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Access, Equity and Community Engagement Services

Access, Equity and Community Engagement Services

Albert Shanker Grant Program

2021-2022 Candidate Application Period Is Open

Starting on July 9, 2021, the New York State Education Department will accept applications for the 2021-2022 Albert Shanker Grant program. Applications will continue to be accepted through February 28, 2022 or until all funds are exhausted, whichever is first.

 

Information listed in Candidate Application Section Below

Grant Information

The Albert Shanker grant was established to defray the costs of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)* certification to eligible New York State public school teachers. The New York State Education Department through the Albert Shanker Grant makes funding available to support eligible New York State public school teachers seeking their first National Board Certification.

National Board's options to support candidates during the COVID -19 pandemic may be found by clicking the link: https://www.nbpts.org/covid-19/2020-2021/

  1. National Board Certification is composed of four components. All components must be attempted within a three year period. For information regarding National Board Certification. 
     
  2. Candidates for the Albert Shanker Grant must first complete the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) Candidate application online. Candidates must also pay the annual NBPTS registration fee and register and pay for the first component.
     
  3. Once the NBPTS application has been completed, candidates must apply online for the Albert Shanker grant through NYSED . Please see the Candidate Application section below.

If a candidate is found eligible for and awarded the Albert Shanker Grant, the New York State Education Department will fund the cost of the remaining three components to National Board.

Congratulations to New York State's  2020 NBCTs! 

NYSED and NYSUT Recognition Event April 14, 2021 

https://www.nysut.org/news/2021/april/media-release-nbpts

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Albert Shanker Grant, candidates MUST:

  1. be employed as a full-time teacher in a NYS public school;
  2. hold a valid New York State teaching certificate;
  3. hold tenure in his/her current position;
  4. commit to and actually complete the entirety of the initial NBPTS candidacy effort;
  5. continue to be employed as a full-time teacher in a New York public school for at least one full school year following completion of the initial grant period;
  6. apply for NBPTS certification and pay for the first component selected; and
  7. apply for the Albert Shanker Grant.
Candidate Application Process

Before you apply for the Albert Shanker grant please read this entire message.

The 2021-2022 application period is open.

Applications will continue to be accepted through February 28, 2022 or until all funds are exhausted, whichever is first. 

 

  1. Candidates may apply for the Albert Shanker Grant by submitting the Albert Shanker Grant Application
  2. Complete Albert Shanker Grant Tenure Attestation
  3. After submitting an application online, candidates are REQUIRED to:
  • Send via email to shankergrant@nysed.gov verification that they have registered and paid for the first component with NBPTS in order to complete the process. 
  • Verification must include a copy of the Registration Receipt with NBPTS and a copy of the Payment Receipt for the First component. This may be found on the Financial Statement from National Board or individual copies of receipts may be submitted.

4.Due to NBPTS’  changes in purchasing  components, please note the important following information.  

Once awarded the Shanker grant, funds will be in your account with  NBPTS. The funds will be available when NBPTS issues a coupon code specific to you and ONLY you to purchase components. This coupon may take up to 10 days to appear in your account with NBPTS. Once the coupon  appears in your account, you MUST then take action to activate the code when you want to purchase components. If you do not take action to activate the coupon code, you will not be able to purchase components.

  1. Candidate Steps for Purchasing Components with Third Party Payer Funding 
  2. National Board Component Purchasing Instructions:

https://www.nbpts.org/tutorials-for-registration-and-candidate-system/

Candidate Reimbursement

 

Candidate reimbursement occurs after NYSED receives official notification from National Board at the end of the certification cycle after December 31st. 

Reimbursement is open ONLY for candidates who completed the National Board certification process in 2019 and 2020.

  • After a candidate completes the National Board process, the candidate will be reimbursed for the cost of their first component provided that the candidate did not receive any form of reimbursement for their first component from any source.

  • Candidates will be eligible to submit for reimbursement after NYSED has received official notification from National Board. Check the webpage for updated information. 

  • To receive reimbursement once the reimbursement period is open, the candidate must submit a written request via email for reimbursement to shankergrant@nysed.gov . Include the following:

    • Name, Candidate ID #, year the grant was received

  • The candidate will receive a voucher to be completed and returned. A check will then be issued from NYSED. This process may take 4 to 6 weeks for completion.

