This monograph analyzes the Carnegie Task Force on Teaching as a Profession's recommendations for a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, focusing upon the development and management of the proposed Board, and the assessment approaches used to implement the idea of national certification. While the task force recommends two levels of professional certification, this analysis concentrates specifically on the initial or first level of certification. The point is made that while "licensing" indicates the individual meets minimum state standards, and "certification" means that the profession has pronounced the certificate holder competent, the task force was receptive to the notion that various licensing agencies adopt the national certification standards as the basis for the license. This analysis includes discussions on: (1) initial program level issues and tradeoffs; (2) separation of authority versus merging of authority; (3) assessment of the job versus assessment prior to beginning teaching; (4) voluntary certification versus mandatory certification; (5) specific assessment strategies and tools in professional assessment in the field of teaching; (6) state and local level concerns; and (7) program costs. (JD)