State Reinstates National Board Certification Stipends and Scholarships

The state will use federal stimulus money to reinstate the National Board Certification (NBC) stipend and scholarship programs this fall. Governor Bill Ritter announced that $1.3M from the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will be used for the stipends and $200,000 will be used from the fund to restore the scholarships.

NBC Stipends

CEA leaders and staff worked hard to get the Legislature to pass the NBC stipend program in House Bill 08-1384. Initially, three years of stipends were planned as incentives for teachers to pursue certification under the National Board for Professional Teachers Standards (NBPTS). Legislators put the program on hold for one year as part of the state budget decisions made during the 2009 legislative session.

The $1.3 million will be distributed in two phases: prior to November 2009 for teachers who applied for the stipend in May 2009 and then in May 2010 for eligible NBPTS teachers. 

To be eligible, teachers must have earned National Board Certification and teach in a P-12 public school. Teachers with part-time schedules may apply for a pro-rated stipend.

To apply for the stipends to be distributed in May 2010, teachers will complete an application and submit it to their districts along with a copy of their National Board Certification. (The state will announce an application deadline soon.) School counselors are also eligible if they have obtained the NBPTS School Counselor Certification.

Districts will submit lists of qualified applicants to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). CDE will transfer the funds for the stipends to the districts and districts will be responsible for paying the stipends to the teachers.

Educators who are teaching full time will get $1,600 stipends. Those teaching in “low” and “unsatisfactory” schools will receive an additional $3,200 stipend. (The “low” and “unsatisfactory” school ratings were published in School Accountability Reports, the state’s prior system of statewide performance rankings being replaced by the new accreditation system in SB 09-163.)

NBC Scholarships

$200,000 in State Fiscal Stabilization Fund money will restore the scholarship program for teachers seeking to become NBPTS-certified. The program will offer matching scholarships: $1000 from Colorado and $1000 from the federal government. Individual teachers who are seeking the certification pay the first $565 and then apply for the scholarships (which must be refunded if the teacher withdraws from the process).

The scholarship program has supported the certification of hundreds of Colorado teachers. In school year 2005-2006, 76 candidates received scholarships and 39 achieved certification. In 2006-2007, there were 90 scholarships and 54 candidates achieved certification. In school year 2007-2008, there were 86 scholarships and 57 achieved certification. There are 133 candidates from the 2008-09 school year who are waiting to hear if they obtained certification.

To apply for a scholarship, candidates should contact the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or call 1-800-22TEACH. When candidates have completed the initial paperwork, CDE will email scholarship forms to the candidate by for completion. The scholarship forms will be released in early October to those who have already applied.

For additional questions, contact Linda Barker, CEA Teaching and Learning Director, at 800-332-5939 or 303-837-1500, lbarker@nea.org

More information for teachers interested in National Board Certification