The PGCEA Advanced Candidates Program for National Board Candidates

According to NBPTS.org, on December 11, 2021, “The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards welcomed 3,831 new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs).” Statistically 40% of the teachers that seek National Board Certification achieve on their first attempt. Some who don’t certify decide not to move forward, and others decide to persevere to become NBCTs.

The PGCEA Advanced Candidates Program (ACP) focused on the latter, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) National Board (NB) candidates who did not achieve certification the first time but wanted to move forward with the process. A grant from the National Education Association and Prince George’s County Education Association (PGCEA), our union, funded the program. Participants submitted an application. Once accepted they were matched with a mentor, provided cohort support and funding to retake one component.

Advanced candidates, people that submitted all four components but did not yet score 110, had to be within 10 points of certification to participate in the program. They also had to be members of PGCEA and commit to meeting all of the program requirements:

• Attended a virtual Jumpstart (an NEA program designed to assist candidates with understanding the requirements of the NB certification)

• Participate in biweekly group support meetings 

• Meet biweekly with an assignment PGCPS NB mentor.

• Develop a plan for achieving certification 

The program ran from September through December 2021, with 20 candidates and 20 NB mentors. On December 20, 2021, the PGCEA Advanced Candidates Program closed with Celebrations and Reflections. Participants replied to three questions: What made you choose the ACP Program? What was your most tremendous success with the ACP Program? And What are your goals moving forward? A few of the responses are below. 

What made you choose the APC Program?

• “I needed extra support to push me over the line. I want to conquer this challenge to prove to myself that I can accomplish this.

• I chose to participate in the ACP because I needed the extra support and encouragement to learn what was needed to earn 110. 

• After my first attempt to achieve National Board Certification, I wanted to quit. Still, I had to refocus my attention on my students and remember that I got into this to improve my teaching craft for the benefit of my students. 

• The ACP Program

  • Provides specific support to NBCT candidates with the same goals

  • Candidates were assigned Mentors

  • One component paid for

  • Very supportive team

What was your most tremendous success with the ACP Program?

• My greatest success with the APC program was continuing working with my amazing mentor, Senetria Blocker, and gaining insight from other colleagues. 

• Beginning to organize and plan the component submissions. The APC Program helped me to reevaluate my commitments and organize my time set goals to accomplish specific tasks related to component submissions. 

• Celebrate every win. I can be very critical of myself and my work. The reflective aspects of the ACP Program helped me to acknowledge and build on the things I did well.

• I thoroughly understand the component I am retaking and now have a solid action plan to help me succeed. 

• I received a tremendous amount of encouragement from the ACP leaders and mentors. Your testimonies encouraged me to move forward and be positive.

What are your goals moving forward?

• My Action Plan - Complete forms for component 4, create assessment based on students’ choice, analyze assessment data, gather more insight for stakeholders, and make final edits: review components and upload documents. 

• Redo two parts of Component 1

• I plan on retaking component 4. I redid component 3 this year and gained 20 of the 24 points I need to certify. 

• Become a National Board Certified Teacher

Candidates will receive payment for the component of their choice in January 2022. They can also elect to continue working with their mentor from the PGCEA Advanced Candidates Program until they submit components. We are anxiously looking forward to learning the effectiveness of the PGCEA Advanced Candidates Program to see that our 20 candidates have a much better chance of adding those four letters, NBCT, behind their names. 

I will provide updates next year on the scoring of the PGCEA Advanced Candidates Program participants.