by Meghan Leadabrand, Center for Science, Mathematics & Computer Education
Congratulations to science teachers Alison Klein of Kearney High School (Kearney Public Schools, Kearney, Nebraska) and Kathryn Miller-Krivanek of Bryan High School (Omaha Public Schools, Omaha, NE) for earning their National Board Certification in 2025! These two chemistry teachers sought this prestigious accomplishment as part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's National Science Foundation-funded Robert Noyce Master Teaching Fellows program. The Noyce program is a three-college collaborative led by UNL College of Education and Human Sciences' Beth Lewis, PhD, and joined by faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences (Dan Claes, PhD; David Harwood, PhD; and Wendy Smith, PhD) and College of Agricultural and Natural Sciences (LJ McElravy, PhD).
According to the National Board website, certification is "recognized as the gold standard in teacher certification...Established in 1987, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent, nonprofit organization working to advance accomplished teaching for all students." With standards and assessments created by teachers, for teachers, the National Board boasts a decade of research to support the positive impacts of Board-certified teachers on students.
"I am proud to have learned how I can better serve my students and my school community as a teacher and leader," said Miller-Krivanek, who received a scholarship from the NBPTS to enroll in this process, of her achievement.
To earn their NBC, a teacher must undergo a rigorous portfolio submission and science content testing process. The NBPTS then assesses each portfolio in relationship to five core teaching propositions aligned with research-based professional knowledge and reflective instructional practices, as well as strong content knowledge.
"National Board Certification challenged me...Through continuous reflection, analysis of student thinking, and purposeful revision of practice, I strengthened my commitment to approaching my own practice with a growth mindset," said Klein, science teacher and department chair at Kearney High School.
"This experience reinforced my belief in learner-centered, equitable instruction and in teaching as a professional, reflective practice," Klein added.
Klein and Miller-Krivanek are two of only eleven science teachers to have earned this honor in Nebraska out of a total of 159 K-12 teachers who have earned this distinction in the state. They join the ranks of nearly 142,000 teachers across the US who have earned certification.