Over the last 24 months--with support from the National Education Association and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards--over 2,000 National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) from North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Washington examined teacher recruitment and retention research and participated in structured dialogues with leading policymakers from their states. Summits were organized for NBCTs in Mississippi and Wisconsin as well. After studying the research, teacher leaders from the five states developed a comprehensive set of policy recommendations based on both evidence and their unique experiences--many in high-needs schools. The collective voices of these NBCTs have made a difference in several of the states, but much more needs to be done. In this paper the author and his colleagues draw on the best available empirical evidence, key case studies, and the insights from some of the nation's most accomplished teachers to suggest how everyone may build on the foundation of existing programs. (Contains 31 endnotes.) [This report was written with Melissa Rasberry and Alice Williams.]