The Huntsville Committee of 100 (C100), in partnership with The Schools Foundation (TSF) and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (National Board), announced on Oct. 31, 2025, that Huntsville/Madison County has raised $1 million to support 500 new National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) across Huntsville City, Madison City and Madison County Schools, placing the community on track to have the highest concentration of NBCTs in the nation of comparable MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas).
The milestone represents a five-year, business-led effort to invest in public education and strengthen Huntsville/Madison County’s long-term economic competitiveness. The initiative, called Raise Your Hand, brings together business leaders, educators and philanthropic partners to elevate teaching quality, improve student outcomes and retain top talent in Huntsville/Madison County classrooms.
“This achievement reflects what makes Huntsville unique: business leaders, educators and community partners uniting behind a shared vision for the future of public education,” said John Allen, CEO of the Huntsville Committee of 100. “Through sustained collaboration and persistence, we’re showing how local leadership can drive real progress. By investing in our teachers, we’re investing in the future workforce that will keep Huntsville and Madison County growing for generations to come.”
Raise Your Hand was launched in 2021 with a bold goal: to make the Huntsville/Madison County MSA a national leader in teacher excellence. Since then, the number of National Board Certified Teachers in the Huntsville/Madison County has increased from 156 in 2020 to 254 in 2024, with an additional 178 educators currently pursuing certification.
“This milestone shows what can happen when a community stands behind its teachers,” said Jeanne Greer, executive director of The Schools Foundation. “As a lifelong educator, I’ve seen firsthand how National Board Certified Teachers elevate entire classrooms, supporting peers, inspiring students and driving excellence across our schools. Raise Your Hand is changing what’s possible for public education in Huntsville/Madison County, one teacher at a time.”
“Every community wants to offer the best environment for their children and families, but few put real action and investment behind that desire. The Raise Your Hand initiative has done exactly that,” says Peggy Brookins, NBCT, president & CEO of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Brookins continues, “We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary commitment to Alabama’s educators and students. By exceeding the goal to raise $1 million to support teachers pursuing National Board Certification, the initiative is investing directly in teaching excellence and student success. The return on this investment will continue for decades as students benefit from having board certified teachers in their classrooms. When students learn more, communities thrive. Teachers need both encouragement and resources to begin and complete this transformative process, and this kind of philanthropic leadership makes that possible. Partnerships like this exemplify how communities can work together to strengthen the teaching profession and ensure every student has access to the high-quality education they deserve.”
National Board Certification is the teaching profession’s most respected credential, a rigorous, multi-year process that requires educators to demonstrate advanced knowledge, instructional skill and measurable impact on student learning. Research shows that students of NBCTs gain one to two additional months of learning each year, particularly among high-need populations.
The community will celebrate this milestone at the Raise Your Hand Milestone Celebration on Thursday, November 6, from 4:30–6:00 p.m. at Campus 805 in Huntsville. The event will feature remarks from Alabama State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey; John Allen, CEO of C100; Jeanne Greer, executive director of TSF; and Peggy Brookins, president and CEO of NBPTS.
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About the Huntsville Committee of 100
Founded in 1995, the Huntsville Committee of 100 is a business leadership organization of more than 350 CEOs and business owners committed to promoting long-term economic development, excellence in public education and cooperative, collaborative government in the Huntsville/Madison County region. Through advocacy, collaboration and civic engagement, the Committee works to ensure that Huntsville/Madison County remains a vibrant place to live, work and do business.
The Committee of 100’s initiatives foster innovation, support public education, encourage long-term visioning and strengthen regional partnerships. Its philanthropic arm, the Creative Cities Fund, invests in projects that advance long-term regional visioning and community vitality. The Committee also operates BizPac, its business political action committee, to support pro-business, nonpartisan candidates for local office.
By uniting business and civic leaders around shared goals, the Huntsville Committee of 100 plays a leading role in shaping Huntsville’s future and sustaining its legacy of visionary, collaborative leadership.
https://huntsvillecommitteeof100.org/