Initial Reimbursement
National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) may apply for reimbursement of up to $2,000 for expenses personally incurred for NBPTS certification process and may include the cost of the application fees that were not subsidized once they have received their certificate. Applications are due annually by June 30.
In order to qualify for the reimbursement, the NBCTs must be:
- Certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
- Licensed as a teacher by the state superintendent or employed as a teacher in a private school or tribal school located in this state.
- Employed as a teacher located in this state.
- Have a rating of effective or highly effective in the applicable Educator Effectiveness System.
DPI will mail reimbursement forms to the NBCTs upon notification from the NBPTS. The completed form for reimbursement must be submitted to DPI before June 30 of the school year in which the NBPTS certificate was received.
NBCTs who are certified in another state and employed as a teacher in Wisconsin may apply for reimbursement. The application for reimbursement must be submitted prior to submitting the application for annual grants. Contact the DPI team (contact form below) to request NBPTS Reimbursement Application Form. Attach a copy of the NBPTS certificate or score report letter with the application form.
Annual Grant
After receiving reimbursement for certification expenses (above), NBCTs are eligible to apply for an annual grant in each of the subsequent school years for the remaining duration of their NBPTS certificate.
Eligibility
To qualify for the annual grant, the NBCTs must:
- have submitted the application for reimbursement;
- maintain his or her NBPTS certificate;
- maintain his or her license as a teacher issued by the state superintendent or remains employed in a private school or tribal school located in this state;
- remains employed as a teacher in this state;
- have a rating of effective or highly effective in the applicable Educator Effective System.
Effective or Highly Effective Rating
As a result of 2013 Wisconsin Act 20, applicants who received the National Teacher Certification by NBPTS Initial Reimbursement grant are required to provide annual verification of being effective or highly effective in the applicable Educator Effectiveness System in order to receive a grant for national teacher certification. This only affects applicants who are required to be evaluated in the Educator Effectiveness System.
Rating of effective or highly effective means a score of greater than or equal to 2.5 in both the educator practice outcome summary and the student outcomes summary or, if the person has not had an initial evaluation, the person is in the process of being evaluated.
Grant Award
Annual grants are awarded in the amount of $2,500 in each of the subsequent school years for the duration of the valid NBPTS certificate. NBCTs who are employed as a teacher in a high-poverty school (Glossary: At least 60% of the pupils enrolled satisfy the income eligibility criteria for a reduced lunch under 42 USC 1758(b)(1)) are eligible for a $5,000 annual grant.
NBCTs who successfully renew their certificate may continue to receive the annual grant of $2,500 or $5,000.
High Poverty Schools Identified for NBPTS Grants (Update, 2022-23 list will be used for 2023-24 grant applications)
The list of high-poverty schools for the NBPTS Annual Grant is posted in March each school year. The NBPTS Annual Grant application should be submitted after the list is available and you have confirmed that the school where you are employed is identified as a high-poverty school. The current lists:
The NBPTS annual grant application closed at 11:59 p.m. on June 30th. The 24-25 NBPTS grant application will be available in the Fall.
Wisconsin statutes and administrative rules supporting national teacher certification or master educator licensure:
- Wis. Stat. 115.42 - Grants for national teacher certification or master educator licensure.
- Wis. Admin Code PI 37 - Criteria and procedures for awarding grants for national teacher certification or master educator licensure
