--- title: HR 1776. Importance of National Board Certification in strengthening the teaching profession in the State of Georgia; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1776 cite_as: HR 1776, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1776 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1776.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1776/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74239 date: 2026-03-18 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1775.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1777.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1776.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1776 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-18 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Robert Dawson - Lydia Glaize - Mekyah McQueen - Bryce Berry - Tangie Herring - Jasmine Clark text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1776/2025 upstream_id: 2135848 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - teacher certification - education policy - National Board Certification - Georgia teacher workforce --- # HR 1776. Importance of National Board Certification in strengthening the teaching profession in the State of Georgia; commend ## Text House Resolution 1776 By: Representatives Dawson of the 65th, Glaize of the 67th, McQueen of the 61st, Berry of the 56th, Herring of the 145th, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing the importance of National Board Certification in strengthening the teaching profession in the State of Georgia; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the quality of teaching is the most significant in-school factor influencing student achievement and long-term educational success; and WHEREAS, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) established National Board Certification as the highest voluntary professional certification for educators in the United States, recognizing accomplished teaching through rigorous standards and a commitment to continuous professional growth; and WHEREAS, educators who achieve National Board Certification demonstrate advanced content knowledge, expert instructional practice, and the ability to analyze student learning to improve outcomes; and WHEREAS, National Board Certified Teachers serve as instructional leaders who mentor colleagues, strengthen professional learning communities, and support improved teaching and learning in schools; and WHEREAS, research shows that students taught by National Board Certified Teachers demonstrate higher academic growth and that schools with more certified teachers experience stronger collaboration and improved teacher retention; and WHEREAS, Georgia currently ranks 50th in the nation in the percentage of educators holding National Board Certification, highlighting an opportunity to expand accomplished teaching across the state; and WHEREAS, increasing the number of National Board Certified Teachers would strengthen the educator workforce, expand teacher leadership, and improve outcomes for Georgia's students; and WHEREAS, organizations such as the Georgia Teacher Leader Consortium National Board Network support teachers pursuing certification through mentoring, professional learning, and collaborative networks. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize the contributions of National Board Certified Teachers and commend the educators who pursue this rigorous professional certification in service of Georgia's students. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body recognize the importance of sustained investment in initiatives that support teachers pursuing National Board Certification, including mentoring programs, professional learning opportunities, and candidate support networks that strengthen the educator workforce and improve outcomes for Georgia students. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the Georgia Teacher Leader Consortium National Board Network, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the Georgia Department of Education, and other appropriate state education leaders. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution commends teachers who earn National Board Certification and calls for continued support of programs that help teachers pursue it, without creating new law or funding. ### Plain-language summary This is a resolution, not a law, so it does not change any Georgia statute or require anyone to do anything. It recognizes National Board Certification, a voluntary advanced credential for teachers issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and states that Georgia currently ranks 50th in the nation in the share of educators holding it. The resolution praises National Board Certified Teachers for their instructional skills and leadership, and expresses the House's view that Georgia should keep investing in mentoring, professional learning, and candidate support networks that help teachers earn the certification. It directs the Clerk of the House to send copies to the Georgia Teacher Leader Consortium National Board Network, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the Georgia Department of Education, and other education leaders. ### What it does - Formally commends teachers in Georgia who pursue and earn National Board Certification, a voluntary advanced teaching credential. - States the House's recognition that investment in mentoring, professional learning, and candidate support networks for certification-seeking teachers matters. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to named education organizations and state education leaders. - Creates no new statute, funding, mandate, or enforcement mechanism, since resolutions of this kind do not carry the force of law. ### Who it affects Georgia public school teachers, especially those pursuing or holding National Board Certification, the Georgia Department of Education, and organizations such as the Georgia Teacher Leader Consortium National Board Network and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, which would receive copies of the resolution. ### Why it matters The resolution carries symbolic weight rather than legal force. It signals House support for expanding National Board Certification among Georgia teachers and for funding programs that help them earn it, which could influence future budget or policy debates even though it changes nothing immediately. ### Key provisions - The preamble states that Georgia ranks 50th nationally in the percentage of educators holding National Board Certification. - The first resolving clause commends National Board Certified Teachers and educators pursuing the certification. - The second resolving clause recognizes the importance of sustained investment in mentoring, professional learning, and candidate support networks for certification seekers. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies to the Georgia Teacher Leader Consortium National Board Network, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the Georgia Department of Education, and other state education leaders. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-18) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-18) - Sponsors: Robert Dawson, Lydia Glaize, Mekyah McQueen, Bryce Berry, Tangie Herring, Jasmine Clark - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74239 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1776.md?full=1