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The teacher quality movement achieved a new milestone in Georgia with the announcement by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® that 278 teachers have now achieved National Board Certification status.  Nine of those recently certified teachers are part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System. 

National Board Certified Teachers are nationally recognized as among the best teachers in the profession.  In 2000, there were only four NBCTs in Chatham County, by 2003 there were 27 and with the addition of nine more in 2007, the district total now stands at 78 making Chatham County one of the top five school districts in Georgia with the highest number of NBCTs! 

“This is another indicator showing the improvement in our school district,” said Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas B. Lockamy.  “Our teachers and their commitment to excellence are providing the inertia to take our children to higher levels of achievement.”

National Board Certification is the highest credential in the teaching profession.  A teacher-driven, voluntary process established by NBPTS, certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that typically takes up to three years to complete and measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do.  As part of the process, teachers build a portfolio that includes student work samples, assignments, videotapes and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching.  Additionally, teachers are assessed on their knowledge of the subjects they teach.  Certifications are valid for ten years and can be renewed.

This year, Georgia ranked 18th nationwide in the number of new National Board Certified Teachers.  The state ranked eighth in the total number of teachers who achieved certification over time (2,441). 

For more information on the National Board Certification process or a complete list of all SCCPSS National Board Certified Teachers, please visit their website at http://www.nbpts.org/.  The names of the 2007 National Board Certified Teachers are listed below.