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Wyoming Teacher Certifications Increase

Willow Belden

Wyoming's number of Nationally Board Certified Teachers went up 16 percent over the past school year. That was the most growth seen by any state, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

The group announced its newest class of teachers this week. National Board certification is a voluntary and rigorous assessment program to develop and recognize accomplished teachers. 

Mary Garland is President of the John P. Ellbogen Foundation, a non-profit that works with Wyoming to support the program. She says each new certified teacher is a step forward for student learning.

“Everything they do in the classroom, and the reasons for doing it—they have to show evidence that it impacts student learning,” says Garland “When we certify 83 teachers this year, we know now, with those teachers, that they are focusing exclusively on the students.”

Garland’s organization has been pushing National Board Certification in Wyoming for the past decade. Of the state’s nearly 8,000 teachers, about 580 now hold certifications.

“We’ve been able to reach out and level the playing field across the state of Wyoming and make this a process that’s doable and accessible for every teacher in our state,” Garland says.

Wyoming ranks 30th in the country for its number of National Board Certified Teachers.

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