The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) is a U.S.-based independent nonprofit organization established in 1987 with the mission to advance the quality of teaching and learning through high and rigorous standards for accomplished teaching. It operates a national voluntary system to assess and certify teachers who meet these standards, thereby promoting professional excellence and improving student learning outcomes across American schools.

History and Formation

NBPTS was created in response to growing concerns about educational quality highlighted in the 1983 report A Nation at Risk, which identified a "rising tide of mediocrity" threatening the future of the United States. Following this, the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy convened a task force comprising policymakers, educators, teacher associations, and business leaders. The task force’s 1986 report, A Nation Prepared: Teachers for the 21st Century, recommended strengthening teaching standards and professionalizing the teaching workforce. In 1987, NBPTS was founded to fulfill this vision. Governor James B. Hunt Jr. of North Carolina served as the first chair of the Board of Directors, and James A. Kelly, a former Ford Foundation executive, was the first president of the organization.

Mission and Vision

NBPTS is dedicated to maintaining and promoting high standards that define what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. It seeks to certify teachers who meet these standards through a rigorous voluntary certification process widely recognized as the "gold standard" in teacher certification. NBPTS also advocates for education reforms that integrate National Board Certification into broader educational systems and practices.

The organization’s vision reflects a commitment to ensuring that every teacher in the United States has access to a clear path toward accomplished teaching, modeled after board certification in other professions such as medicine. This vision emphasizes the importance of professionalizing teaching and ensuring consistent, high-quality teaching practices nationwide. Public support for this vision is strong, with surveys indicating that a significant majority of Americans believe teachers should achieve board certification beyond licensure.

Standards and Certification

NBPTS’s certification process is grounded in its Five Core Propositions, which define the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that characterize accomplished teachers. These standards focus on the ability to positively impact student learning and to contribute meaningfully to the profession of teaching.

The certification process is voluntary and national in scope, designed to recognize teachers who have demonstrated excellence in their practice. By promoting and recognizing accomplished teaching, NBPTS aims to contribute to a revitalized educational system where all students have access to high-quality instruction.

Intellectual Property and Educational Contribution

NBPTS acknowledges its responsibility to share its intellectual property and research findings with the education community and other stakeholders. This sharing facilitates a deeper understanding of accomplished teaching and supports efforts to improve the quality of education in the U.S. NBPTS’s policies ensure that its work contributes to a richer knowledge base about effective teaching practices.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards remains a key institution in American education, striving to raise the quality of teaching and learning through its certification system and advocacy for professional standards.

Abbreviation: NBPTS
Type: Independent nonprofit organization
Founded: 1987
Mission: To establish standards and certify accomplished teachers to improve student learning
Core Activity: Voluntary national teacher certification system
Notable Leadership: Governor James B. Hunt Jr., James A. Kelly (founders and early leaders)