National Board Certification as a National Board Certification as a Support for Work with Historically Support for Work with Historically Underserved Students: A Case Underserved Students: A Case Study of Washington State Study of Washington State TeachersTeachers

Hilary LoebHilary LoebUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonHuman Services Policy CenterHuman Services Policy Center

Washington Education Research AssociationWashington Education Research AssociationDecember 7, 2007December 7, 2007

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Overview of National Board (NB) Overview of National Board (NB) Certification Certification

PortfolioPortfolio• 15 subject areas and 4 15 subject areas and 4 developmental levelsdevelopmental levels

• 3 classroom-based entries3 classroom-based entries

• 1 documented accomplishments 1 documented accomplishments entryentry

Assessment CenterAssessment Center• Demonstration of content Demonstration of content knowledge at computer-based knowledge at computer-based testing centertesting center

• 6 exercises6 exercises

Monthly Support GroupsMonthly Support Groups• Regional participationRegional participation

• Orientation to processOrientation to process

• Support throughout portfolio Support throughout portfolio preparationpreparation

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National Board for Professional Teaching National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) BackgroundStandards (NBPTS) Background

Sizable investment in teacher development since 1987

Emerging positive evidence Positive impact on instruction Association with improvements in student learning

Difficulties with the process Teachers of color and teachers working with historically

underserved populations underrepresented Critiques of validity of the assessment

National Board for Professional Teaching National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) BackgroundStandards (NBPTS) Background

Washington state represents supportive policy context Over 1,800 NBCTs Program housed in OSPI Nonprofit organization

devoted to improving conditions of teaching

Strong collaboration between state and union

Increase in stipend for NBCTs

Number of NBCTs in Washington

National Board for Professional Teaching National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) BackgroundStandards (NBPTS) Background NBCTs compared with all

teachers in Washington Higher proportion clustered in

Puget Sound region Smaller proportion in high-

poverty schools Smaller proportion in schools

with higher proportions of students of color

Defining high-needs schools is imprecise Poverty measure of school Proportions of students of color Property wealth Student achievement Proxy for this study was 30% Proxy for this study was 30%

students of colorstudents of color

Selected Teacher Characteristics in 2005-2006 School Year for WA

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Study QuestionsStudy Questions

1. Are NBCTs more likely than their counterparts who have not earned the advanced certificate to hold beliefs and report practices that are well-suited to the needs of students of color and students living in poverty?

2. What accounts for the shared beliefs and practices of NBCTs in high-needs schools?

3. In what ways do NBCTs in high-needs schools perceive policies and supports that might encourage larger numbers of NBCTs to work in schools serving greater proportions of students of color and those from low-income households?

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Study Framework: Study Framework: Accomplished Teaching of Accomplished Teaching of Students from Historically Underserved Students from Historically Underserved Racial, Ethnic and Socioeconomic GroupsRacial, Ethnic and Socioeconomic Groups

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Study Framework: Study Framework: National Board Certification in National Board Certification in Washington State: Framework for Policy Actions and Washington State: Framework for Policy Actions and Policy ConcernsPolicy Concerns

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Study Methodology: Iterative Mixed-Study Methodology: Iterative Mixed-Methods DesignMethods Design

Fast-response surveys of WA teachers

Phase 1

Semi-structured interviews

Review of NBPTS Standards and policy documents

Phase 2

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Study Methodology: Iterative Mixed-Study Methodology: Iterative Mixed-Methods DesignMethods Design

Methodology Participants/Data Sources

Focus Analysis

Six Web-based Surveys

9-19 WA NBCTs 81-136 WA teachers Focused analysis on

teachers working with at least 30% students of color

Teacher assignment Working conditions Professional development State reform Diversity Retention and mobility

Frequencies Descriptive statistics Cross tabulations Correlation

Two Semi-Structured Interviews

12 WA NBCTs working in schools with at least 30% students of color

Beliefs and practices Incentives and supports Sensemaking about data

Constructivist grounded theory

Narrative inquiry techniques

Document Review NBPTS Standards NBPTS Key Policy

Documents

Background information about NBPTS Reform

Accomplished Teaching framework

Constructivist grounded theory

The analytic approaches in each methodology also included triangulation of The analytic approaches in each methodology also included triangulation of key claims through they assertions that came through other analyses.key claims through they assertions that came through other analyses.

