General Information

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is proud to have 562 teachers attain National Board Certification, which ranks us 16th in the nation and 4th in the state for total numbers of NBCTs.  For two decades, North Carolina has had the largest corps of accomplished teachers with 20,611 achieving Board certification to date.  

National Board Certification is the most respected professional certification available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students and schools. It was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide.To date, more than 110,000 teachers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia have achieved the profession’s gold standard for accomplished teaching, based on standards—created by teachers, for teachers—that define what teachers must know and be able to do to advance student learning. 

WHY Certify?

National Board Certification will distinguish you as an accomplished, effective teacher who has met the highest standards in the profession. 

Research shows that students of NBCTs outperform their peers in other classrooms. In achieving certification, you demonstrate that you have the knowledge and skills necessary to advance student learning and achievement. Certification also open doors to leadership opportunities and increases your professional marketability, among other benefits. Even before you achieve certification, you will be able to apply what you’re learning to help your students each and every day.

Candidate Information

North Carolina offers loan assistance to candidates, funding their initial certification process. Interested teachers should apply to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to obtain a candidate ID# before applying for the NC NBC loan for funding. More information about National Board Certification can be found at NBPTS.org and NC DPI.  

In addition, state funded candidates are allowed professional leave days in order to work on initial certification.  WSFCS also offers a series of support sessions throughout the year in order to help candidates get organized, obtain feedback, and network with others.

There are currently 25 certificate areas that candidates can select from.  Certificates are based on subject area as well as student age ranges.  A complete list of disciplines and developmental levels can be found HERE.

Use the following resources below to learn more about the process:

1. Guide to National Board Certification
2. Choosing the Right Certificate
3. Component 1: Content Knowledge at a Glance
4. Component 2: Differentiation in Instruction
5. Scoring Guide