Certification

This study probes the impact that the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification process has on teachers, schools, and school districts. In particular the study provides research to determine if National Board Certification significantly affects teachers staying in the classrooms as full time teachers. The NBPTS process is explored to better understand the background of the endeavor and how it may thereby assist in promoting teacher retention and whether this concept is being realized. The history of leadership is also explored and discussed as it pertains to education and the NBPTS process. Beyond researching the relationship between National Board Certification and teachers leaving the classroom as full time teachers, this study also sought to determine if ethnicity (Black, White, Hispanic or Other) and/or gender were statistically significant moderators of this relationship. Of the total number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) who completed the survey (N=220), 22 participants reported that they were not teaching full time in the classroom at the time of this study. Of the total number of teachers who had not obtained NBC (general education teachers or GETs) who completed the survey (N=110), 28 participants reported that they were not teaching full time in the classroom at the time of this study. The results from this study indicate that GETs left the classroom as full time teachers, while remaining employed with the Broward School Board, at more than twice the rate of NBCTs.

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of alignment to national and state standards in public and private university educational leadership certification programs in the state of Florida. The standards used were the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A) and the Florida Principal Leadership Standard for Technology (FPLST). A total of 16 university technology leadership course syllabi were examined. Nine syllabi were obtained from 11 public universities and seven were obtained from 11 private universities in Florida. Syllabi were examined using rubrics and assigned to one of three categories: definitely aligned, somewhat aligned and not aligned. A percentage was calculated for each type of school and degree of alignment to national and state standards to determine degree of alignment of syllabi. Inferential statistics were used to compare the degree of alignment between public and private universities. Alignment to national standards was more prevalent in syllabi from public universities than private universities while no significant relationship existed between the type of university and state standards. No inferential tests were conducted comparing traditional course syllabi with blended and online course syllabi, as the sample size of online courses was too small. The study found that technology leadership courses are being offered in a majority of Florida's educational leadership programs, indicating a growing commitment to the field. Although most universities offer a course in technology leadership, syllabi are not addressing some key national and state standards.