Protect the National Board Certification designation as a TIA pathway in Texas

The Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) hosted a panel discussion this week titled "Why the Fight for National Board Certification Matters for Every Texas Educator!" to bring critical attention to an issue currently facing Texas teachers. The discussion featured key insights from State Board of Education Member Dr. Audrey Young, ATPE Lobbyist Tricia Cave, and NBPTS policy leaders Sarah Pinsky and Michelle Accardi. National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) Stephanie Stoebe, a longtime ATPE volunteer leader in Round Rock ISD, moderated the panel.

What is at stake?

National Board Certification is a rigorous, performance-based credential that asks educators to demonstrate deep content knowledge, reflect on instructional practices, and provide evidence of student learning impact.

Beyond its professional development value, this certification is vital because it offers an alternative pathway to increased compensation for many Texas educators who are in positions or districts that make them ineligible for the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA).

The current challenge and House Bill 2

Under Texas law, specifically following the passage of House Bill (HB) 2 by Chairman Brad Buckley (R–Salado) during the 2025 legislative session, the state is reviewing whether National Board Certification meets specific state requirements. This review has been prompted in part by concerns over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) content, Common Core curriculum, and other related topics.

There is a significant misconception concerning the use of National Board content by NBCTs—most notably, that while the National Board's professional materials may reference such topics, Texas teachers do not teach the NBPTS content in their classrooms. Like all Texas educators, Texas NBCTs strictly teach the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). National Board Certification is a credential that evaluates how a teacher instructs and reflects, not what they teach.

In response to the review, the NBPTS is actively working with state leaders and stakeholders to address these inquiries, emphasize the rigorous standards of the credential, and advocate for Texas educators with a response deadline of Nov. 2. HB 2 does not explicitly require the National Board to completely rewrite its content or state that a complete rewrite is the only way to preserve the TIA pathway designation. The statute requires the State Board for Education Certification (SBEC) to evaluate whether the certification components and assessments comply with state law and align with the State Board of Education's (SBOE) instructional materials criteria. It then requires SBEC to reauthorize or revoke the designation by Dec. 31.

Who is affected?

• Educators lacking TIA access: Undermining this pathway threatens critical salary growth opportunities for educators who lack access to local TIA designations.
• NBCT candidates: Many dedicated educators and candidates who stand to qualify and earn their designation in December 2026 face the devastating prospect of losing this opportunity entirely if the state revokes or fails to renew the pathway.
• Current NBCTs: Existing NBCTs will retain their TIA designation until the 2030-2031school year.

Did you miss the live event?

You can stream a full recording of the webinar on demand through the ATPE Professional Learning Portal. Members can log in directly with their credentials, and nonmembers can request temporary guest access.

Take action: Make your voice heard

Contact your state legislators and SBEC members: You can do this through our Advocacy Central portal, which is set up to allow you to send an email to all members of SBEC and your Texas House member and state senator. You can use a prepopulated message or draft your own. If you are an educator directly impacted and would like to testify on behalf of National Board Certification, please fill out our interest form.

1. Share your personal story: Explain what National Board Certification has meant to your professional growth, your teaching, and your career. If you are a teacher whose assignment or district system makes other TIA pathways unavailable, explain that, too. For some educators, National Board Certification is their only realistic way to qualify for a designation. Losing this pathway could mean losing their only opportunity to access that additional compensation. Whether you are currently pursuing certification, considering it for your future, or supporting colleagues on this path, protecting and expanding educator career pathways affects every single one of us. Elevating our profession and securing sustainable, increased compensation requires a united voice.
2. Clarify what happens in a Texas classroom: Texas teachers teach the TEKS. They do not teach National Board preparation materials to their students. Those materials are used in the certification process to help teachers reflect on their practice, examine their instructional decisions, and refine their skills. They are not a curriculum that replaces the TEKS or that NBCTs deliver in their classrooms.
3. Ask SBEC members to follow the law as written: HB 2 requires SBEC to evaluate the certification components and assessments for compliance with state law and alignment with the SBOE's instructional materials criteria. It does not explicitly require the National Board to rewrite its content or prescribe a complete rewrite as the only way to retain the designation. We need to make it explicitly clear to the members of SBEC that the decision-making authority is theirs here, and they do not have to take an all-or-nothing approach just because the Texas Education Agency (TEA) recommends they do so.