VA to pay teaching credential fee

VFW Magazine, August, 2004 by Tim Dyhouse

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announced in May that VA will reimburse eligible veterans up to $2,000 for National Board Certification fees for each first-time or retake assessment. NBPTS noted in a news release that "VA will reimburse fees associated with retake portions of the assessment if candidates do not achieve certification on their first attempt."

National Board Certification, which takes between one and three years to achieve, is the highest credential in the teaching profession. It is achieved through a "rigorous performance-based assessment that measures what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do."

Veterans must be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill to participate. For more information, access www.nbpts.org/candidates/become.cfm or call 1-800-22TEACH. For information on the GI Bill, access www.gibill.va.gov or call 1-888-GI-BILL-1.