Are you an NBCT interested in supporting candidates on their National Board journey? The Intent to Mentor form is your first step toward becoming a Mentor Coach or Professional Learning Facilitator with the National Board Resource Center (NBRC) at Illinois State University.
By submitting your intent, you’ll help us plan for upcoming candidate support needs and training opportunities. Completing this form does not commit you to a role—it simply lets us know you’re interested in coaching or facilitating candidates during the upcoming certification cycle.
We’re looking for passionate NBCTs who want to make a difference by guiding others through the rigorous and rewarding National Board process.
A Professional Learning Facilitator (PLF) for the NBRC is a National Board Certified Teacher who guides and supports candidates through the certification process. They lead cohort meetings, provide feedback on portfolio components, help candidates interpret National Board standards, and offer strategies for successful completion—all while fostering a collaborative, encouraging learning environment.
To support this important work, the NBRC offers a series of trainings—developed by NBCTs—for NBCTs. These trainings are designed to help you:
Contact the NBRC to learn more about requirements and opportunities to support candidates. nbresourcecenter@ilstu.edu
The next Intent to Mentor Application window will be open December 6, 2025, and close January 25, 2026.
The 2025 – 2026 Statement of Intent to Provide Mentoring and/or Professional Development is to be completed only if you are an eligible Illinois National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) who intends to mentor during the 2025 – 2026 school year. Mentoring hours can be logged between September and May.
An annual incentive of no more than $2,250.00, prorated at $50.00 per hour for up to 45 hours, shall be paid to each qualified educator currently employed as a full-time teacher or counselor in an Illinois public school district or retired from an Illinois public school, who:
NOTE: Retired teachers are required to obtain a letter from the Illinois pension system from which it is being drawn. This letter is to be emailed to nbresourcecenter@illinoisstate.edu.
All NBCTs (including retired teachers) will receive payment to their home address rather than through their district. If the NBCT is not already a vendor in our system, they must complete a W-9 form. We will determine your vendor status upon completion and approval of up to 45 hours. If a W-9 is required, it will be sent to you with the other required documents in your Approved Mentor Confirmation email.
Funds will be dispersed on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to teachers employed by low-income or low-performing schools.
To be eligible for mentor compensation, NBCTs must complete and submit the Statement of Intent to Provide Mentoring and/or Professional Development Application between December 6, 2025, and January 25, 2026.
NOTE: Completing this application does not obligate you to mentor or provide professional development, nor does it guarantee you a mentoring position.
Read all information thoroughly for understanding.
Complete the Intent to Mentor Online Application.
The Intent to Mentor application is closed for the FY26 cycle.
Check for your name on the Intent to Mentor Approval List.
Submit your Intent to Mentor documentation by the 5th of every month. Approved Intent to Mentor hours (up to 45) will be processed for payments to be sent in June 2026.
For assistance regarding Intent to Mentor issues, please contact nbresourcecenter@illinoisstate.edu. Due to the large number of emails generated by the Intent to Mentor application, please allow 5-7 business days for a response.
Within 7-10 business days of completing the Intent to Mentor application and being approved, you will receive an email containing the link to log mentor hours. Please save this email, as the link to the form is not available anywhere on this website. If your name is on the Approval list and it’s been 14 days since it was last updated, and you haven’t received the approval email, please check your spam folder. If it’s not there, please email nbresourcecenter@illinoisstate.edu.
Before logging any mentor hours, please carefully review your Mentor Coach Guide for important information on Intent to Mentor policies and procedures, as well as guidance on describing your mentoring activities.
To qualify for the compensation for mentoring, you must complete and submit the Documentation of Mentoring Services between TBA, and midnight on TBA.
Disclaimer: All presentation opportunities must be approved in advance by the NBRC Director.
NOTE: The NBCT is responsible for locating teachers and/or NB candidates to mentor or provide professional development.
The exception will be for those NBCTS selected as mentors/coaches through the NBRC Candidate Mentor/Coach training matching.