[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING 
                               STANDARDS

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                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 30, 1997

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, this month we celebrate the National 
Board for Professional Teaching Standard [NBPTS] 10th anniversary. 
Since its foundation, the National Board for Professional Teaching 
Standards has made tremendous strides in recognizing our nation's 
outstanding teachers and elevating the performance level of our public 
educators. I am extremely proud that North Carolina's Governor, the 
Hon. Jim Hunt, who has been committed throughout his esteemed public 
service career to ensuring that our children obtain a quality public 
education, was the driving force in the creation of this important 
organization and has served as the NBPTS chair since the board's 
creation in 1987.
  Prior to the foundation of the National Board for Professional 
Teaching Standards no national consensus existed as to the criteria for 
accomplished teachers. The NBPTS recognized that strengthening the 
quality of our teachers is the most direct action our Nation can take 
to improve our students' performance. The board created a rewarding 
professional development program and a stringent certification process 
for teachers. Thirty two states have incorporated the national board 
certification process into their school systems. Board certification 
effectively challenges and encourages talented teachers to stay in the 
classroom as well as providing an incentive for high caliber new 
teachers to enter the profession. Governor Hunt exemplifies the mission 
of the NBPTS, ``Ultimately, all learning comes down to what goes on 
between teachers and students. By raising standards and encouraging 
teachers to improve, the National board is channeling education 
improvement into the classroom to benefit students.''
  After 10 years at the helm of the National Board for Professional 
Teaching Standards, Governor Hunt is passing the torch to Barbara 
Kelly, an experienced educator from Maine. I would like to take this 
opportunity to express my gratitude for Governor Hunt's distinguished 
leadership of this important organization. Governor Hunt has worked 
tirelessly in his unprecedented four terms as the Governor of North 
Carolina to improve the quality of public education in our State and 
across the Nation. He broke new ground in educational development when 
he helped ignite the national board, as he has with numerous other 
education programs in North Carolina and across the Nation. I applaud 
Governor Hunt's impressive leadership of the National Board for 
Professional Teaching Standards and his continued dedication to the 
improving and strengthening educational standards, and thus brightening 
our Nation's future.
                               

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