Columbia, S. C. - Governor Jim Hodges on Tuesday recognized the achievement of 928 South Carolina teachers that received notification this year of their certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

"The National Board Certification process has long been described as the most rigorous form of professional development teachers can experience," Hodges said. "Simply put, teachers who hold themselves to higher standards will hold our students to higher standards."

The teachers recognized today will join the state's 361 previously certified teachers bringing South Carolina's total to 1291 nationally certified teachers. South Carolina will now rank third in the nation for the number of national board certified teachers.

In 1999, Governor Hodges met with the state's 19 nationally certified teachers and set the goal of having 500 national board certified teachers in South Carolina by 2002. The Governor today set a new goal for the state's teachers - 5000 by 2005.

For more information on the state's nationally certified teachers go to www.nbpts.org.