Search)
- Identify as a person of color
- Meet eligibility prerequisites for National Board Certification. More info at nbpts.org.
The cohort will be selected to seek a diverse balance of the following elements: racial and ethnic diversity, geographic representation, and subject matter/grade level.
*high-priority school is defined as a school with 55% or more of its pupils classified as an English learner or foster youth, or eligible for a free or reduced-price meal.
Cohort Meeting Dates and Times:
The CTA/NBRC BIPOC cohort will join the NBRC Online Support Group Tuesdays, 5-6pm Pacific online OR the UCLA National Board Project meetings on Saturdays in person at UCLA. Additional BIPOC Cohort-specific meetings will meet at least once a month, at times and days to be determined.
What financial costs are associated with the CTA/NBRC BIPOC Cohort?
Through the CTA/NBRC BIPOC cohort, all fees for participation in the support program are covered by generous funding from the California Teachers Association, the National Education Association, and National Board Resource Center at Stanford.
While this opportunity does not cover the direct costs of certification, we will provide support and information about accessing local funding sources, including the California National Board Incentive Grant.
- National Board certification costs $475 per component for each of the 4 components, plus a $75 registration fee for every school year that you submit components. This fee is paid to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).
- The California National Board Incentive Grant will award $2,500 to any teacher who initiates the process of pursuing a certification from the National Board Certification when teaching at a high-priority school*. This funding will be disbursed directly to NBPTS to cover the cost of purchasing National Board components. Candidates will still be required to cover the yearly $75 registration fee.
*high-priority school is defined as a school with 55% or more of its pupils classified as an English learner or foster youth, or eligible for a free or reduced-price meal. See the California Department of Education's list of eligible high-priority schools at this website.
Applications for the 2023-24 cohort are available here and due Aug 25. Applicants will be notified on or before Tues, Sept 5. Learn more at cta.org/nbct