Assessing for NBPTS is a great professional development opportunity and an invaluable part of the National Board Certification process.  As part of the NBPTS scoring staff, assessors participate in rigorous training so that they can score candidate responses to portfolio or assessment center exercises.  NBPTS assessors consistently report that assessing for NBPTS is a great professional development experience.  In fact, a survey of NBPTS assessors revealed that 80% said the work was better than other professional development activity, and 64% said they had become more reflective about their own teaching practices.  Assessing for NBPTS provides an opportunity for in-depth interaction with colleagues and an opportunity to learn ways to positively transfer enhanced teaching practices to the classroom and to peers.  The work is challenging, but extremely important in its implications for the teaching profession and ultimately for the improvement of student learning.  Teachers working with NBPTS command the highest levels of pedagogical and subject matter expertise.