Project Activities
Research question
- What are the impacts on teachers who obtain Board certification, those who attempt to become certified but are not successful, and those who do not apply for Board certification?
- To what extent does Board certification make a difference in the academic achievement of students?
- To what extent is Board certification a cost-effective method of improving teacher quality?
Structured Abstract
Design
An independent committee of experts selected by the National Research Council developed a framework for evaluating programs that award advanced-level teacher certification and applied that framework in an evaluation of the NBPTS. The committee relied on a review of existing research to address the study questions.
Key findings
- Insufficient evidence exists to draw conclusions regarding the impact of certification on teacher outcomes such as classroom practices and mobility.
- Evidence suggests that students taught by Board-certified teachers have higher achievement test gains than those taught by teachers who applied for certification but were not successful. Evidence regarding whether the certification process improves teachers' classroom effectiveness is inconclusive, however.
- It is not possible at this time to conduct a cost-effectiveness evaluation of Board certification. This is due to the scarcity of information on the benefits of Board certification and both the costs and benefits of alternative mechanisms for improving teacher quality, such as obtaining a Master's degree.
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
A report, titled Assessing Accomplished Teaching: Advanced-Level Certification Programs, was released in April 2008.
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
