M-DCPS CONTINUES ITS COMMITMENT TO
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TEACHER ADVANCEMENT

MIAMI –Miami-Dade County Public Schools continues its commitment to providing quality teachers for its students by supporting innovative professional development opportunities for teachers, including National Board Certification.

The Office of Professional Development has processed more than 550 applications this school year from teachers who have chosen to pursue National Board Certification. The District currently has 875 National Board Certified teachers and is ranked third in the nation in the number of National Board Certified teachers.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards oversees the rigorous certification process. Certification candidates must complete a portfolio that includes an extensive description, analysis and reflection on their teaching practice as depicted through videotapes of classroom instruction and samples of their students’ work that are included in the portfolio. The portfolio must also include evidence of the candidate’s leadership, collaboration and commitment to on-going professional learning that impacts student achievement. In addition to the portfolio, candidates must undergo a computer-based assessment comprised of six 30-minute essay responses that demonstrate the candidates’ depth and breadth of content area knowledge. Completion of the portfolio and preparation for the assessment is estimated to require 200 to 400 hours beyond a candidate’s regular work schedule. The process is completed over the course of one school year, and candidates receive notice of their results in November during the following school year.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is a nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit organization. Its mission is to establish comprehensive standards embodying what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do, to develop and operate a national voluntary system to assess and certify teachers that meet the standards, and to advance related education reform that will improve student learning in American schools.

Teacher Talk is a professional development opportunity for National Board Certified Teachers that provides face-to-face time with key District administrators to discuss various topics including literacy, professional development, instructional techniques and teaching strategies. The interactive sessions are videotaped and made available to a wider audience through the Teacher’s Choice ITV channel on WLRN.

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06-FMN/049/DF

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