RECORD NUMBER OF TEACHERS ACHIEVE NATIONAL CERTIFICATION November 21, 2001 A record number of Miami-Dade County public school teachers received certification yesterday from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). One hundred twenty-nine teachers were certified, bringing the total number of nationally certified teachers in the district to 256. NBPTS works to strengthen the teaching profession and to improve student learning in America's schools. To become certified, teachers must complete an innovative, two-part assessment process. First, they build a portfolio to show evidence of good teaching practice and to demonstrate how their teaching meets the advanced standards in their fields. The second component of the assessment involves a series of written exercises that includes simulations of classroom practices, evaluating other teachers' practices, designing curriculum, and evaluating student learning and the individual teacher's subject matter knowledge. Most candidates spend more than 120 hours on assessment activities throughout an entire school year. ### 00-J0119/JS Back to News Releases