USM Ranked 13th in the nation; First in Mississippi in Producing Certified Teachers in 2018

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards ranked The University of Southern Mississippi 13th in the country in producing new National Board-Certified Teachers in 2018 with more than 1,000 teachers certified.

USM also ranked No. 13 in the 2017 Top 50 Alma Maters by Total Number of NBCTs with 1,001 teachers certified.

National Board Certification gives teachers the opportunity to achieve standards beyond those required by the state in which they work. Initiated more than 25 years ago, the program encourages recognition and retention of high quality teachers and ongoing improvement in schools across the country.

National certification consists of four components: written assessment of content knowledge, reflection on student work samples, video and analysis of teaching practice, and documented impact and accomplishments as a teaching professional. Board certification is available from pre-K through 12th grade in 25 certificate areas.

“There is broad consensus that teacher quality is the most important variable determining how well a child learns”, said Robin Atwood, a National Board certified teacher and director of the World Class Teacher Program at USM which support teachers as they work toward National Board Certification. “All Americans should care about what it will take to create and sustain a teaching workforce defined by accomplished practice.

"The National Board standards define the body of knowledge and skills teachers need and lead to a level of consistent quality that is the hallmark of all true professions. The USM World Class Teacher Program supports teachers in aligning their practice to the high and rigorous standards of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.”

USM was established in 1910 as Mississippi Normal College, with the mission to elevate the preparation of teachers for service in state elementary and secondary schools. For information about USM's teacher education programs and others in the College of Education and Human Sciences, visit usm.edu/education-human-sciences.