Colfax teachers present to board

Three Colfax teachers gave a small presentation to the Colfax school board about their passing of a national teaching test at a school board meeting Feb. 8.

The teachers are three of 14 in the county, not including Pullman, who have passed the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, (NBPTS).

NBPTS is a national, in-depth test of a teacher’s ability to teach a classroom.

A total of 3,975 Washington teachers, about five percent of all teachers. in the state, have been certified.

Washington state began a program in 2007 that pays an additional $5,000 a year to every teacher who qualifies. The check is included in their paycheck.

The Colfax teachers described how their students are learning more, as well as tell how difficult it is to become certified.

“It’s impressive. It’s very impressive,” said Steve Lyon, a school board member.

Eleven other teachers at schools around the county have passed the NBPTS; two in Palouse, two in Colton, two in Endicott, one in St. John, three in LaCrosse, and one in Rosalia, according to data from NBPTS media spokesman Jimmy Minichello.

Nineteen teachers in the Pullman district are certified.

NBPTS did not have Garfield, Oakesdale, Steptoe, or Tekoa listed.

Statistics on the NBPTS Web site said students of teachers who go through the training and certification show an increased improvement in test scores.

“After I submitted mine, I just went home and cried. I wasn’t sure I could do it,” said Kathryn Vogler to the board. Vogler is a long-time math and science teacher at Colfax High School who passed the NBPTS in 2000.

To qualify, a teacher must have taught for at least three years in their field of certification with a class enrollment of at least six students.

To apply, a teacher must pay $2,500 and write up a four-piece portfolio which takes several months to complete.