I achieved National Board certification in December 2017. My certification expires in 2022. The year 2022 seems like a long way off, but it is coming up sooner than I would like! I have done a little digging into the renewal process to see what comes next. I was surprised to find the renewal process is changing and a revised process called Maintenance of Certification (MOC) will start in 2021. This was news to me! I am hoping to spread the word to help others keep their certification in good standing.
Why Renew?
National Board certification needs to be renewed every 5 years. The renewal process helps ensure National Board certified teachers continue to grow, make an impact, and embody the Five Core Propositions1 and Standards2. These propositions include committing to student learning, understanding content and pedagogy, monitoring student learning, reflecting, and participating in learning communities. The field of education is forever changing and renewal communicates your dedication to keeping up with the best practices in education. Renewal might also allow you to continue receiving the monetary benefits of certification through your district and state and renew your teaching license.
What is MOC?
Disclaimer: I have not gone through the MOC process, but will start next school year. This information is based on my understanding of MOC by reading about it on the Maintenance of Certification webpage3.
MOC is the revised renewal process for National Board certification. It makes sense National Board is revising the renewal process to better align with best practices since the first teacher cohort of the redesigned initial certification process is approaching renewal. Similar to when they redesigned the initial certification process, the National Board solicited teacher feedback to ensure the new process was more flexible, affordable, and accessible. Their motto is “By teachers, for teachers.” The new MOC costs less than the old renewal process. Since it is completed every 5 years, the new MOC will require less time and parts compared to the initial certification and old renewal process. The MOC asks you to highlight how your teaching practices continue to align with the five core propositions and science standards by describing, analyzing, and reflecting on two professional growth experiences. Each professional growth experience portfolio submission will require a written commentary and samples of evidence. Preliminary instructions for the MOC should be available on the National Board website later this year.
Read the whole series:
I will embark on my MOC journey next school year. I will report back on the process. If you will be considering renewal next school year, please reach out so we can work through the new MOC process together! Please log-in or register for a free ChemEd X account to comment below!
References
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (2016). What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from http://accomplishedteacher.org/
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (2016). Science Standards, 3rd ed. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from http://www.nbpts.org/wp-content/uploads/EAYA-SCIENCE.pdf
- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Maintenance of Certification. Retrieved February 9, 2020, from https://www.nbpts.org/maintenance-of-certification/