CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Local teachers are showing an increasing interest in national certification.
Last year the Cleveland and Bradley County school boards embraced the idea of increasing the number of nationally certified teachers here.
Now 26 city and county teachers are among 58 in Tennessee taking advantage Take One, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards initiative that offers teachers a sample of its programs.
“That is impressive and remarkable,” Cleveland school board Chairwoman Peggy Pesterfield said this week at a joint meeting of the city and county boards.
Education Foundation Executive Director Lynn Voelz told the board members that Tennessee has the lowest number of nationally certified teachers in 12 southeastern states. Two Cleveland teachers and one Bradley teacher now hold national certifications, records show.
The Bradley-Cleveland Public Education Foundation established a fund to help teachers with the high cost of tuition for the program. Donors have added to the fund.
Ms. Voelz said research confirms a positive effect on learning and standardized test scores, teacher satisfaction and retention and graduation rates.
“In other words, it has a tremendously positive affect on teachers and students,” Ms. Voelz said.
The foundation has many programs to support local education, President Chari Buckner said.
“We are reaching out to the community in all stages of their lives from high school to retirement,” Ms. Buckner said.
Last year, for example, teachers were awarded a total of 49 minigrants totaling about $40,000.
Rodney Fitzgerald, secretary/treasurer for the foundation, said the foundation had $330,881 as of December to fund operations, an endowment fund, programs such as national teacher certification and an ongoing wetlands project for Cleveland Middle School.
He asked the city and county school board members to contribute to the foundation’s efforts.
“That would mean so much as we go out into the community to solicit money,” he said.