Although all 50 states invest in National Board Certified Teachers, what that means for improving the quality of a state's education is unclear.

Whether it's worth the investment of the state or teacher is the question, and one that can't be answered at this time, said Dr. Cyndy Stephens, the director of education work force research and development for the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, the agency responsible for issuing teaching certificates in the state.

Georgia teachers receive a 10 percent raise once they become National Board Certified, and South Carolina teachers receive a $7,500 annual salary supplement.

There is research showing a correlation between teachers who are National Board Certified and the academic achievements of their pupils, but that research is limited, Dr. Stephens said.

"The research that is out there is valid research," she said. "It's just that it's not extensive."

The same can be said of advanced degrees, Dr. Stephens said.

"We certainly don't have the information that it's not worth the investment," she said.

Caroline Miklosovic doesn't need research to know the benefit of National Board Certification. She needs to look no further than her own classroom, where she's learned the value of lively teaching of a dead language.

Mrs. Miklosovic, a Latin teacher at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, was one of 328 Georgia teachers to complete the yearlong certification process this year. Georgia ranked fourth in the number of new National Board

Certified Teachers this year. South Carolina ranked third, with 574 newly certified teachers.

"I don't see how anybody can go through this process and not learn something," she said.

During the process, she continually scrutinized her lesson plans and even watched videos of her teaching to ensure that she effectively reached all of her pupils using multiple learning styles.

With no system of awarding merit pay, teachers must turn to advanced degrees and National Board Certification to boost their salaries, Mrs. Miklosovic said.

Teachers are often not treated as equals to other professions. Many, such as accountants, are rewarded with greater pay for becoming certified or attaining some other professional achievement.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which administers the certification, points to research by The CNA Corp., Arizona State University, the University of Washington, the Urban Institute and others that supports the benefits of the national certification.

States might be banking on National Board Certification, but teachers held up as models for other teachers often aren't nationally certified.

In fact, only three National Board Certified teachers have been named National Teacher of the Year since 1990, according to Jon Quam, the director of the National Teacher of the Year Program.

The 1997 winner served on the national board and so couldn't become National Board Certified, and the 2005 winner is in the process of becoming National Board Certified.

"At this point, national certification is not a requirement for being named national teacher of the year, but any intensive professional development experience such as national certification certainly would carry some weight in any review process," Mr. Quam said.

The state doesn't have the ability to track teachers' success in the classroom but soon will be able to through a new student information system that will be implemented next year, Dr. Stephens said.

The new system will provide longitudinal data on teacher success and should help indicate whether there is a link between National Board Certification and that success.

Reach Greg Gelpi at (706) 828-3851 or greg.gelpi@augustachronicle.com.