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NBPTS Awards Five-Year Contract to Pearson For Educator Certification Testing Program

DALLAS – March 3, 2008 – Today at the Association of Test Publishers Conference, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS®) announced that it has awarded Pearson a five-year contract for the period 2009-2013 to develop, administer and score its National Board Certification program for accomplished teachers. Pearson will collaborate with NBPTS to manage its advanced teacher certification program in 25 certificate areas that span 16 subject areas.

National Board Certification is a voluntary assessment program designed to identify great teachers and make them even more effective. National Board Certified Teachers have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based assessment that may take one to three years to complete. The assessment process requires teachers to submit four portfolio entries of classroom practice. The portfolio entries include at least two video recordings of classroom-based interactions between the teacher and students. The teachers are also required to respond to six content-based assessment center exercises, assignments that require written or spoken responses to demonstrate content knowledge.

Pearson is bringing the resources and expertise of three of its businesses to support the NBPTS program. The Educational Measurement group of Pearson will develop portfolio entries as well as conduct professional scoring of portfolio entries and assessment center exercises at its network of performance scoring centers across the U.S. Educational Measurement will also perform research and psychometric studies. A trusted partner in district, state and national assessments for more than 50 years, the Educational Measurement group of Pearson is a comprehensive provider of educational assessment products, services and solutions.

The Evaluation Systems group of Pearson (formerly National Evaluation Systems) will develop the content-specific assessment center exercises for the 25 certificates in the NBPTS program. Evaluation Systems will also be responsible for the design, production and delivery of professional publications and program support material. Evaluation Systems is the national leader in the development and administration of standards-based teacher licensure testing programs, working in California, New York, Florida and 12 other states.

Pearson VUE will deliver the computer-based administration of assessment center exercises for each of the 25 certificates in the NBPTS program. Pearson VUE offers computer-based exams through the world’s largest network of more than 5,000 test centers in 163 countries, providing testing services for information technology, regulatory and certification boards, academic, government and corporate clients.

“Our mission at NBPTS is to maintain the highest quality standards for what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do,” said Joseph A. Aguerrebere, NBPTS president and CEO. “Pearson brings a wealth of assessment, teacher licensure testing and education experience to the development, delivery and scoring of the certification program for this teaching credential that recognizes and rewards great teachers.”
        
Nearly 64,000 teachers have successfully completed the rigorous NBPTS certification and earned this advanced teaching credential.  All 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 700 local school districts recognize National Board Certification as a mark of distinction, similar to the way the medical and accounting professions recognize expertise. 

“Teachers who earn National Board Certification define the highest quality standard for the teaching profession,” said Douglas Kubach, president and CEO of the Assessment and Information group of Pearson.  “Pearson is honored to be selected by NBPTS to provide the innovative testing and technology solutions for this prestigious advanced certification program.”

For more information about NBPTS and National Board Certification, visit www.nbpts.org.  For more information about Pearson, go to www.pearson.com.

About the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Created by educators and policymakers in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan and nongovernmental organization. NBPTS advances the quality of teaching and learning by developing professional standards for accomplished teaching; creating and administering National Board Certification, a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards; and integrating certified teachers into educational reform efforts. Today, nearly 64,000 National Board Certified Teachers are making a positive difference in the lives of students across the nation.

About Pearson
Pearson is the global leader in educational and professional assessment and information management services, helping people of all ages to learn at their own pace, in their own way. Pearson provides effective and innovative educational assessment and measurement solutions for students and teachers, student information systems and productivity tools for teachers and educators, and teacher professional development and certification programs.  Pearson’s comprehensive offerings help inform targeted instruction and intervention so that success is within reach of every student.