Members of Kentucky’s 2026 class of National Board Certified Teachers pose for a group photo with Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher, top left, following the pinning ceremony. Photo by Myles Young, Kentucky Department of Education, Feb. 23, 2026
(FRANKFORT, KY) – Kentucky celebrated 83 teachers newly certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) during a ceremony at Kentucky State University on Feb. 23.
This year, 104 educators also opted to renew their certification. The National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) designation is the highest certification that pre-K-12 educators may obtain. Now with 4,584 NBCTs, Kentucky is 9th in the nation for total certified teachers, and 12th in the nation for newly certified teachers this year.
Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said he is proud of this year’s class and the high caliber of knowledge they demonstrate.
“I’m always amazed at how skilled our teachers are and how they constantly strive for excellence,” Fletcher said. “Together, we are building an environment where our students receive the highest-quality education from the highest-quality teachers.”
Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman congratulated the educators, saying that their care and expertise leave an impact on the next generation.
“The personal relationships we have with students that change their lives, you always carry that with you and it never leaves you,” Coleman said.
The NBCT certification is designed to develop and retain accomplished teachers, ultimately improving student learning outcomes. To achieve this certification, educators go through a rigorous, performance-based assessment process that evaluates teaching expertise.
Educators submit a detailed portfolio of student work, filled with examples of what teachers have done outside the classroom to improve student achievement. Teachers submit a reflective piece on student learning and then take a challenging exam to demonstrate they have mastered their certification area.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) supports the Kentucky NBCT Network, which is a community of NBCTs, candidates and supporters across Kentucky. The network helps provide resources and supports candidates through their journey to attain NBCT status.
Allie Green, education program consultant in KDE’s Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness, said this year’s class showed incredible commitment.
“I’m so proud of all the newly certified and maintained National Board teachers honored today,” Green said. “The process is rigorous, but the impact is lasting. Each teacher’s commitment, perseverance and mastery helps elevate the teaching profession and greatly improves their school.”
NBCTs are entitled to an annual $2,000 salary bonus for the life of their certificate.
Upon successful completion of National Board certification, Kentucky teachers currently holding a Rank II certificate are eligible to apply for Rank I status, and those currently holding a Rank III certificate are eligible to apply for Rank II.
During the ceremony, the Kentucky NBCT network presented two NBCTs with Network Champion Awards, Caitlin McClure and Brian McDowell. Established in 2021, the Network Champion Award honors two Kentuckians who have demonstrated outstanding support in advancing the mission of sharing accomplished teaching to improve student learning across Kentucky.
McClure is an assistant principal at Marion C. Moore School (Jefferson County) with more than 17 years of experience in education. She spent most of her career as a high school English language arts teacher at schools in Henry and Jefferson counties.
McClure served as an NBCT professional learning facilitator for her school-based cohort for three years, where she supported teachers through their own journeys to NBCT status. McClure is also pursuing her doctorate at the University of Kentucky in curriculum and instruction with a focus on adolescent literacy.
“Becoming an NBCT solidifies in me the power of reflection and of conducting actionable research in my own classroom and school,” McClure said in a statement. “At its heart, that’s what the core of NBPTS is, acting, analyzing, reflecting and responding accordingly, and above all the power of knowing your students.”
McDowell is a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) teacher at Highlands Middle School (Fort Thomas Independent). He has received the Kentucky Science Teachers Association’s Middle School Teacher of the Year Award, the National Science Teachers Association’s Inquiry Based Teaching Award, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching and has helped his schools win more than $70,000 in grants.
McDowell has been an NBCT since 2012 and recently started mentoring teachers going through the NBCT process at Fort Thomas Independent Schools.
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