News Releases
For Immediate Release - September 14, 1998
Contact:
Erik Burke, Education Policy Advisor
Anastasia Burton, Press Secretary (406) 444-3111
(HELENA)---At a reception scheduled for September 21 at 4:30 pm in the Governor’s Reception Room, Governor Marc Racicot will recognize nine Montana educators who have recently completed a series of rigorous performance assessments to become National Board Certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
The following teachers will be honored: Linda Edwards, an elementary teacher from Lewistown; Karen Mikota, an elementary teacher from Havre; Detlef Johl, an elementary teacher from Helena; Terri Dahl, a high school teacher from Great Falls; Katherine Dunn, an elementary teacher from Great Falls; Kathleen Hayes, an elementary teacher from Great Falls; Karen Healey, a middle school teacher from Cascade; Rhonda McCarty, formerly an elementary teacher and now an administrator from Great Falls, and BJ Streeby, a middle school teacher also from Great Falls.
National Board Certification is granted to teachers who successfully complete a series of portfolio and assessment exercises over a six to nine month period. Simply completing the certification process requires teachers to demonstrate a high level of
expertise through written and video evidence, and successfully becoming certified by the National Board represents the highest achievement an American teacher can earn. According to Governor Racicot, “Montana’s nine candidates for National Board Certification for Teachers are true professionals who are concerned about the quality of their daily efforts. Such leadership and dedication is the key to providing all Montana students with an unparalleled system of education.”
Only 40 percent of National Board Certification candidates actually achieve the certification status, indicative of the difficulty of the assessments. Candidates who do not become certified can resubmit portions of the assessments to eventually gain certification. Just over 2000 teachers nationwide completed the assessments during the 1997-1998 school year.
During the next legislative session, Governor Racicot will propose state budget legislation which will provide professional salary incentives of $3,000 per year to Montana teachers who successfully become certified by the National Board. “These funds will recognize the many benefits that Montanans gain from teachers who have demonstrated that they are truly accomplished and effective practitioners of their profession,” Racicot said. Ten other states have already passed similar legislation, some of which have provided National Board Certified teachers with salary enhancements of over $10,000 per year.
School administrators, school board members, and representatives from several statewide education organizations will join Governor Racicot in honoring the nine teachers. The candidates are expected to receive their scores in early November.
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