St. Mary’s Schools Nearly Double National Board Certified Teachers, Rank 17th Nationally

LEONARDTOWN, Md. — St. Mary’s County Public Schools nearly doubled its number of National Board Certified teachers this year, with 45 educators earning the credential and four others who successfully maintained their certification. 

School officials announced the achievement during the Board of Education meeting held March 18. The milestone brings the total number of National Board Certified teachers in the district to 97, up from 52 prior to the most recent certification cycle.

National Board Certification, administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, is an advanced credential that recognizes accomplished teaching through a rigorous, performance-based process. Candidates complete extensive portfolios, analyze student work, submit classroom video recordings and demonstrate measurable impact on student learning.

The National Board announced this year that more than 146,000 teachers nationwide have earned National Board Certification, including over 8,700 educators who achieved or maintained the credential in the most recent cycle. During Team NBCT Week, the organization also highlighted national leaders, with Maryland ranking No. 1 among states for newly certified teachers.

St. Mary’s County Public School leaders said the process requires hundreds of hours of reflection, data analysis and instructional evaluation.

“They say that teaching is the profession that creates all other professions,” said Dr. Dale Farrell, chief of staff for St. Mary’s County Public Schools. “If that’s true, then tonight we are standing in the presence of the master architects.”

Farrell said the certification reflects both a commitment to professional growth and a measurable impact on students.

“This certification represents hundreds of hours of deep reflection, performance-based assessments, rigorous data analysis, teacher portfolios, student work samples and recorded self-critiques,” Farrell said. “They prove that they don’t just teach; they make a positive impact on their students.”

According to Farrell, school system data showed 145 SMCPS teachers participated in the 2024–25 certification cycle, including new candidates, those continuing the multi-year process and teachers seeking to renew their credentials.

As a result of the latest cohort, St. Mary’s County Public Schools ranked 17th in the nation for the number of newly certified teachers, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Twelve Maryland school systems placed in the nation’s top 20.

Additional data indicated that as of 2026, Maryland ranked sixth in the nation for total National Board Certified teachers ever certified.

Farrell credited the district’s internal support structure for helping candidates complete the certification process, including professional learning facilitators who guide teachers through the yearlong program.

“By earning this certification, you’ve strengthened the very fabric of our schools,” Farrell said. “You are quite literally changing the trajectory of lives one classroom at a time.”

Teachers who achieve National Board Certification must renew their credentials every five years. During the meeting, four educators were also recognized for maintaining their certification.

SMCPS teachers recognized for having achieved National Board Certification

SMCPS staff maintaining National Board Certification status

• Crystal Brookens – Leonardtown Middle School
• Leslie Drechsler – Department of Curriculum and Instruction
• Mary Wilkinson Leonardtown Middle School
• Mary Wood  – Park Hall Elementary School

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