National Board Teachers Are More Effective, But Are They in the Classrooms Where They're Needed the Most?

This brief summarizes findings from several research articles that focus on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). This work focuses on three key questions: Who applies for and becomes National Board certified? Where do National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) teach? Are they more effective than other teachers? The findings suggest that: (1) teachers are less likely to become certified if teaching disadvantaged students; (2) NBCTs are more effective than noncertified NBPTS-applicants and nonapplicants; and (3) the mobility patterns of NBCTs decrease the chances that low-performing students will be taught by a teacher with this credential.