SAN ANTONIO (Dec. 11, 2025) — San Antonio ISD is thrilled to announce today that four of its exceptional educators have achieved the highest teaching certification possible in the nation, earning the prestigious designation of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs).
These teachers have successfully completed the rigorous certification process administered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), demonstrating they meet the profession's highest standards for content knowledge, pedagogical practice, and dedication to student success.
Earning National Board Certification (NBC) typically takes one to three years, and teachers must complete four components: a Content Knowledge Assessment, and three portfolio entries on Differentiation, Teaching Practice, and being an Effective & Reflective Practitioner, involving videos, student work, and written reflections, all demonstrating accomplished teaching practice. The newly certified teachers include one high school teacher, one academy teacher, and two elementary school teachers.
Listed below are the newest national board certified teachers:
* Grecia Aguilera, certified in English as a New Language/Early and Middle Childhood, is a fifth grade bilingual teacher at Madison Elementary;
* Nathan Busse, certified in English Language Arts/Early Adolescence, is an English teacher at Jefferson High School;
* Lucel Gaspan-Frost, certified in Generalist/Early Childhood, is a second grade teacher at Beacon Hill Primary; and
* Kate Jones-Waddell, certified in Career and Technical Education/Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, is a theatre teacher at the Advanced Learning Academy.
“We are inspired by our phenomenal SAISD teachers: their skill, their passion, and their unwavering belief in what our students will achieve. National board certification shows what the District knows to be true, SAISD has some of the best educators in the nation,” said Dr. James Harrell, SAISD Chief Human Capital Management Officer. “When educators choose to grow within our SAISD familia, they strengthen not only their own practice but the entire District. Investing in their development is one of the most powerful ways we can retain extraordinary talent. We are deeply grateful to the SAISD Foundation and the Charles Butt Foundation for helping us create opportunities that uplift our educators.
The certification of these educators brings the number of National Board Certified teachers in the district to 15. Only 3% to 4% of teachers nationwide have earned National Board Certification. Currently in Texas, teachers who earn the national board certification earn a designation and additional compensation through the teacher incentive allotment (TIA).
The SAISD National Board Certification program is designed to guide candidates every step of the way. The program coordinator works with the NBCT candidate cohort and provides the necessary professional development and support opportunities throughout the academic year.
The National Board Certification (NBC) is widely recognized as the most respected and advanced professional credential for PreK–12 educators, designed by teachers to ensure ongoing improvement in schools. This voluntary, peer-reviewed assessment identifies teaching expertise through rigorous standards that represent a consensus on what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do. The certification process is performance-based, requiring candidates to demonstrate compelling, standards-based evidence of their positive effect on student learning through deep reflections on their content knowledge, use of data, teaching practices, and understanding of their students.
Furthermore, achieving NBC signifies an educator’s commitment to lifelong learning, requiring participation in learning communities and evidence of ongoing reflection and continuous professional growth. This respected certification has been achieved by over 125,000 teachers across the U.S. and is intended to develop, retain, and recognize accomplished teachers nationwide.