National Board Certified Teachers

A National Board Certified Teacher has achieved the highest professional credential in the field of teaching. The certification is a means to professional growth and improvement, and is designed to promote excellence in teaching. Austin ISD is proud to have 216 active National Board Certified Teachers—more than any other school district in the state of Texas.

What is the National Board Certification Program?

The NBCT program is a two-year commitment to self-reflection and study of practice, with courses and assignments designed around components of the successful classroom — Differentiation in Instruction, Content Knowledge, Teaching Practice and Learning Environment, and Effective and Reflective Practitioning.

Teachers who choose to participate in this voluntary certification program document their practices through rigorous reflection and analysis, and challenge themselves to improve their teaching skills, which in turn benefits their schools and their community.

AISD has developed a two-year cohort program to support teachers on their journey to NBCT certification. Teachers can apply to join this cohort and receive mentorship, peer support, and funding for course component fees! In addition to the NBCT Cohort, National Board Certified Teachers are eligible to receive additional annual compensation from TEA's Teacher Incentive Allotment!

AISD's National Board Certification Program from AISD Ed Qual on Vimeo.

How do I apply to the AISD NBCT Cohort?

AISD Teachers, Librarians, and Counselors who hold a bachelor’s degree, a valid Texas teaching or counseling license and have 3 full years of teaching or school counseling experience are encouraged to apply to the AISD NBCT Cohort!

Thirty candidates will be accepted into each cohort using a scored application process. Learn more about the application and cohort here.

National Board Certified Teachers in AISD

AISD has been supporting teachers in achieving National Board certification since 2000 and since then, we’ve become one of the top 20 districts in the nation in the number of teachers becoming certified each year. AISD has had four NBTCs receive the Milken Family Foundation Award, one of the highest awards in the teaching profession. Teachers who have achieved certification have also earned or won numerous other awards, including the Disney American Teacher Award, Teacher of the Year, HEB Teaching Awards, and more!