The ESPB has developed collaborative working relationships with many professional organizations around the state. Board members and staff have also worked with a number of individual districts and consortia on Goals 2000 grant projects involving professional development initiatives, school improvement, and mentoring of new teachers. Effective Practices , involved the input of over 200 educators and community members in the development of a best practices guidelines document for professional development activities. The Professional Development Guidelines will be shown at several of the professional conferences this fall and a training of trainers will be held in November to provide teams with expert information on effective professional development practices in each Teacher Learning Center region around the state. As the Board continues, great care will be taken to assure that the board includes not only the broad based representation indicated above, but also balance according to geographic and gender representation, elementary, middle level and secondary levels, and large and small schools.
Certification refers to an individual's qualification to teach.
In order to teach in the state of North Dakota, an individual must have a current North Dakota teaching certificate. To receive a certificate, individuals must submit official college transcripts showing they have successfully completed all necessary course work in an approved teacher education program with a minimum 2.5 grade point average, including student teaching, be recommended for certification, pay the required fees, and clear screening for criminal records that would prohibit them from teaching according to state law. The ESPB is responsible both for issuance of teaching certificates and for hearing review requests on certification denial and revocation. Individuals completing these specific requirements receive a credential. Credentialing is still handled by the Department of Public Instruction, in collaboration with specialty area professional organizations.