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Study Methodology: Making Sense of NB Study Methodology: Making Sense of NB Certification as a Multifaceted ExperienceCertification as a Multifaceted Experience

Data analysis led to a more nuanced view of NB Certification

Four interrelated aspects of NB Certification guided the development of key study claims Shared characteristics of teachers who successfully earn

National Board Certificates Change in beliefs and practices associated with:

Portfolio preparation Support group participation New status as accomplished teachers

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Question 1: Comparing NBCTs and the Question 1: Comparing NBCTs and the General Population of TeachersGeneral Population of Teachers

Deeper knowledge of assessment NBCTs reported that they integrate assessment into classroom

instruction more extensively (35% vs. 13% strongly agree)

Greater engagement in professional learning NBCTs invest more time: 6.6 vs. 5.9 days in calendar year

Stronger affinity for cultural competence NBCTs more likely to discuss issues of race, language and ability that

are part of our world (89% vs. 65% a moderate amount or a great deal)

Need for continued growth in serving students of color

Half of NBCTs do not see themselves as very prepared to manage the diverse learning needs in their classrooms

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Question 1: Comparing NBCTs and the Question 1: Comparing NBCTs and the General Population of TeachersGeneral Population of Teachers

Greater likeliness to cite school climate as a reason to move schools NBCTs more frequently reported school values and mission (41% vs.

16%) as moderate or strong reasons to move

Greater likeliness to cite collegiality as a reason to move schools NBCTs more frequently reported that the amount of time and events

that make collaborative work possible as moderate or strong reasons to move (47% vs. 24%)

Greater participation in teacher leadership NBCTs more frequently reported selecting textbooks and other

instructional materials (89% vs. 56% reporting a fair amount or a great deal of involvement)

No differences in participation in mentoring activities

One-third of teachers from both groups reported this activity

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Question 2: Accounting for the Shared Beliefs Question 2: Accounting for the Shared Beliefs and Practices of NBCTs - NB Certification Effectsand Practices of NBCTs - NB Certification Effects

Greater use of collaborative learning structures associated with NB Certification experience

Increased use of and formative assessment and use of multiple assessment tools

Greater rigor in instruction Greater flexibility in viewing

student progress Deepened knowledge of

individual students Outreach to parents and

caregivers

I would say, the beginning of my teaching career we studied something and then we’d take the test. And I would say I’ve gotten And I would say I’ve gotten much more…my assessments much more…my assessments become much more become much more multifaceted.multifaceted. And so we’ll have discussions, and I’m getting much better...So I have group open book quizzes, not just end of book tests. I have the kids do presentation or essays or writing poetry. I would say I do a lot of variety. It’s no longer read the book and answer the question (Interview, Laura Pritchard, 5/8/06).

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Question 2: Accounting for the Shared Beliefs Question 2: Accounting for the Shared Beliefs and Practices of NBCTs - Characteristics not and Practices of NBCTs - Characteristics not Linked to NB CertificationLinked to NB Certification Commitment to social

justice Critical stance about

public education Varied use of multicultural

curricula Use of knowledge

construction practices Preparing students for

civic life

I’d say the Board process, I don’t I’d say the Board process, I don’t think it really emphasized my think it really emphasized my sensitivity. I think it, again, it sort sensitivity. I think it, again, it sort of validated it because the of validated it because the majority of my work has been majority of my work has been with kids with exceptional needs with kids with exceptional needs and kids from difficult homes and and kids from difficult homes and troubled backgrounds and ethnic troubled backgrounds and ethnic differences.differences. And one of the things that I’ve tried to incorporate into my career and into my life and to who I am as a teacher is to have awareness of those differences and to have some sensitivities (Interview, Stephen Holden, 5/18/06).

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Question 2: Accounting for the Shared Beliefs and Question 2: Accounting for the Shared Beliefs and Practices of NBCTs - Varying Treatment of Self-Practices of NBCTs - Varying Treatment of Self-Awareness in NBPTS StandardsAwareness in NBPTS Standards

NBPTS Early ChildhoodGeneralist Standards:

They consider the roles their own cultural background, biases, values, and personal experiences play in their teaching (p. 60).

