CareerTech Instructors Achieve National Board Certification

By Erin Portman
Oklahoma Department of CareerTech

Seventeen new national board certified teachers join the ranks of 83 CareerTech instructors who have earned this prestigious status during the past five years.

Overall, 212 of Oklahoma’s teachers received National Board Certification this year in what started as a nationally significant incentive program to improve teacher quality in the classroom, according to Phil Berkenbile. Berkenbile is the state director of Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

Oklahoma now ranks 10th in the nation with 1,289 teachers nationally certified since the program was first adopted and funded by the state legislature in 1997.

“Teacher certification is part of state and local efforts to improve teacher quality and meet the federal requirements for a highly qualified teacher in every classroom,” Berkenbile said.  

Teacher quality has never been more important, and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is the only organization of its kind helping states to identify and certify highly accomplished teachers, according to NBPTS President Joseph A. Aguerrebere.

“Since research has shown that NBCTs result in higher student achievement, especially in low-performing schools, they are uniquely positioned to assist schools to make adequate yearly progress required by the No Child Left Behind Act,” said Aguerrebere. “These studies confirm that investing in National Board Certification is a proven strategy to improve student achievement––thus helping improve our schools.”

CareerTech teachers achieving national certification and the programs they instruct from the Tulsa area include Paula Burgess, business and information technology education, Berryhill High School, Dala Gober-Reeves, BITE, Tulsa Will Rogers; Cynthia Ingram and John Peterson, BITE, Tulsa Technology Center; Barbara King, trade and industrial education, Tulsa Technology Center.

Also, receiving national certification are Jayson Floyd and Gay Johnston, TIE, Gordon Cooper Technology Center, Shawnee.  From the Autry Technology Center in Enid, Jon Jones, TIE, and Karen Skidmore, BITE.

Also included are Carla Campbell, family and consumer sciences education, Frontier High School, Red Rock; Richelle Helbig, FACSE, Sequoyah High School, Claremore; Deborah Jennings, FACSE, Okmulgee High School; Amy Mcclure, BITE, Northwest Technology Center, Fairview; and Thersa Sanders, TIE, Byng High School.