Foundations for teaching and learning
Learn More About NKCES’ Rank Change Program
Program Benefits
Low-Cost with Deferment
Salary Advancement
Job-Embedded Learning
Personalized Pathways
Program Structure & Supports
This Foundations in Teaching and Learning program is offered by NKCES, in partnership with BloomBoard. Founded in 2010, BloomBoard is the leading platform for educator advancement via micro-credentials. Our platform enables educators to earn micro-credentials by demonstrating competence in one specific skill at a time using a portfolio of evidence. Micro-credentials can be grouped together into micro-endorsements to offer educators tailored routes to improve their instructional practice, and qualify for rank change and compensation acceleration.
The program requires educators to complete 12 Foundations micro-credentials, 6 personalized micro-credentials that educators can select based on personal interests and a final Capstone Project. Micro-credentials are job-embedded, meaning the learning is integrated into classroom practice and there are no traditional university-like classes or exams. Micro-credentials are also self-paced learning experiences, which allows flexibility for you to progress as your schedule allows.
NKCES and BloomBoard will provide regularly scheduled collaborative learning community sessions for each micro-credential, led by a certified facilitator.
Orientation
Once you’ve completed enrollment, you’ll be invited to a kickoff orientation with your program facilitator/coach and other educators in your cohort.
Success Academy
Following the orientation, attend NKCES/BloomBoard Success Academy to help support the first micro-credential submission.
1:1 Coaching
BloomBoard coaches are available for personalized 1:1 support during the program.
Asynchronous Discussions
Throughout the program, you can communicate with your coach and other educators in your cohort through the BloomBoard platform.
Sample Program Timeline
The program is flexible and allows you to work at your own pace. It is a micro-credential-based program and as such, much of the work is job-embedded and requires you to have access to students.
Per the requirements of CEO Option II regulation, the minimum amount of time you can complete the program is 12 months while the maximum time to complete is four years. Below is a sample timeline and micro-credential sequencing. See the program guide for more examples.
- Year 1: Educator will complete eight of the 12 micro-credentials required in the Foundations micro-endorsement.
- Year 2: Educator will complete the remaining four micro-credentials required in the Foundations Micro-endorsement and one of the two personalized micro-endorsements selected in the program.
- Year 3: Educator will complete the second personalized micro-endorsement selected in the program and their Capstone Project.
Getting Started Checklist
Attend BloomBoard Counseling Session
Learn more about the program and how it works, plus get all your questions answered.
Review Program Guide
Review the program guide to ensure you understand the details of the program and how it works.
Complete Contract of Understanding
Once you have confirmed this program is a fit and read the program guide, review and sign the Agreement of Understanding.
Complete Participant Information Form
Assess whether the program is right for you by completing the NKCES Participant Information form.
Make Your Payment
The cost of the NKCES Continuing Education Option program is $6,050. The cost can be paid upfront or financed. BloomBoard offers flexible financing options that (upon approval) provide educators with the opportunity to defer payment up to three years, which could be after your salary increase goes into effect. Select your payment method below to complete payment.
Get Ready to Learn!
Within five business days of your payment or financing approval you will receive a welcome email with next steps that will include access to your account, a schedule for your cohort, and preparation activities.
Payment Options
Pay by Credit Card
Pay by Financing
Financing Timeline
If you applied for financing and are approved, below are the next steps and an estimated timeline:
- Once you receive your approved offer for financing, you will need to accept and follow the process as provided by the lender. This can take 1-4 days to complete.
- Once you have accepted the offer, there is a four-day rescission period that allows you to cancel the loan for any reason.
- Within five business days after the rescission period, you will receive an email with instructions for accessing your program and orientation details. This will include pre-orientation exercises to complete, dates of orientation and BloomBoard Learning Community support sessions, and an introduction to your coach.
Terms & Conditions
- The Referral Promotion: BloomBoard wishes to offer a reward to educators who are enrolled in (or in the process of enrolling in) the BloomBoard-KEDC Rank II Pathway Program (the “Program”) and who refer other educators to BloomBoard to enroll in the Program (“Referrers”). Referrers may be eligible to receive Visa gift cards in the amount of $100 for every Qualified Referral (“Referral Rewards”). A Qualified Referral is a person who actively enrolls in the Program and designates the Referrer as the referring party on the Program Enrollment Form on the BloomBoard website at https://bloomboard.com/program/kedc-continuing-education/.
- Term: This Referral Promotion runs from January 14, 2021 through March 31, 2021 (the “Term”). Any referrals received by BloomBoard outside of this Term do not qualify.
- Eligibility: Referrers must be legally able to participate in the Referral Promotion, and must be 1) at least the age of majority where they reside but no less than 18 years of age, 2) be enrolled in the Program.
- Maximum Referral Rewards: A Referrer’s total Referral Rewards cannot exceed the cost of the Program. (e.g. for the full Program, a Referrer is eligible to receive Referral Rewards in an amount up to but not exceeding$5,000 in gift cards). In other words, a Referrer may receive Referral Rewards for a maximum of 50 Qualified Referrals.
