Tuscaloosa City Schools highlights growth in National Board Certified teachers; district expects record certifications
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Summary
District officials and a National Board support coach told the board that Tuscaloosa has 60 National Board Certified Teachers, reported a large pipeline of active candidates and expects an unusually high number of certifications in December 2025.
Tuscaloosa City Schools administrators on April 1 highlighted growth in the district’s National Board Certification pipeline and recognized teachers who recently completed certification maintenance or new certification.
Rachel Goggins, the district’s National Board support coach, told the board that board certification is a rigorous, voluntary process that requires portfolios, written commentaries and assessments. "Board certification is a nationally recognized certificate akin to a seal of excellence in the teaching profession," Goggins said.
Goggins reported that the district currently counts 60 National Board Certified Teachers. She said TCS had eight teachers achieve certification in December 2024 and that, because of recent grant-supported supports and active candidate retention, the district anticipates between 25 and 30 teachers could achieve certification in December 2025 — a number local staff said would be unprecedented in Alabama.
Dr. Maxey, who addressed the board during the recognition, praised the district’s investment in teacher development and said the board and superintendent have supported certification efforts over many years. A board member also urged wider recognition of the district’s progress, saying the results should be celebrated publicly.
Why it matters: Research cited by district staff indicates students taught by National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) can show incremental gains in learning; the district emphasized that supporting NBCT candidacies is part of its teacher-development strategy.
Details presented to the board
- Active candidates and certifications: The district reported 56 active candidates in the previous year and had 60 NBCTs at the meeting date. The district also reported nine teachers completed maintenance of certification this cycle.
- Recent certificants recognized (December 2024): Lisonbee Mudd (Central High School, mathematics, adolescent and young adulthood); Hannah Reed (Northridge Middle School, science); Candace Sparks (Rock Quarry Elementary School, literacy/reading/language arts); Lauren Hathcock Campbell (Central Elementary, exceptional needs specialist); Emily Foster (Werner Elementary, early childhood generalist); Caitlin Keating (Rock Quarry Elementary, literacy/reading); Rhonda Lane (Northside High School, English language arts); Alicia Ware (Northside High School, mathematics). The board pinned certificants who were present.
- Supports and funding: Goggins credited a Margins Center grant and district supports for increasing candidate numbers and retention in the certification process.
Next steps
District staff plan to continue supporting candidates; administrators said they will report back on certification totals after December 2025 scores are released.