NBPTS English as a New Language Standards:

Teachers consider the effects of their own cultural backgrounds, biases, values, and personal experiences on their teaching. They are alert to They are alert to their own philosophical, cultural, their own philosophical, cultural, and experiential biases and take and experiential biases and take these into account when dealing these into account when dealing with students whose background, with students whose background, beliefs, or values may differ beliefs, or values may differ substantively from their own. They substantively from their own. They carefully work through such carefully work through such differences and treat students differences and treat students fairlyfairly (p. 48).

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Question 3: Perceptions of Policy Supports Question 3: Perceptions of Policy Supports of NBCTs in High-Needs Contextsof NBCTs in High-Needs Contexts Stable, collegial work

environments may be a factor in success

Important policy tools NBPTS Standards NB candidate support

groups Stipends Professional networks Leadership

opportunities

I find again, National Board I find again, National Board teachers talk about, discuss, teachers talk about, discuss, throw ideas off each other throw ideas off each other that you don’t find…at least I that you don’t find…at least I don’t find in my school that don’t find in my school that I’m in. I’m in. And so it’s a different level of professionalism. And I enjoy that. So I always try to go. They’re wonderful people and very knowledgeable and I always walk away with a new book title or something I can implement in my classroom (Interview, Beth Kantor, 6/24/06).

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Question 3: Perceptions of Policy Supports Question 3: Perceptions of Policy Supports of NBCTs in High-Needs Contextsof NBCTs in High-Needs Contexts Preference for program

supporting NB candidates in high-needs contexts over incentives to move schools

Factors inhibiting growing the number of NBCTs Perception of unfairness Lack of feedback Perception of difficulty

Key organizational contexts State Districts Schools

And if in fact that teacher has And if in fact that teacher has been in the same school and it’s been in the same school and it’s a high needs school, the idea of a high needs school, the idea of supporting them in their supporting them in their certification pursuit within that certification pursuit within that school, it seems to me, school, it seems to me, intuitively, with no data behind intuitively, with no data behind me, that they would be more me, that they would be more likely to continue in their home likely to continue in their home school.school. What we don’t know is once they achieve that stature of NB certification and become a hotter commodity in the job market, would they then be drawn away (Interview, Wendy Loring, 5/31/06).

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Study Limitations and Approaches to Study Limitations and Approaches to Addressing ThemAddressing Them

Reliance of self-reports in surveys and interviews Triangulation among claims found in surveys, interviews and

document analyses

Small sample size for surveys Decision rule of including differences in responses greater than 15%

No secondary NBCTs outside of Language Arts and no non-White NBCTs in interview sample Can not generalize to the beliefs and practices of all NBCTs in high-

needs contexts

Subjectivity an inherent part of qualitative research Honest self-presentation, ongoing reflection, member checks and

discussion of challenges I encountered throughout the research process

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Implications and Further QuestionsImplications and Further Questions

NB Certification as both capacity building and system changing? Transfer of responsibility for student learning to teacher

following NB Certification Potential of critical mass of NBCTs in a building and/or district Promising lines of inquiry: longitudinal designs that depict

instructional and leadership practices

Potential roles of schools and districts Need for greater awareness of school and district leaders of NB

Certification Need for targeted support in high-needs contexts Promising lines of inquiry: case studies probing mechanisms of

support in high needs contexts

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Implications and Further QuestionsImplications and Further Questions

Missed Opportunities in the NB Certification Process Do silences in the study indicate lack of attention to certain

multicultural practices in the NB Certification process? Varying treatment of multicultural practices in NBPTS standards Mixed implementation of multicultural curriculum and materials Limited discussion of civic preparation Limited discussion of knowledge construction

How could NB Certification better support teachers’ growth in aspects of their cultural competence?

Revisions to portfolio entries Revisions to standards Revisions to standards acceptance procedures Focused support group activities

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Thank YouThank You

Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession University of Washington College of Education Washington Education Research Association

For more information please contact Hilary Loeb at hloeb@u.washington.edu