District Reimbursement

District Reimbursement for Albert Shanker grant

for National Board Certification

Open August 2, 2021 – November 5, 2021

  • Each eligible teacher’s sponsoring school district shall be eligible to receive a direct reimbursement from NYSED only for candidates who completed the National Board certification process in 2019 and 2020.
  • Note: due to the COVID-19 impact, districts with candidates who completed in December 2020 and February 2021 are eligible for reimbursement.
  • The reimbursement is in an amount up to $500 to cover the cost of supportive services, which may include costs of hiring a substitute teacher for up to three days, or the duration of such eligible teacher’s approved leave, whichever is less.
  • Instructions for applying for reimbursement may be found  on the form.

To qualify for such a reimbursement, a sponsoring school district must:

 

Frequently Asked Questions for Administrators

Questions Asked

  1. Do teachers need to currently hold tenure to apply for the Shanker grant?
  2. Can CTLE hours be met or awarded through the National Board process?

District Reimbursement

  1. What is the district reimbursement?
  2. How do I know if my district is eligible?
  3. What documentation do I need to submit to NYSED?
  4. Who can sign the Attestation for reimbursement?
  5. How do I submit these documents?

Questions Asked

1. Do teachers need to currently hold tenure to apply?

Yes.  Teachers must already hold tenure in their current position. Teachers cannot be waiting to receive at the time of the Shanker application, even if they have been previously tenured in another NYS district.

Please print the Tenure Attestation form, complete, sign (Superintendent or designee) and submit

Signing this Attestation form is an opportunity for the district to be informed of the teachers engaged in the process and the timeline for the $500 district reimbursement for support services provided

2. Can CTLE hours be met through the National Board process?

Yes.  According to the NYSED web site: A holder of a certificate in the classroom teaching service who achieves certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be deemed to have met the CTLE requirement for the registration period in which such National Board Certification is achieved; provided that the CTLE certificate holder continues to meet the applicable required CTLE requirements in language acquisition as described above.

In addition:  Teachers can opt to earn, through Empire State College, 3 graduate credits per National Board component.  As per the NYSED web site: For credit-bearing university or college courses, each semester-hour of credit shall equal 15 clock hours of CTLE credit

District Reimbursement

1. What is district reimbursement?

  • Since the 2015-2016 National Board cycle, districts became eligible to receive up to $500 per candidate that has completed the National Board process.  The teacher can elect to take up to three years to complete all four components the first time.  When they have completed the National Board process, whether they certify or not; the district is eligible to submit for reimbursement for up to $500 (per candidate) to cover costs to support that teacher in their pursuit of National Board.  Such costs could include:  substitute teacher for release days, writing institutes, providing in district candidate support with a Professional Learning Facilitator (PLF), etc.

2. How do I know if my district is eligible?

  • In the Spring of 2019 current Shanker candidates will be required to complete the Tenure Attestation form. Districts may keep a copy of this form for their records.
  • The Tenure Attestation form will be a requirement for all Albert Shanker grant candidates in subsequent application periods.

3. When am I allowed to submit for district reimbursement?

  • Districts are eligible to submit for the individual reimbursements (per candidate) when the candidate has completed the process*.
  • There is an open submission window, referenced on the NYSED Shanker Grant web page.
  • The typical timeframe is between the beginning of May and end of June in any school year.

* the term “completed the process” means the candidate has submitted all four of the components the first time, regardless of certification status, and NYSED has been notified by National Board.

4. What documentation do I need to submit to NYSED?

You will need to submit:

  • The Shanker Grant reimbursement form
  • The Shanker Grant Attestation form

5. How do I submit these documents?
You must submit via mail as documents must contain original signatures.

  • Mail:  
    NYS Education Department
    Office of Post Secondary Access, Support and Success
    Attn: Albert Shanker Grant Program EB 5N
    89 Washington Avenue 
    Albany, NY 12234

6. Who can sign the Attestation for reimbursement?

  • The Superintendent or his/her designee

7. How will I be notified if my forms have been received?

  • You will receive an email from NYSED indicating your reimbursement paperwork has been received. 

Contact Information

All questions should be directed to:
Albert Shanker Grant Program Administrator
Phone: 518-486-2978
Email: shankergrant@nysed.gov

Additional candidate support:

  • Professional Learning Components Two and Three:
  • National Board Council of New York: nbcny.org
  • National Board Customer Support 1-800-22TEACH (1-800-228-3224)