New program designed to attract, develop, and retain high-quality teachers
SAN ANTONIO, April 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In partnership with BloomBoard, the leading platform for educator advancement via micro-credentials, the School Innovation Collaborative (S-I-C) has announced the launch of a National Board Fellowship Program. Through this program, SIC will help Texas teachers to earn National Board Certification through BloomBoard’s National Board Pre-candidacy Support program, which enables them to receive a salary increase and an automatic “Recognized” designation as part of Texas’ Teacher Incentive Allotment. The Pre-candidacy initiative provides resources and one-on-one coaching to support teachers as they work towards earning certification.
“With COVID-19 cases on the rise across the state, our district continues to operate in a full distance learning environment. Building the capacity of our teachers and ensuring quality instruction for every student is a top priority for us,” said Kate McAnelly, Chief Academic Officer of Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS). “The Foundations for Blended Learning Program provides our educators with the coaching and support needed to successfully demonstrate competency in the areas we believe are critical to effective blended instruction.”
The total cost of program support and certification fees typically exceeds $4,000; however, SIC will cover all costs for fellows that are selected. Through this fellowship program, SIC hopes to double the number of National Board certified teachers within their partner districts—Benavides ISD, Brooks County ISD, and San Antonio ISD.
“Our collaborative is dedicated to providing meaningful, high-quality professional development opportunities, and National Board Certification is the most respected professional certification available in K-12 education,” said Doug Dawson, Executive Director, School Innovation Collaborative. “This program gives great teachers the recognition and compensation they deserve while also providing a nationally-recognized credential that will elevate their voice in the education space.”
Data from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards shows that of the 320,000+ teachers across the state, about 1,000 have earned National Board Certification. Texas educators who are National Board Certified are eligible for up to $9k more in salary and an automatic “Recognized” designation as part of Texas’ Teacher Incentive Allotment. Exact funding is calculated based on socio-economic status of students at the school where the Board Certified educator teaches and the school’s geographic location.
The fellowship program launched with a cohort of nine educators who were nominated by their school leaders by demonstrating exceptional outcomes for students. These educators will engage in a series of six pre-candidacy micro-credentials focused on the competencies that will be utilized when developing their portfolios for National Board components. Once the micro-credentials are completed, they will go on to submit the four components required for Certification with support from a dedicated coach who is National Board Certified.
“After nearly 10 years in the classroom, I needed a new challenge to elevate my teaching and push me to step out of my comfort zone,” said Emily Gonzales, a current fellow in the program. “Working through the pre-candidacy micro-credentials is really forcing me to analyze and adjust my practice. I know I have a long way to go but having a coach to mentor and support me along the way has been reassuring.”
Due to the overwhelming response after announcing the first cohort, SIC will launch a second cohort of 10 educators and plans to support additional cohorts in the near future. Texas teachers interested in working within the School Innovation Collaborative and joining the fellowship can fill out an interest form at http://bit.ly/NBFellowship.
To learn more about Bloomboad’s National Board Pre-Candidacy Support Program, visit www.bloomboard.com/program/national-board-pre.
About School Innovation Collaborative
The School Innovation Collaborative exists to design and manage highly-effective school networks that will transform the Texas education system. The collaborative of public, high-performing district-charter school networks provides access to a great school for more than 2,300 students across Texas. For more information, visit schoolcollaborative.org.
About BloomBoard
BloomBoard offers micro-credential based advancement pathways for educators to meaningfully improve their instructional practice and accelerate both their careers and their compensation. Our learn-by-doing process allows teachers to embed what they learn into their daily work and demonstrate their growth through submission of a portfolio of artifacts derived from their actual classroom practice. Learn more at bloomboard.com.
