Since 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) has awarded National Board Certification to more than 80,000 educators, and is recognized for providing high quality advanced certification programs. In 2011, the NBPTS will break new ground by launching two new educational leadership programs, National Board Certification for Principals and National Board Certification for Teacher Leaders. Federal subsidy grants, which assist candidates with NBPTS’s $2,500 assessment fee, are available through the United States Department of Education (USDE). According to the NBPTS website, the specifications of the federal subsidy grants vary from state to state. Candidates for national board certification must hold a bachelor’s degree, have three years of teaching experience and possess a valid teaching license.
The National Education Association Foundation (NEA) offers learning and leadership grants to both individuals and groups for professional growth activities. The NEA’s website states that proposals for professional development “must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement.” As of 2010, the amount of funding offered by the NEA Foundation is $2,000 for individuals and $5,000 for groups, for twelve months from the time the grant is awarded. Those eligible to apply include public school teachers with less than seven years of experience, and education support professionals in public school settings. Applications from members of the NEA will be given preference.
The Wallace Foundation offers grants to school districts, institutions of higher learning and state-level departments of education, for programs that further develop the skills of effective educational leaders--specifically principals and superintendents. The main goal of the Wallace Foundation is to improve leadership and the quality of educational leaders’ impact on teaching and learning. The foundation concentrates most of its funding on states and districts that provide innovative programs that strengthen the performance of educational leaders, improve educational leadership and display high levels of progress. Prospective grant recipients are usually identified through careful screening processes, although unsolicited proposals are also accepted.