Plano ISD National Board Cohorts

Plano ISD's NBCTs from Cohort 1: (left to right) Cohort co-facilitator Craig McKinney, Isabel Pawling, Imelda Carrasco, Rebecca Vanderbrook, Jennifer Shelton, Casey Goodwin, Sarah Manthey, and Kristy Dellinger

National Board certification is the most respected professional certification available in education. The Board-certification process was established by teachers, for teachers, to allow educators to certify against a set of standards for accomplished teaching. Educators can pursue certification in 25 certificate areas by completing an assessment that involves four components.

Teachers may choose to undertake certification on their own or join a cohort program for guidance and support. The National Board website (nbpts.org) provides a wealth of resources for candidates or for those who are interested in learning more about the process. 

Plano ISD supports teachers in the National Board certification process through a two-year cohort in which teachers work through the components with the guidance of cohort facilitators and National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) mentors. In December 2023, Plano ISD's inaugural cohort celebrated its first group of seven NBCTs. In 2023-24, the district supported two cohorts in various stages of the certification process. The district is launching a fourth cohort for the 2024-25 school year. Applications for future cohorts will be available in the spring of 2025. 

Individuals who become NBCTs automatically earn a Recognized designation under the Texas Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) and receive annual allotment funding of $3,000 to $9,000 from the State. Compensation amount varies by campus. For more information on this, visit the National Board Certification in Texas page. 

Plano ISD Professional Learning would like to thank NexPoint and the Plano ISD Education Foundation for their support of our National Board cohorts. 

If you have questions about National Board Certification in Plano ISD, please contact Craig McKinney, PL Director at craig.mckinney@pisd.edu or (469) 752-4786. 

Classroom management resources and professional learning information is available for classroom teachers and support staff is now available here! For professional learning information regarding this topic, be sure to check out the information located under "Instructor-Led courses".

Teacher Externship

Secondary Teachers: Take your teaching to a new level this summer with the Plano ISD Teacher Externship Program! This exciting opportunity lets Secondary teachers earn a stipend while working alongside industry pros to discover the latest workforce trends, build powerful classroom-to-career connections, and add valuable skills to their teaching toolkits. Previous Externship partners have included Boeing, Children’s Health, and Shutterfly. See this flyer for full details.  If you’re interested in adding this opportunity to your Summer To Do List, apply now: https://tinyurl.com/PISDExtern25

Please contact Kyle Fritsche if you have any questions.

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