National Board Questions, MOC Candidates Information & More: FAQs & Contact

While I am an NBCT ( and have been since 1999) and love NBPTS, I have no direct affiliation with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

The views and opinions that I state and express are in no way reflective of the National Board and are my own. I appreciate NBPTS and the work that they are doing for teachers in allowing them to GROW!!!

You can find official NBPTS questions and contact information, as well as the NBPTS contact form, on the organization’s website.

Unfortunately, no. Due to the high volume of candidates and the support and attention provided to my candidates as a candidate support provider, I am unable to offer consultations. There just are not enough hours in the day :)

Yes, we are able to offer gift certificates. Please reach out to [email protected] to request this and the team will get this set for you. 

In short, I am unable to offer advice to members outside of my programs. Many questions that you have about your work can be and are answered within my initial courses, group coaching for course members, and Cohorts.

My private Facebook groups are good places for advice. However, remember that there are many ways of interpreting directions. Please note that while we try to manage false information, there may be some out on Facebook.

Initial Facebook Group

MOC Facebook Group

I also have some great information on my Youtube Channel for both Initial and MOC Candidates, which can be found HERE.

After much thought, I have changed the live events to mini-courses to allow more teachers the flexibility to learn from these amazing  experiences at anytime they are ready. The Initial NBPTS New Candidate Academy will help support you in getting started with the NBPTS Process and how to begin to think like an NBCT.

The Bootcamp (for Maintenance of Certification) supports you in developing your PGEs and making sure those PGEs will meet the scoring rubric for NBPTS. In addition, teachers love the analytical and reflective writing stems, mini-course on the different styles of writing, homework examples, and so much more.

Both of these experiences are worth their weight in gold. Go sign up and get started today!

A National Board Certified teacher is one of the most respected and coveted certifications available in education. It provides numerous benefits to teachers, students, and schools.

It was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. The process is daunting, but with the right support, can be fulfilling and open many doors for your education career.

Yes! In fact, all of my coaching programs for initial candidates (Component 3 and Component 4), as well as my Renew Like a Pro Cohort, walk you through the process of developing your NBPTS teaching portfolio to become a board-certified teacher or maintaining your NBPTS renewal certification.

Many of my candidates have described my programs as the best teacher professional development they have ever been through. 

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, also commonly referred to as NBPTS, is considered to be the gold standard in teaching. The NBPTS ultimately believes that higher standards for teachers mean better learning for students.

The distinction of National Board Certified Teacher is key in showing that you embody the characteristics of what good teaching is and looks like. It’s a credential recognized by a wide range of educators and education administrators.

Looking for more information about the NBPTS or have National Board Questions? Find additional details about the certification process for teachers and NBPTS contact information.

Tracey teaches with a reverse-engineered process to ensure that teachers are growing to be the best they can be in the classroom. She helps you reflect on your teaching and see this process as a growth portfolio, not just a deadline or project that has to be turned in.

In many cases, yes they can. Many states allow your National Board Certification (NBPTS Certification) to serve as proof for license renewal for teachers. Some states also allow those with an NBPTS Certification to bypass the requirement for completing CEU Credits or Professional Development hours.

Yes, I have a number of different options, but I encourage candidates pursuing initial NBPTS Certification to start with my FREE Initial Challenge that really breaks down the process to understand what is expected throughout the 4 different components. Initial candidates typically then begin with Component 4 and then move to Component 3. (Open enrollment is June-May)

For teachers National Board Renewal (now known as NBPTS MOC), I encourage you to join my Bootcamp. This will get you in the right steps of planning for NBPTS, tips for national board writing, and how to pick your PGEs (Professional Growth Experiences). Candidates then have the option to join in the Renew Like a Pro during the season. (Open enrollment is June-May)

In short, the broader context for teaching and learning are the goals that you used to plan the lesson. These typically combine many goals over a long period of time for students to internalize their learning. I wrote a blog that shows how the broader context of teaching and learning ties to the NBPTS standards and lesson planning.

