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National Board Certification (NBPTS) Syllabus
Advanced voluntary certification for experienced teachers issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.. The complete National Board Certification (NBPTS) outline — 8 subjects, 26 chapters and 81 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
National Board Certification (NBPTS) subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
3 chapters · 11 topics · 29 sub-topics
The Five Core Propositions5 chapters · 16 topics · 32 sub-topics
Component 1: Content Knowledge (Computer-Based Assessment)3 chapters · 9 topics · 18 sub-topics
Component 2: Differentiation in Instruction (Portfolio)3 chapters · 9 topics · 18 sub-topics
Component 3: Teaching Practice and Learning Environment (Video Portfolio)3 chapters · 9 topics · 18 sub-topics
Component 4: Effective and Reflective Practitioner (Portfolio)3 chapters · 9 topics · 18 sub-topics
Evidence, Reflective Writing, and Scoring3 chapters · 9 topics · 19 sub-topics
Maintaining and Leveraging Certification3 chapters · 9 topics · 18 sub-topics
National Board Certification (NBPTS) flashcard decks
405 question-and-answer cards across 8 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
- Foundations of National Board Certification — 50 cards
- The Five Core Propositions — 51 cards
- Component 1: Content Knowledge (Computer-Based Assessment) — 51 cards
- Component 2: Differentiation in Instruction (Portfolio) — 50 cards
- Component 3: Teaching Practice and Learning Environment (Video Portfolio) — 51 cards
- Component 4: Effective and Reflective Practitioner (Portfolio) — 51 cards
- Evidence, Reflective Writing, and Scoring — 51 cards
- Maintaining and Leveraging Certification — 50 cards
How to work through the National Board Certification (NBPTS) syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: The Five Core Propositions carries 16 topics while Maintaining and Leveraging Certification carries 9. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for National Board Certification (NBPTS).
The ~95 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
National Board Certification (NBPTS) syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the National Board Certification (NBPTS) syllabus?
National Board Certification (NBPTS) covers 8 subjects: Foundations of National Board Certification, The Five Core Propositions, Component 1: Content Knowledge (Computer-Based Assessment), Component 2: Differentiation in Instruction (Portfolio), Component 3: Teaching Practice and Learning Environment (Video Portfolio), Component 4: Effective and Reflective Practitioner (Portfolio), Evidence, Reflective Writing, and Scoring and Maintaining and Leveraging Certification. Together they contain 26 chapters and 81 named topics.
How many topics does the National Board Certification (NBPTS) syllabus contain?
The full National Board Certification (NBPTS) outline breaks down into 26 chapters, 81 topics and 170 sub-topics. The Five Core Propositions is the largest single subject with 16 topics across 5 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole National Board Certification (NBPTS) syllabus?
Roughly 95 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 5 weeks.
Are there National Board Certification (NBPTS) flashcards?
Yes — 405 question-and-answer flashcards across 8 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this National Board Certification (NBPTS) syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the National Board Certification (NBPTS) syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too, in United States and everywhere else. No account is needed to start.
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