Educators with national teaching certification could no longer automatically qualify for salary raises under Texas’ pay-for-performance program if officials who oversee the credential do not de-emphasize diversity, equity and inclusion.
The State Board for Educator Certification voted Friday to require that National Board Certification — a rigorous professional development program shown to improve student outcomes — update its resource materials and bring them into compliance with Texas’ anti-DEI law.
If the National Board does not do so by Nov. 2, it risks the state no longer including educators with that certification in the Teacher Incentive Allotment, which currently grants those instructors raises of up to $9,000 per year for helping students grow academically.
State Board for Educator Certification members said Friday that they did not review or discuss the value or worth of the National Board as they examined its materials — only whether the program aligns with Texas lawmakers’ classroom expectations.
“I’m hoping that you can understand where our hands are somewhat tied,” said Bobbie Lynn Weir, a nationally certified Texas educator who chairs the subcommittee reviewing the National Board materials. During the state certification board’s discussion, Weir said she hoped for an expedited process so Texas can focus “on the path of student growth and quality education, because that is the goal with SBEC and the goal of National Board.”
House Bill 2, Texas’ nearly $8.5 billion school funding legislation last year, required the state certification board to review National Board Certification’s compliance with Texas education laws after elected Republican officials called into question its support of teachers cultivating learning spaces inclusive of all children — specifically as it pertains to gender and sex.
Peggy Brookins, president and CEO of the National Board, testified Friday that her team has reflected on the concerns raised by Texas officials in the last year and is committed to partnering with the state certification panel to make improvements. Brookins also said the National Board needs to meet with the Texas reviewers to better understand “what they think is out of compliance.”
Asked whether other states have passed similar laws mandating a review of the National Board, Brookins replied, “Not in 40 years have we had any of this.”
The state certification board must decide by Dec. 31 whether to continue including the national certification in the incentive allotment. The Texas Education Agency, which works closely with the board, contracted with six educators to complete the review.
During the inspection, reviewers found the National Board in compliance with nearly all relevant components of state law. However, they flagged that certain examples the board uses to demonstrate how exemplary teaching can look may conflict with Texas’ ban on diversity, equity and inclusion practices in public education.
It is unclear what examples the reviewers found concerning. The Texas Tribune previously reported on some Republicans’ claims that the National Board trains teachers “on DEI, gender identity and sexual orientation.”
Officials with the National Board, along with nationally certified teachers in Texas, have refuted those claims, saying that the state-mandated review of the program shows how elected officials made a decision based on misinformation used out of context, not on input from experienced educators who endured the process of obtaining the credential and can speak to how it works.
National Board Certification measures whether educators understand the content they teach, their effectiveness in evaluating what students need and their ability to keep children engaged and help them learn. Teachers have five years to complete the certification — a rigorous process that entails computer assessments, samples of student work and writing — all with an emphasis on self-reflection.
Roughly 1,200 out of 382,000 Texas teachers — less than 1% — hold the credential. About 620 nationally certified educators receive Teacher Incentive Allotment raises, according to the Texas Education Agency.
A Texas Tech University report released earlier this year found that Texas students taught by nationally certified teachers experienced about 3.5 months of additional learning in math and 1.5 months in reading. Low-income students, children learning English and kids scoring below grade level saw the most significant boost in test scores. The report found that students experienced an 18% reduction in the likelihood of suspension and a 10% decrease in chronic absences.
The researchers recommended that Texas continue to recognize the national certificate in the Teacher Incentive Allotment.
“National Board does not replace what we teach. It strengthens how we teach,” Lauren Smith, a nationally certified teacher in Texas, testified Friday. “It develops our pedagogy by helping us to understand students as individuals, use research-based instructional practices and ensure that every learner, regardless of their background or starting point, has an opportunity to grow and succeed and has opportunities to elevate their learning.”
National Board Certification is the only way some educators can participate in the Teacher Incentive Allotment.
School districts run the pay-for-performance program locally. Many do not include instructors who teach non-core subjects because of the difficulty in measuring student performance without standardized testing. However, such educators qualify if they earn the national credential, which many teachers who complete the process consider the most challenging professional development available.
If the state certification board revokes National Board from the incentive, teachers could still earn pay raises for their students’ academic growth — but only as measured by their districts’ standards. The board could also conduct a subsequent review of the national certification and reinstate it at any time.
Disclosure: Texas Tech University has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in The Texas Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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