National Board Certified Teachers in the Lind-Ritzville school district help improve student learning

The Lind-Ritzville School District students are now benefitting by learning from National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) who are instructing a variety of courses within the middle school and high school.

Superintendent Rob Roettger explains there are currently five teachers who have passed their certification test. As an individual who has been through the rigor involved with the certification process, Roettger commends the group of educators for completing the course in order to improve the quality of learning within the district.

The board certification requires participating teachers to submit 10 entries: a four-part portfolio and a six-exercise content and pedagogy assessment. With a variety of focus fields to complete the test in, the NBCTs at Lind-Ritzville have a range of expertise.

In 2010, Allison Nichols became board certified in English Language Arts for adolescence and young adulthood, while Andy Williams passed the boards for Career and Technical Education for early adolescence through young adulthood.

Rita Fryberger received her certification in 2011 in English Language Arts for early adolescence. In 2013, Kerry Murphy became board certified in Social Studies – History for adolescence and young adulthood.

The most recent nationally certified teacher is Donna Koch, who received her certification in November in the field of Career and Technical Education for early adolescence through young adulthood.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve done educationally,” Koch said.

As a subjective test in one of the broadest subject fields, Koch said she remained extremely nervous during the six-month period where she waited for her results. The certification process does not guarantee the applicants will pass the boards, but they do have two more opportunities to pass the test.

While the testing requirements remain consistent, Koch said changes in how content is submitted and the timeline to complete the test is constantly changing. Applicants used to have two years to complete the boards, but it expanded to three years. Koch also explained those taking the boards now already have a different submission and testing process than she did last year, as it now takes three years to complete the boards.

Koch said she made the decision to apply to take the national boards when her teaching license came up for renewal. She had two options: complete her professional certificate or take the national board.

For Koch, the perks involved with completing the national boards far outweighed completing the other certification. The largest benefit for teachers is the 10-year certification, and a monetary benefit initially helps applicants pay for the fees associated with the national boards.

While the local school district is seeing an increase in NBCTs, the state of Washington currently ranks first in the nation for new NBCTs. According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), this is the second consecutive year that Washington has produced the largest group of new NBCTs in the nation. This year, a total of 946 Washington teachers achieved their certification and the state currently ranks fourth in the nation for the total number of NBCTs.

“The process causes teachers to be more reflective about their practice; it helps make them better instructors,” Roettger said.

Roettger said having five NBCTs is impressive in such a small school district. He knows firsthand that the rigor of the test and the evaluation of teaching style are stressful, especially on top of other responsibilities. All of the teachers completed their boards while teaching within a school district.

The national board test is unlike anything the teachers have completed during their educational career. As Koch explained, college is where you learn the skills you need to know to be a teacher, but the national board tests evaluate you as a teacher and how your practices impact student learning.

Koch explained she had to complete four sections and an essay-based test. The four sections completed outside of a testing facility including completing essays on her work as a community member, completing a video of her teaching a work place skill to a class, videoing student group discussions demonstrating work place skills, and analyzing her work with students during class projects.

By receiving her national board certification, Koch is now focused on implementing new practices in her classroom to help improve student learning. Koch said the national test closely follows the TPEP model that the school district is working in, and it has assisted her to set goals for student learning within her classroom.

Roettger said the reevaluating of classroom instruction is crucial for teachers to do throughout their career, which is why the school district supports and encourages teachers to complete the national board process.

The district currently has more educators working to become NBCTs.