Alabama National Board Certified Teacher Week

WHEREAS, National Board Certification is an advanced teaching credential achieved upon completion of a voluntary and rigorous assessment program designed to recognize effective and accomplished teachers who meet high standards based on what teachers should know and be able to do; and

WHEREAS, National Board Certified Teachers are nationally recognized as being among the best teachers in the profession; and

WHEREAS, research shows that the students of Board-certified teachers outperform their peers in other classrooms on achievement tests, and that schools and districts with a high concentration of NBCT’s see marked improvements in school culture, collaboration and teacher retention; and

WHEREAS, to date the state of Alabama has more than 2,300 teachers who have obtained Board Certification. In 2014, 60 teachers were certified which ranked Alabama 19^th in the nation; and

WHEREAS, the state of Alabama ranks 15^th in the Nation for the total number of Board Certified teachers:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim March 8 through 14, 2015, as

Alabama National Board Certified Teacher Week

in the state of Alabama.