Mississippi Ranks #7 Nationally in National Board Certified Teachers; 198 Added in 2013-2014

Figures released by The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards show Mississippi now ranks seventh nationally in both the number of newly certified teachers and the total number of certified teachers. In the 2013-2014 school year, 198 teachers in Mississippi achieved the National Board Certification.

Research proves a connection between student achievement and teacher quality, and Gov. Bryant’s Fiscal Year 2016 Executive Budget Recommendation to the Mississippi Legislature recommends fully funding the needs of the National Board Certified Teacher Program in Mississippi ($22.6 million). The governor’s strategic plan, Opportunity Mississippi, outlines his goal to increase the number of Board Certified teachers in Mississippi 25% by 2018. Teachers who achieve National Board Certification can receive as much as a $6,000 raise in addition to their annual salary.

“We know that teacher quality is a critical component of student achievement, and increasing the number of Board Certified teachers in Mississippi classrooms is an important way to improve education outcomes in our state. This top ten ranking shows the level of dedication and excellence that teachers in Mississippi strive to achieve each day in the classroom, and I congratulate the teachers who worked hard to earn this certification,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “I fully support the National Board Certified Teacher Program and look forward to continuing to increase the number of certified teachers in Mississippi.”

Three Mississippi universities ranked among the top 25 in the nation for new National Board Certified teachers:

•University of Southern Mississippi-#6
•Mississippi State University-Tied for #15
•University of Mississippi-#22

The top five school districts statewide by total number of teachers certified are:

•Rankin County-182
•DeSoto County-133
•Madison County-123
•Jackson Public Schools-119
•Tupelo Public Schools-111

“I commend Mississippi for its strong commitment to building a world-class teaching workforce. By supporting every new and aspiring teacher to pursue Board certification through their World Class Teaching Program, Mississippi will come to be an example to the nation of how to make a difference for students and the teaching profession,” said Ronald Thorpe, president and C.E.O. of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. “We stand together with Gov. Bryant in congratulating the 198 Mississippi teachers who became National Board Certified Teachers this year, and look forward to working with them so that many more teachers can follow in their footsteps.”

For more information on National Board Certification visit www.nbpts.org.