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National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Inc

EIN 52-1512323 · Arlington, VA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak47 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE FOUNDING MISSION OF THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS IS TO ADVANCE THE QUALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING BY: MAINTAINING HIGH AND RIGOROUS STANDARDS FOR WHAT ACCOMPLISHED TEACHERS SHOULD KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO; PROVIDING A NATIONAL VOLUNTARY SYSTEM CERTIFYING TEACHERS WHO MEET THESE STANDARDS; AND ADVOCATING RELATED EDUCATION REFORMS TO INTEGRATE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION IN AMERICAN EDUCATION AND TO CAPITALIZE ON THE EXPERTISE OF NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS.

Income
$37.5 million
Spending
$36.3 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
-0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 62%
Employees
57
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$536,083, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 76% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    28 of 28 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $18.1 million spent. STANDARDS AND ASSESSTMENT: THE NATIONAL BOARD'S WORK IN THIS AREA FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND REVISION OF NATIONAL BOARD STANDARDS, WHICH ARE CREATED BY TEACHERS, FOR TEACHERS; AND THE REDESIGN AND OPERATION OF NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION, THE PROFESSION'S PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT FOR ACCOMPLISHED TEACHING. NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION IS SIMILAR TO BOARD CERTIFICATION IN OTHER FIELDS, SUCH AS MEDICINE. A RIGOROUS, PERFORMANCE-BASED, PEER REVIEW PROCESS ENABLES TEACHERS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY MEET THE PROFESSION'S HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ACCOMPLISHED PRACTICE. AS OF THE 2024-25 FISCAL YEAR, THE NATIONAL BOARD CELEBRATED MORE THAN 141,000 NATIONAL BOARD-CERTIFIED TEACHERS (NBCT) ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THESE ACCOMPLISHED EDUCATORS ARE ADVANCING STUDENT LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT, REPRESENTING ALL 50 STATES AND 25 CERTIFICATE AREAS, FROM PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
  2. $6.4 million spent. EXPERIENCE AND ACTIVIATION: THE NATIONAL BOARD UNDERTAKES STRATEGIC PROJECTS TO ADVANCE INNOVATION AND EQUITY TO MORE RAPIDLY BRING ACCOMPLISHED TEACHING TO STUDENTS WHO NEED IT MOST. THESE PROJECTS ARE FUNDED THROUGH A MIX OF FEDERAL AND FOUNDATION SOURCES. THE NATIONAL BOARD HAS BUILT AND MAINTAINS PARTNERSHIPS WITH STATES, DISTRICTS, AND TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS TO EMBED ATLAS (ACCOMPLISHED TEACHING, LEARNING AND SCHOOLS), A UNIQUE ONLINE LIBRARY OF VIDEOS SHOWING NBCTS AT WORK IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, PAIRED WITH THEIR OWN WRITTEN COMMENTARY ON THEIR INSTRUCTION AND STUDENTS' LEARNING, AS A SUPPORT TO TEACHERS ACROSS THE EDUCATOR CAREER CONTINUUM. THE NATIONAL BOARD ALSO UTILIZES HOMEROOM - A COLLECTION OF RESOURCES DESIGNED TO HELP EDUCATORS NAVIGATE THE BOARD CERTIFICATION PROCESS FROM START TO SUBMISSION. THE NATIONAL BOARD ACADEMY WILL CONVENE THOUSANDS OF EDUCATORS, PROVIDING THOUGHT PROVOKING SESSIONS ON ISSUES CRITICAL TO THE TEACHING PROFESSION. PARTICIPANTS WILL DEVELOP SKILLS, LEARN FROM COLLEAGUES, BUILD COMMUNITY AND GAIN INSIGHT INTO NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.
  3. $5.7 million spent. ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATIONS: THE NATIONAL BOARD ENGAGES NATIONAL BOARD-CERTIFIED TEACHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ADVANCE ACCOMPLISHED TEACHING AND TO SUPPORT THEIR LEADERSHIP ROLE IN ELEVATING THE PROFESSION. THROUGH 2024-25, THE NATIONAL BOARD WORKED WITH 75 AFFILIATED NBCT NETWORKS, COMPRISED OF GROUPS OF NBCTS IN REGIONS AND STATES WORKING TO ADVANCE ACCOMPLISHED TEACHING IN AWARENESS, POLICY, AND PRACTICE. EACH SUMMER, THE NATIONAL BOARD ACADEMY BRINGS THESE ADVOCATES TOGETHER TO SHARE SUCCESSES AND PLAN FOR THE YEAR AHEAD. THE NATIONAL BOARD IS ACTIVE IN EDUCATION POLICY DISCUSSIONS AT THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS. THROUGH THESE POLICY EFFORTS, THE NATIONAL BOARD WORKS TO ENGAGE POLICY MAKERS IN BOARDS OF EDUCATION, STATE LEGISLATURES, CONGRESS AND NONPROFIT ASSOCIATIONS WORKING TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING.
  4. $2.4 million spent. INNOVATIVE SOLUTION HUB

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1987.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.