Dysart Celebrates Three New National Board Certified Teachers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 1/20/2021

Dysart Unified School District is proud to announce that three Dysart teachers are among the newest National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in Arizona.  Kelly Gragg (Surprise Elementary School), Jesica Roehm (Surprise Elementary School), and Jean Vogel (Asante Preparatory Academy) all earned the certification in December, bringing the total count of NBCTs in Dysart to 54.  

National Board Certification is the highest certificate an educator can achieve in the United  States. Administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Board certification is a rigorous and reflective process that requires teachers to showcase the National  Board Standards in their practice. Teachers often take up to three years of continual work to achieve certification. Research shows that students of NBCTs have improved learning outcomes, and only 3% of teachers nationwide achieve this certification. 

Since 1996, teachers throughout Arizona have been seeking and achieving National Board  Certification. The Arizona K12 Center provides support and resources for teachers to pursue  National Board Certification. Dysart supports staff members interested in the certification through cohort meetings and substitute coverage for two professional days for preparation, and offers a stipend equal to 5% of the base salary to teachers who are National Board Certified. 

This year, 48 Arizona teachers achieved certification. Altogether, Arizona is home to 1,576 NBCTs with 660 teachers currently pursuing National Board Certification. According to the  National Board, there are 127,781 NBCTs across the U.S. Learn more about National Board Certification at nbpts.org or azk12.org.