- Multiple Referrals: A referral candidate must include the Referrer’s name on their original Program Enrollment Form. BloomBoard will issue only one Referral Reward per Qualified Referral. If a referral candidate submits a second enrollment form with a different Referrer’s name, the Referrer that is listed on that form will not be eligible for a Referral Reward.
- In order for the Referrer to qualify for a Referral Reward, both the Qualified Referral and Referrer must have completed Program enrollment by March 31, 2021. A person shall be deemed to have completed Program enrollment if they paid the Program fee upfront or completed a finance agreement through Climb.
- Each Referral Reward will be sent via email. All Referral Rewards will be sent to the Referrer within 30 days of the date by which both the Referrer and the Qualified Referral completes Program enrollment. If the parties complete Program enrollment on different dates, the date of the Referral Reward will be based upon the later of the two enrollment dates.
Terms & Conditions
“Group Pricing” Promotion: BloomBoard wishes to offer a reward to educators who enroll in the BloomBoard-KEDC Rank II Pathway Program (the “Program”) as part of a group of three or more educators (“Group Members”), and/or to educators who refer a group of three or more educators to enroll in the Program during the Term of this Group Pricing Promotion (“Referrers”).
Qualified Group Member Enrollment: An educator who enrolls in the Program as part of a group of three or more and designates the same “Cohort Name” on the Program Enrollment Form during the Term of this Group Pricing Promotion (“Qualified Group Member Enrollment”) is eligible to receive a Visa gift card valued at $100, $200, or $300, depending upon the number of Group Members (“Group Member Enrollment Reward”). The Group Member Enrollment Reward increases with the number of Qualified Group Members:
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- 3 or more Qualified Group Members = $100 Group Member Enrollment Reward
- 6 or more Qualified Group Members = $200 Group Member Enrollment Reward
- 10 or more Qualified Group Members = $300 Group Member Enrollment Reward
Qualified Group Referral: An educator who refers a group of three or more educators to BloomBoard to enroll in the Program during the Term of this Group Pricing Promotion (“Referred Educators”) will be eligible to receive a Visa gift card valued at $100, $200, or $300, depending upon the number of Group Members within each Group Referral (“Group Referral Reward”). To qualify for the Group Referral Reward, at least three of the Referred Educators must enroll in the Program during the Term of this Group Pricing Promotion and designate the same “Cohort Name” on the Program Enrollment Form (“Qualified Group Referral”). The Group Referral Reward increases with the number of Qualified Group Members with a single Group:
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- 3 or more Qualified Group Members = $100 Group Referral Reward per Group
- 6 or more Qualified Group Members = $200 Group Referral Reward per Group
- 10 or more Qualified Group Members = $300 Group Referral Reward per Group
Program Enrollment Form: All Group Members must designate the same “Cohort Name” as their fellow Group Members on the Program Enrollment Form on the BloomBoard website at: https://bloomboard.com/program/kedc-learn-more/.
Term: This Group Pricing Promotion runs from August 15, 2021 through October 31, 2021 (the “Term”). Any group enrollments or group referrals received by BloomBoard outside of this Term do not qualify. To qualify for a Group Member Enrollment Reward or Group Referral Reward(s), the Group Members must complete Program enrollment by September 15, 2021. A person shall be deemed to have completed Program enrollment if they meet the following criteria:
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- The Group Member has paid the Program fee up front, or
- The Group Member has completed a finance agreement through Climb.
Eligibility: Group Members, Referred Educators, and Referrers must be legally able to participate in the Group Pricing Promotion, and must be 1) at least the age of majority where they reside but no less than 18 years of age, 2) be enrolled in the Program.
Maximum Rewards:
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- A Group Member is eligible to receive only one Group Member Enrollment Reward. If an educator joins more than one group by designating more than one “Cohort Name” on the Program Enrollment Form, the educator is not eligible for more than one Group Member Enrollment Reward.
- Referrers may receive multiple Group Referral Rewards by referring multiple groups of educators to enroll in the Program during the Group Pricing Promotion term.
- A Group Member or Referrer’s total combined Group Member Enrollment Rewards and Group Referral Rewards cannot exceed the cost of the Program. (e.g. for the full Program, an educator is eligible to receive Group Member Enrollment Rewards and Group Referral Rewards in a combined amount up to but not exceeding $5,500 in gift cards). In other words, a Referrer may receive Group Referral Rewards for a maximum of 55 Qualified Group Referrals. Or, if an educator receives a Group Member Enrollment Reward for their enrollment in the Program, they may receive Group Referral Rewards for a maximum of 54 Qualified Group Referrals.
Payment of Rewards. Each Group Member Enrollment Reward and/or Group Referral Rewards will be sent via email. All Rewards will be sent to the Group Members and/or Referrers within 30 days of the date by which all Qualified Group Members complete Program enrollment. If the Qualified Group Members complete Program enrollment on different dates, the Reward will be sent to the Group Member and/or Referrers within 30 days of the date on which the last Group Member completed enrollment.