Teacher Leader KnowledgeBase

This KnowledgeBase archive includes content and external links that were accurate and relevant as of September 30, 2019.

The Teacher Leader KnowledgeBase aims to raise awareness of the teacher leader role at the district level and to support teachers aspiring to the teacher leader role through master's degree-level university programs.

Task 1: Be Aware of Standards and Certification/Licensure Guidelines

Guideline: A teacher aspiring to be a teacher leader, master teacher, peer mentor, or academic coach should investigate the applicable state standards or certification/licensure guidelines associated with those leadership roles. Among the states offering such professional designation, the standards or certification/licensure guidelines may vary. Teachers considering such roles should contact the respective teacher certification agency within their state.

Resources

Guidelines

Master Teacher Standards and Certification/Licensure Guidelines

This document provides information on five states' master teacher programs. The requirements vary by state. Teachers aspiring to a master teacher role should contact the respective teacher certification agency within their state.

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

This link is to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) website. As noted at its website, NBPTS "was formed in 1987 to advance the quality of teaching and learning by developing professional standards for accomplished teaching, creating a voluntary system to certify teachers who meet those standards and integrating certified teachers into educational reform efforts." While the NBPTS standards focus on content mastery, they do not reflect on a formally designated teacher leader role.

Teacher Leader Model Standards

This link is to the teacher leader model standards developed by the Teacher Leader Exploratory Consortium.

Teacher Leader Standards and Certification/Licensure Guidelines

This document provides information on six states' teacher leader guidelines. The requirements vary by state. Teachers aspiring to a teacher leader role should contact the respective teacher certification agency within their state.