Since the 1999-2000 school years, Washington has awarded salary incentives for National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in high-need schools. The programme Challenging Schools Bonus (CSB) awards an additional USD 5 000 (EUR 4 400) to NBCTs. Following these changes, the number of NBCTs in Washington rose substantially. During the first year of the new bonus programme, the number of new teachers earning certification increased by 88%.