The number of nationally certified teachers in Hawai'i rose by 25 percent this year to a total of 203 teachers with the profession's highest credential.

Hawai'i was among about 16 states to see a more than 20 percent increase in the number of national board-certified teachers compared to last year, according to data released by the Hawai'i Teacher Standards Board.

Each year, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards grants a small percentage of teachers across the country national board certification for meeting rigorous standards in education. About 9,600 teachers received board certification this year, of whom 41 were from Hawai'i.

Thirty-nine of the new board-certified teachers teach in Hawai'i public schools, according to the Hawai'i Teacher Standards Board. There are some 13,000 teachers in the state Department of Education.

Still, board-certified teachers in the state make up only slightly more than 1 percent of the state DOE's teaching force.

Those numbers are similar around the country. In only seven states do board certified teachers make up more than 5 percent of the teaching force.

"Of course we would like there to be more," said Daniel Hamada, assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction and student support.

"We were at zero just a few years ago," he said.

Hamada said national board-certified teachers have gone above and beyond what is required. Board-certified teachers are required to prove their teaching skills, meaning they are some of the most effective classroom teachers, he said.

"It speaks very well to their dedication to becoming an accomplished teacher," Hamada said.

Hamada said board certification is an opportunity for teachers to be validated as accomplished educators and also a way for them to improve their skills.

Becoming board-certified is a rigorous process that requires teachers to participate in videotaped teaching demonstrations, and to submit examples of their students' work and a portfolio of their professional work. It takes some 400 hours of a teacher's personal time to simply prepare for the yearlong assessment process.

"Highly qualified teachers are the key to outstanding education," said Roger Takabayashi, president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, in a statement. "We are pleased these teachers have gained recognition for their great work in the classroom."

Only one teacher in the state — whether public or private — was board-certified in 1999. Slowly, more teachers sought certification, due in part to incentives offered to those who gained the credential.

Incentives include a $5,000 annual salary bonus for as long as the teacher remains in the profession and maintains his or her certification. The state also offers an additional $5,000 bonus for a teacher who chooses to teach in a restructured school or a school that has not made adequate yearly progress under No Child Left Behind, according to the Hawai'i Teachers Standard Board.