National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

National Board Certification is part of the growing education reform movement that is advancing student learning, improving teaching and making schools better! Teachers who achieve National Board Certification have met high standards through study, expert evaluation, self-assessment and peer review. National Board Certification complements, but does not replace, a state's teacher license. It is valid for five years, after which NBCTs can seek certification renewal.  

National Board Certification is achieved upon successful completion of a voluntary, performance-based assessment program designed to recognize effective and accomplished teachers who meet high standards based on what teachers should know and be able to do. Candidate portfolio assessments are reviewed and scored by trained teachers who currently teach in the same certificate area as the teacher candidate.

Click below for information on the National Board Scholarship and Salary Supplement

• NBPTS Certification Scholarship 
• NBPTS Certification Salary Supplement

NBPTS Salary Supplement 

State law, 20-A MRSA Section 13013-A; as Amended by PL 2012 c. 702 and Section 15689-A, subsection 12, provides that a public school teacher or a teacher in a publicly supported secondary school who has attained certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, or its successor organization, shall receive an annual salary supplement for the life of the certificate.

For purposes of the retirement system, the salary supplement must be added to the teacher's base salary and must be considered in the calculation for contributions to the Maine Public Employees Retirement System. NOTE: The supplement should NOT be added to the base salary amount reported in the MEDMS Staff File, this is considered additional compensation and is taxable income, but is not part of the base salary reported in MEDMS.

The Department of Education is required to provide the salary supplement to school administrative units and publicly supported secondary schools for eligible teachers no later than February 15th of each year.

If a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certified teacher is no longer employed as a teacher, the supplement ceases.

Note: The amount of the supplement is limited by the amount appropriated by the Legislature for these costs per 20-A MRSA Section 15689-A, subsection 19 and may be prorated to a lesser amount if necessary. 

Eligibility for National Board Certification Salary Supplement

Any public school teacher or a teacher in a publicly supported secondary school who has attained certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, or its successor organization, no later than July 1, 2022 is eligible to receive the annual supplement for the 2022-23 school year. Teachers who receive their certification after July 1, 2022 will become eligible for the annual supplement during the 2023-24 school year. As long as the eligibility requirements are met and the certificate is valid, the annual salary supplement must be provided.

Eligible Position Titles:

• Classroom Teacher
• Special Education Teacher
• Literacy & Math Specialists
• Long-term Substitute Teacher
• Library Media Specialist
• School Counselor
• Teacher Leaders
• Teaching Principals (Stipend amount will be prorated and assessed only to the teaching portion of this position).

Note: This supplement does not include School Counselors that have attained certification from the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc.

Method of application by a School Administrative Unit (SAU) currently employing an eligible staff member who has attained National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification

The statute provides that by October 15th of each year, the superintendent of schools of a School Administrative Unit (SAU) or the Director of a publicly supported secondary school, Education Service Center (under Chapter 123), or CTE Region must file with the Commissioner a certified list of national board-certified teachers employed by the SAU, publicly supported secondary school, education service center, or CTE Region who are eligible to receive the salary supplement.

Please use the Salary Supplement Request Form to report those eligible to the Commissioner.

 

Method of Payment to a Qualifying School Administrative Unit

Once the eligibility has been verified for each teacher and the total calculated for each School Administrative Unit (SAU), education service center (under Chapter 123), publicly supported secondary school, or CTE Region, a separate payment will be issued to the eligible SAU, school, or CTE Region. The annual salary supplement must be paid to school administrative units and publicly supported secondary schools before February 15th of each year. A provision in the law, 20-A MRSA Section 13013-A subsection 4, allows for receipt of these additional state funds and payment of the funds to eligible teachers without a special meeting of the local governing body.

Method of Payment to Eligible National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certified Teachers

The amount of the annual salary supplement required for each National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certified Teacher should be added to the locally established salary for purposes of the retirement system but not for reporting on the MEDMS Staff system; and must be distributed to teachers each year of eligibility. It is subject to all normal withholding requirements for payroll tax and retirement purposes.

 

 

 

 

NBPTS Scholarship 

Scholarship Funds for Teachers

School Year 22 - 23 Information:

• August 8- Oct. 15, 2022: Scholarship Application window open. 
• November 15, 2022: Scholarship applicant notification 
• December 15, 2022: Scholarship funds sent to School Administrative Units, publicly supported secondary school or CTE region

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification

*Please Note* only currently enrolled components are eligible for scholarship funds; applicants may apply for additional scholarship funds when enrolling in future components. Scholarships will fund first attempt for components 1 - 4. Scholarship funds may not be used for retakes, renewals, or Maintenance of Certification (MOC). Scholarships will be awarded based on the following priorities:

1. Applicant has already started the process (submitted one or more components to NBPTS).
2. Applicant is employed in a high-needs school (at least 50% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch).

Please note: the amount of the payment for the cost of enrollment in the certificate program less any other funds received by the applicant will be sent to the School Administrative Unit (SAU), publicly supported secondary school, or CTE Region until the limited amount of 30 teachers have received funds from the scholarship program.

The School Administrative Unit, publicly supported secondary school, or CTE Region is then responsible for issuing the scholarship funds to the eligible teacher.

Note: The National Board Scholarship is a reimbursement for tuition, not a salary supplement. Coding of Scholarship payments is different than the Salary Supplement. Questions on how to code these can be directed to Paula Gravelle on Maine DOE's School Finance Team.

Application

The statute provides that, the superintendent of schools of a School Administrative Unit (SAU) or the Director of a publicly supported secondary school or CTE Region, request scholarship funds on behalf of a teacher who has met all the eligibility requirements.

The School Administrative Unit, publicly supported secondary school, or CTE Region are responsible to ensure that all eligibility requirements are met and that copies of supporting documentation are kept on file and available upon request by the Commissioner's office.

National Board Scholarship Application (please be sure to answer questions 1 - 7, either using drop-down menu or filling in the information. Questions 1 - 6 are yes/no; Question 7 will be either 0,1,2, or 3 - thank you). 

Method of Payment

State law, 20-A MRSA Section 13013-A subsection 5 & 6; as Amended by PL 2012 c. 702, established the National Board Certification Scholarship Fund to encourage teachers to apply to and enroll in the certification program offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, or its successor organization.

A school administrative unit, or a publicly supported secondary school, may request scholarship funds on behalf of its teachers who meet the requirements.

In fiscal year 23, the department shall allocate $75,000 to the scholarship fund. The department shall award an amount equal to the cost of the certification program less any other funds received by the applicant to teachers accepted into the certification program annually.

Eligibility

In order to receive scholarship funds on behalf of a teacher, the school administrative unit or a publicly supported secondary school must certify to the department that the teacher:

Is currently employed by a school administrative unit or a publicly supported secondary school; Has completed at least 3 years of teaching in the State; Has agreed to mentor at least one other teacher employed in the State through the national board certification process to apply to and enroll in the certification program; Has provided documentation of acceptance into the certification program; and Has or will provide Proof of Purchase for all Eligible Components; and Has disclosed any other funds received to cover the cost of the certification program.