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. Personally incurred expenses may include the cost of the application fees, course work, course materials, mileage reimbursement, etc.
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 in a public, private, or tribal school in Wisconsin. Teachers must be delivering direct instruction to pupils. School psychologists, school counselors, or school social workers are also eligible. Applicants must be working for a minimum of 40 percent full-time equivalency for at least 180 days in a school year as defined in Wis. Admin. Code Ch. PI 37.02). If an applicant is reported in WISEstaff as a Program Coordinator, Academic Support, or Teacher Mentor, etc., they must also be employed and reported as a teacher delivering instruction to pupils for at least 40% FTE in order to be eligible for the grant.
- Have a rating of effective or highly effective in the applicable Educator Effectiveness System if employed as a teacher in a public school.
NBCTs certified in another state and employed as a teacher in Wisconsin may apply for initial reimbursement. The application for reimbursement must be submitted prior to submitting the application for annual grants. Out of state candidates apply for initial reimbursement using the application link below. Upload a copy of the NBPTS certificate or score report letter with the application materials.
After receiving notification from NBPTS, DPI will email first-time National Board certified teachers regarding eligibility for initial reimbursement.
About the Initial Reimbursement Application
The initial reimbursement application is administered online. Before beginning the application, ensure all receipts substantiating expenses that will be listed on the application are in an electronic format (JPEG, PDF, Microsoft Word, etc.). Receipts are required to be uploaded as part of the application process.
If applying for mileage reimbursement, list as an expense within the online application and attach a document outlining the date(s) of travel, addresses traveled to and from, and total number of miles of each trip. The current mileage reimbursement rate is $0.51 per mile.
Online application steps for applicant:
- Applicant enters general information (name and email address)
- Applicant enters name and email of appropriate person within school/district to complete the employer verification form
- Applicant completes the state and federal tax forms. (These forms will automatically appear within application)
- Applicant enters their personal l information (name, DPI educator file number, address, date of birth, NBPTS Certificate title/area, and email)
- Applicant lists personally incurred expenses.
- Applicant uploads receipts substantiating expenses listed in application
- Applicant completes certification, signature and date section
- Applicant clicks ‘finish.’
At this point, the employer verification form is sent to the person/email address the applicant identified at the beginning of the application process. The applicant will receive an automated email that the form has been sent to the employer. THIS IS NOT CONFIRMATION THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE.
Online application steps for employer:
- Employer enters number of days applicant is employed as a teacher
- Employer enters school(s) in which applicant is employed and percentage of employment as a teacher (FTE)
- Employer indicates if applicant is working under contract as an administrator, and, if yes, percentage of employment/FTE
- Employer enters school year
- Employer indicates if the teacher has been rated as effective, highly effective or is in process of being evaluated for Educator Effectiveness.
- Employer completes verification by entering name of school district, school district address, their name, signature, date, title, email and phone number.
- Employer clicks ‘finish.’
DPI Review of Intial Reimbursement
The application is then sent to DPI for review. Once DPI’s review is complete, all parties (applicant, employer, DPI) will receive an automated email indicating application has been completed. This email does not mean the application has been approved. To determine if the application is approved or disapprove, applicants must click on the document within the email and reference the bottom of first page.
If the application is approved, please allow 6-8 weeks for payment processing. Payment will be in the form of a paper check mailed to the applicant’s home address.
If the application is disapproved, the reason for denial will be included.
2024-25 NBPTS Initial Reimbursement Grant Application
Completed applications are due annually by June 30. To be considered ‘complete,’ the applicant and employer sections must be fully completed and the necessary receipts substantiating expenses outlined for reimbursement must be included.
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 their NBPTS certificate.
- Maintain their license as a teacher issued by the state superintendent or remains employed in a private school or tribal school located in this state.
- Employed as a teacher in a public or private school in Wisconsin. Teachers must be delivering direct instruction to pupils. School psychologists, school counselors, or school social workers are also eligible. Applicants must be working for a minimum of 40 percent full-time equivalency for at least 180 days in a school year as defined in Wis. Admin. Code Ch. PI 37.02). If an applicant is reported in WISEstaff as a Program Coordinator, Academic Support, or Teacher Mentor, etc., they must also be employed and reported as a teacher delivering instruction to pupils for at least 40% FTE in order to be eligible for the grant.
- Have a rating of effective or highly effective in the applicable Educator Effective System if employed as a teacher in a public school.
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 (The 2023-24 list will be used for 2024-25 grant applications)
Pursuant to Wisconsin Administrative Code Chapter PI 37.03 (1) (c), applicants applying for the Annual NBPTS Grant are eligible for payment in the amount of $5,000 if employed as a teacher in a school in which at least 60% of the pupils enrolled satisfy the income eligibility criteria for a free or reduced-price lunch under 42 USC 1758 (b) (1). To ensure the most accurate information available, the below lists are based on income eligibility criteria for a free or reduced-price lunch. The lists of public and private high-poverty schools for the NBPTS Annual Grant are as follows:
NBPTS Annual Grant online application steps for applicant:
- Applicant enters general information (name and email address)
- Applicant enters name and email of appropriate person within school/district to complete the employer verification form
- Applicant enters their personal l information (name, DPI educator file number, mailing address, date of birth, phone number, email, school district, and school name(s))
- Applicant completes certification, indicates if they are requesting annual grant of $2,500 or $5,000, signs and dates
- Applicant clicks ‘finish.’
At this point, the employer verification form is sent to the person the applicant identified at the beginning of the application process. The applicant will receive an automated email that the form has been sent to the employer. THIS IS NOT CONFIRMATION THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE.
Online application steps for employer:
- Employer enters number of days applicant is employed as a teacher
- Employer enters school(s) in which applicant is employed and percentage of employment as a teacher (FTE)
- Employer indicates if applicant is working under contract as an administrator, and, if yes, percentage of employment/FTE
- Employer enters school year
- Employer indicates if the teacher has been rated as effective, highly effective or is in process of being evaluated for Educator Effectiveness.
- Employer completes verification by entering name of school district, school district address, their name, signature, date, title, email and phone number.
- Employer clicks ‘finish.’
DPI Review
Application is then sent to DPI for review. Once DPI’s review is complete, all parties (applicant, employer, DPI) will receive an automated email indicating application has been completed. This email does not mean the application has been approved. To determine if the application was approved or disapproved, applicants must click on the document within the email and reference the bottom of first page of the application.
If the application is approved, please allow 6-8 weeks for payment processing. Payment will be in the form of a paper check mailed to the applicant’s home address.
If the application is disapproved, the reason for denial will be included.
Please use the following link to complete the NBPTS annual grant application:
Completed applications are due annually by June 30. To be considered ‘complete,’ the applicant AND employer sections must be fully completed AND submitted by 11:59 p.m. on June 30th.
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
