National Certification Pays! It’s a Good Investment in Students and Teachers
February 10, 2026
February 10, 2026
By Avanti Yamamoto
Being rejected from teacher education program while I was in college was one of the most devastating moments of my career. Second only to being told that no school would ever want to hire me. In that moment, what I heard instead was: no student should ever be taught by you. I was discouraged, disappointed, and confused. I never felt good enough. I thought about quitting, giving up, being the teacher they thought I was.
But then one day, an administrator stopped me and asked me if I had ever considered National Board Certification. I looked at her in disbelief—me, a teacher who had been rejected from teaching school, becoming a Board-certified teacher? National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) were my role models, the superheroes of education. But she saw something in me, so I applied.
It became the most rigorous professional learning experience of my career. Over two years, I deeply analyzed videos of my lessons and reflected on how I could improve my teaching practice. And I grew. I learned to use assessments to guide instruction. I learned how to differentiate for every student. I learned how to engage families and contribute to my professional community. Most of all, I learned how to know my students as individuals, not just as kids in a classroom.
Within two years of achieving Board Certification, I became Virginia’s Teacher of the Year. This is not a coincidence.
National Board Certification transformed me into a teacher my kids deserve to be taught by, someone who believes in the capacity and capabilities of every single child that walks through my door. Someone who not only believes every child is capable of learning and achieving at high levels, but also knows how to help them reach their potential by understanding their needs at a foundational level.
This life-changing growth was only possible because my school division invests in teachers like me. My school division covers the cost of National Board Certification using federal funding. Without that support, I could not have afforded it. And I am grateful—because even after earning a master’s degree from one of the most prestigious programs in the country, I still rank Board certification as the most impactful professional learning I’ve ever experienced. I’m not alone: 98 percent of NBCTs say the same.
The benefits extend beyond professional growth. Since becoming Board-certified, my salary has increased by about $23,000—a 40 percent raise—without leaving the classroom. Across 28 states and hundreds of districts, NBCTs earn higher pay. In the fight to raise teacher salaries and retain strong educators, Board certification offers a proven solution: pay teachers more for staying in the classroom and honing their craft.
The impact is clear in my own school. In my department, 38 percent of us have achieved or are pursuing Board certification, and as the number has grown, so have student achievement rates. Research confirms this: just one NBCT can increase the present value of students’ lifetime income by $48,000. In South Carolina, NBCTs are retained at one-third the statewide attrition rate—proof that this certification keeps strong teachers in classrooms.
Many states already recognize the value of investing in highly qualified teachers by covering Board certification expenses through state funding, including Virginia’s immediate neighbors. Currently, Virginia offers a modest $2,500 annual stipend to educators holding National Board Certification, starting after their first year. By comparison, Maryland provides a substantial $10,000 stipend, with an additional $7,000 incentive for educators teaching in Title I schools. North Carolina similarly invests significantly by offering a 12 percent salary supplement.
Over the past two years, bills have been introduced in Virginia’s General Assembly to triple our state’s stipend and cover certification costs, bringing it closer in line with our neighboring states and ensuring our educators receive competitive compensation that reflects their dedication and excellence. It’s time to pass them.
I have come a long way since that teacher who was told she didn’t belong. I have become someone worthy of teaching my students, who loves teaching, and because of National Board Certification, I know I belong— and I’m here to stay. Every teacher in Virginia deserves the same opportunity.
Avanti Kollaram Yamamoto is a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescence and Young Adulthood Mathematics and was Virginia’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. This essay originally appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch and is reprinted with its permission.
Based on what research shows teachers need to know and be able to do, the National Certification process includes four components. Specifics may vary depending on area of certification.
Avanti Yamamoto is a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescence and Young Adulthood Mathematics. She’s a VEA member and the 2025 Virginia Teacher of the Year. This essay originally appeared in the Richmond Times-Dispatch and is reprinted with its permission.
The average pay of Virginia public school teachers in 2023-24 was $65,830. That is $4,260 below the national average of $70,090.
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