The National Board uses the term M.O.C. Some refer to it as "mock" but the proper term is stating each letter individually: "Em Oh Cee".

Ironically, no. National Board Certification includes administrators and counselors along with educators.

Many candidates find that their title has changed due to career advancement, such as entering into administration.  However these non-teaching education professionals are still able to maintain certification. The initial certification areas include:  

• Art Early and Middle Childhood
• Art Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
• Career and Technical Education
• Career and Technical Education Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
• English as a New Language Early and Middle Childhood
• English as a New Language Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
• English Language Arts Early Adolescence
• English Language Arts Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• Exceptional Needs Specialist Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
• Generalist Early Childhood
• Generalist Middle Childhood
• Health Education Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
• Library Media Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
• Literacy: Reading–Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood
• Mathematics Early Adolescence
• Mathematics Adolescence and Young Adulthood.
• Music Early and Middle Childhood
• Music Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
• Physical Education Early and Middle Childhood
• Physical Education Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood
• School Counseling Early Childhood through Young Adulthood
• Science Early Adolescence  
• Science Adolescence and Young Adulthood  
• Social Studies–History Early Adolescence
• Social Studies–History Adolescence and Young Adulthood
• World Languages Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood

Tracey Bryant Stuckey has been involved in teacher coaching and mentorship for over 25 years. This passion and drive comes from losing her mother before she was able to achieve her National Board status. Feel free to read more about her story.

Her efforts were grass roots by being contracted by local school districts to help with NBPTS certification, but in 2019 she launched the online platform and has coached 1000+ teachers virtually.

No, although the two are similar, the Maintenance of Certification is a 5-year certification where the National Board Renewal process was a 10-year certification. Basically, the MOC certification is half the work, half the money, and half the years of certification. Most candidates find it easier to complete the National Board Maintenance of Certification NB MOC process.

The National Board claims that the majority of candidates take under 60 hours to complete. Tracey has developed a 12-week calendar for cohort members that can break this entire process down into just a few hours a week for 12 weeks. Having a clear roadmap and cohort can help keep you on track and accountable to complete the process.

Initial Facebook Group

MOC Facebook Group

I also have some great information on my Youtube Channel for both Initial and MOC Candidates, which can be found HERE

National Board Renewal is not offered, however, the NBPTS MOC process has replaced this. Many candidates felt it was difficult to certify and then wait 10 years to recertify.

The 5 year National Board for teacher certification helps keep the NBPTS 5 Core Propositions at the forefront of your brain and ensure that you are maintaining the standards of what accomplished teaching should be. National board teacher renewal should now be referred to as National Board Maintenance of Certification.

In 2020, the National Board accepted submissions for the final round of National Board Certification Renewal Portfolios. This process was composed of 4 components and culminated in the Profile of Professional Growth (PPG).

This portfolio helped demonstrate how their practice continued to align with the Five Core Propositions. National board teacher certification renewal, while being discontinued, has been replaced by the NBPTS MOC Process.

This simply refers to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Process.

If you are already a National Board Certified teacher, then 100% YES, it is for you! It is rewarding and much easier than initial certification. Many states offer incentives and stipends for teachers who attain National Board Certification and complete and maintain certification with the NBPTS MOC portfolio.

MOC Milestones are essential to the NBPTS MOC process. In fact, without them, you will not achieve. I did a youtube video on Milestones as well as a blog that should help you better understand MOC Milestones.

The National Board MOC instructions is a 51-page document that spells out exactly what the NBPTS is looking for in the Maintenance of Certification, however, the directions and what is being asked are sometimes difficult to interpret. In the Bootcamp, I go over the process and really break it down into manageable bite-sized chunks. Within the cohort, I walk you through step by step of the entire process from start to finish. I help take the overwhelmed feeling and turn it into affirmation.

Ready to start working toward your NBPTS certification or recertification? Choose the program that best matches your needs to get started!

• MOC Renew Like a Pro Program

• Initial or Retake Class