D.C. Schools: The Value of National Board Teachers

Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's plans to reform District schools are laudable and much needed. However, the Jan. 5 Metro article "Rhee Plans Shake-Up of Teaching Staff, Training" indicated that the new budget will no longer provide support for teachers who wish to prepare for National Board Certified Teacher status through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This is regrettable because of long-standing problems in finding and retaining enough effective teachers for D.C. children.

I hope that support for this important tool for professionalizing teaching will be restored to the budget. Just as in other professions, talented teachers need opportunities to advance their skills and gain recognition. The National Research Council's latest study of National Board teachers and other, smaller studies show that these teachers stay in the field longer than other teachers and that their students' performance does improve. We need to use every tool available to raise student and teacher performance.

JAMES G. CIBULKA

President

National Council for Accreditation

of Teacher Education

Washington