Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages
The California Black Educator Initiative (CBEI) focuses on supporting 900 Black educators, predominantly in the Los Angeles area, through the board certification process. The program offers financial incentives, opportunities for community building, professional learning, and other support.
By enhancing support programs, fostering candidate retention, and creating more leadership opportunities, the California Black Educator Initiative will increase the number of Black National Board Certified Teachers and improve teacher retention and outcomes for students, parents, and communities. This is a beacon of hope for the future of education in California.
For more information, please see the NBPTS CBEI webpage.
In partnership with NBPTS, the UCLA National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Project is hosting an affinity group for Black educators. We aim to create the conditions necessary for optimal support during the National Board process. Services include:
Toya Anderson serves as an elementary educator with more than 20 years experience. Toya currently teaches fifth grade with an emphasis in STEM education. In addition to her work with students, Toya mentors new teachers and supports educators district-wide with technology integration. Toya is National Board Certified, a Cotsen Foundation Alumni, and holds a dual Master’s degree in Curriculum Instruction: Elementary Math and Computer Technology Educational Leadership from California State University, Los Angeles.
Dietrich Brown is a National Board Certified Teacher. She has been teaching for 27 years with the Los Angeles Unified School District. She has taught Kindergarten through 5th grade and is currently an ELA Interventionist at South Park Elementary School where she teaches foundational phonics and reading skills to first and second graders. She is a proud graduate of UCLA where she majored in Sociology. She received her teaching credential from California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) and her Administrative Credential in Education. She is a mother of one son and a grandmother of three. Her hobbies include traveling abroad, roller skating, reading and of course teaching.
Barry Thomas will be entering his 13th year of teaching English at Young Oak Kim Academy Middle school in Los Angeles, California. He received his bachelor’s degree in EnglishEducation at California State University Long Beach and his master’s degree in Teaching Pedagogy at USC, along with his teaching credential. He obtained National Board Certification in December of 2021. He served as English Department Chair for seven years at his school and is currently mentoring new teachers through LAUSD’s Teacher Growth Induction Program (TGI).
Myesha Cheatham has taught elementary education for 11 years. She is a proud graduate of UCLA where she earned a BA in Sociology and Afro-American Studies. She also received her teaching credential and a M.Ed from UCLA. In addition to teaching, she has worked with the UCLA Mathematics project where she was a Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) Math coach. She also has served as the Mainstream English Language Development Coordinator. She became a National Board Certified Middle Childhood Generalist in 2024. Additionally, she is a mom and her hobbies include watching sports, traveling, and teaching her 2nd graders. 😀
Dominique Harris always dreamed of being a teacher since she was a little girl. She just entered her 11th year total as a teacher. For a majority of Dominique’s teaching career she served as a Resource Specialist Program teacher (Special Education). She considers herself to be a lifelong learner and truly enjoys and has a love for learning (taking classes, professional development and now mentoring 1st year interns with the LAUSD through the iCAAP program). She attended UCR and earned her Bachelor of Arts in English. Then attended Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena and earned a Masters in Special Education and a Mild/Moderate Education Specialist with an Autism Authorization Credential. Since finishing her Masters Dominique has earned an Administrative Credential (USC), Multiple Subjects (Pacific Oaks) credential as well as a Reading and Literacy Added Authorization credential (LAUSD). Dominique enjoys attending church, spending time with her family and friends, traveling, bowling and learning golf. To take care of herself, mind, body and soul she enjoys spending time dining in and/or out with my family and friends, working out at OTF, running and/or shopping. A huge accomplishment for Dominique this year was running for the first time the LA marathon! She is looking forward to sharing the love she has for learning with other CBEI NBCT candidates this year!!
The UCLA NBPTS did exactly what we learned we need to do in the classroom. That practice was to provide small steps to accomplish the large goal of meeting all the requirements. The small step by step planning focused on success that would provide the end result of passing all the components in the NBPTS. The leaders were very knowledgeable, prepared, kind, and welcoming in all ways. This is a wonderful program.
