Here is why school districts should take advantage of the programs administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS):

• National Board Certified Teachers increase student achievement, as documented by the National Research Council. 
• National Board Certification helps retain the best teachers, according to extensive research.  
• NBPTs programs are effective professional development--job-embedded and classroom-based. Teachers who go through the process--whether they certify or not--say it improved their practice.
• Take One! changes the learning culture of an entire school--read examples of schools successfully using it.  
• Federal funding--and, in many cases, state funding--is available. For example, National Board Certification, Take One! and other NBPTS programs are eligible for Title I, Title II and other federal funding opportunities. 
• These NBPTS programs are a solid return on investment.  Value to the school and student can be substantial.  For example, reduced teacher turnover saves thousands of dollars in training and recruitment costs, as well as providing continuity in the teaching and learning process. Researchers found that learning gains of students taught by NBCTs were equivalent to an extra month of school (Vandevoort, Beardsley, and Berliner, 2004).