Local teachers help push state ranking

The state of Washington ranks second in the nation in National Board Certified teachers a report for 2012 stated last week.

Washington remains a national leader in both the number of new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) and the total number teaching in the state’s schools.

The Grand Coulee Dam School District currently has four NBCTs, two in Center Elementary and two in Lake Roosevelt High School.

District NBCTs are paid a stipend by the district which reflects the difficult two-year process to get the certification.

Local NBCTs Shayla Picard and Christel Pitner are third grade teachers Center Elementary and receive a $5,000 stipend from the district.

High school NBCTs are art teacher Lori Adkins and Gretchen Antoine, history teacher. Each receives a $10,000 annual stipend.

Stipends are based on the number of free and reduced lunches served at the school. About 25 percent of those who are board certified teach in challenging school districts.

Washington Education Association President Mary Lindquist said the relatively large number of NBCTs in the state is indicative of the overall high quality of public school teachers in Washington.

Last year, some 575 Washington teachers became board certified, second only to North Carolina. In all, there are 6,817 Washington teachers who are board certified and teaching in Washington schools.

The report shows that 13 percent of Washington’s teachers are board certified, compared to three percent nationally.