FREDONIA — Two teachers from the Fredonia Central School district have achieved a “gold standard” national certification, according to the New York State United Teachers.

Shannon Ciciotti and Sarah Graham, both exceptional needs specialist and early childhood through young adulthood educators in the district, were two of 97 congratulated statewide for the achievement.

In total, New York is home to 2,115 National Board Certified Teachers, who have completed a rigorous performance-based, peer-reviewed assessment process that includes a review of teaching portfolios, student work samples, videos and analysis of a candidate’s teaching and student learning. Sixty New York educators had their certifications renewed in 2019.

“New York’s National Board Certified Teachers are shining examples of the outstanding educators across the state who work so hard to help their students achieve their full potential,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “With inequality in education among the most pressing issues of our time, this diverse group is proof that every corner of the state has dedicated teachers who believe in education and, most importantly, in their students.”

Achieving national certification is extraordinarily challenging. Candidates typically spend 200-400 hours of their own time having their teaching assessed against rigorous standards through an extensive series of performance-based assessments, including teaching portfolios, student work samples, videos of their lessons, and thorough analyses and reflection of the candidate’s teaching and student learning. The process involves written exercises that probe the depth of the candidate’s subject-area knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to teach those subjects.

“National Board Certified Teachers show every day how transformative a high-quality education can be for our students,” NYSUT Executive Vice President Jolene T. DiBrango said. “To become certified, these teachers have demonstrated not just that they know their subject areas, but that they know their students, the challenges they face and how to help them grow. These educators are proof that teaching makes a difference.”

New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.

In a joint statement, Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and interim State Education Commissioner Shannon Tahoe said: “The Board of Regents and the State Education Department congratulate the 97 teachers from across New York State who earned the prestigious national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. To obtain a national certification, teachers must complete a performance-based, peer reviewed process that demonstrates their dedication and impact on student achievement.

“The new class of nationally certified educators joins over 2,000 teachers in New York State that have previously achieved this extraordinary certification. Teaching, more so than any other profession, determines our future and we are fortunate to have outstanding educators in every corner of the state that are committed to improving outcomes for their students.

“We will continue to work to ensure that New York educators are aware of the far-reaching benefits National Board certification brings to a school community, and to support those teachers who seek this certification.”