What do educational professional organizations do?

Professional organizations in education provide support and offer insight into strengthening your skills, expertise and confidence. Affiliation with educational professional organizations also shows a commitment to your profession, enhancing your resume and online profile.

The following guide to educational professional organizations provides you with a starting point for research into which memberships best suit your needs.

List of educational professional organizations

• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: Since its inception in 1967, the ACTFL has grown to more than 13,000 members. The ACTFL supports language educators across all academic levels, as well as those employed in the government and industry sectors. Its members speak 90 languages and work in 69 countries. Benefits of joining ACTFL include access to the scholarly journal, Foreign Language Annals, and the quarterly magazine, The Language Educator. Members also have ample opportunities to collaborate with their peers through online community and special interest groups, volunteering for a committee, participating in proficiency and performance assessment workshops and attending the ACTFL Convention & World Languages Expo. The ACTFL supports new educators through a mentorship program, and it fosters lifelong learning with its research grants and study abroad scholarships. The ACTFL Awards Program honors educators who’ve made outstanding contributions to language education.
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: Founded more than 75 years ago, ASCD’s community of 73,000 educators across 200 countries is built on professionals sharing their knowledge of topics ranging from classroom management and instructional strategies to assessment and technology. ASCD’s affordable basic membership plan offers digital access to the association’s Educational Leadership magazine, collaborative opportunities with other educators and access to webinars. Members can also participate in conferences and professional development opportunities, building their network of connections with other education professionals.
• Association of American Educators: In operation since 1994, AAE is a nonpartisan, nonunion organization that advocates for teachers, supports student achievement, provides professional development opportunities and offers reasonably priced professional benefits. Educators may apply for grants and scholarships for projects and materials that enhance student learning, including $500 for books and other classroom materials. AAE’s newsletter, Education Matters, discusses pertinent policies and topics of interest to teachers. It also provides teaching tools and techniques designed to further strengthen the learning environment. As AAE members, professionals receive legal protection and a healthy liability insurance package.
• Association for Middle Level Education: Boasting more than 35,000 members, AMLE provides middle school-specific professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators. As an advocate for middle school teachers, AMLE’s membership includes workshops that focus on topics in childhood development and improving teaching practices. Its informational resources extend to university faculty and students preparing for careers in middle school education, community leaders and parents. Members also receive subscriptions to several publications, including the peer-reviewed The Middle School Journal.
• National Art Education Association: The NAEA has served educators in the visual arts, design and media arts since 1947. Its membership includes PreK-12 teachers, university professors, researchers, administrators, museum educators, and students. It fosters lifelong learning through its more than 54,000 student members and promotes creativity and excellence through its sponsorship of the National Art Honor Society. The NAEA’s membership benefits include in-person and online learning and collaborative opportunities, access to the NAEA national convention and subscriptions to Art Education and NAEA News.
• National Association of Agricultural Educators: Comprised of more than 9,000 members of state agricultural educators’ associations, the NAAE is a federation that advocates for school-based agricultural education from middle school through postsecondary. Active in all 50 states, NAAE supports agricultural educators through ongoing professional development programs.
• National Association of Biology Teachers: Established in 1938, the NABT supports life science educators from elementary through the university level. The organization provides ample opportunities to attend conferences featuring expert speakers and participatory workshops. Membership also includes nine issues of the research-based publication, The American Biology Teacher and regular updates with NABT’s News & Views newsletter. Other benefits include travel and insurance discounts and fellowships and grants.
• National Association of Elementary School Principals: Founded in 1921, the NAESP supports elementary and middle school principals in the U.S. and worldwide. The association is a strong voice of advocacy in Washington, D.C. and promotes collaboration with peers through workshops, training opportunities and social media. Members also receive $2 million professional liability coverage and up to $10,000 for job-related legal services, in addition to discounts for conferences, travel and rental cars.
• National Association of Secondary School Principals: The NASSP provides assistant principals and principals at the middle and high school levels with research-based resources to strengthen their leadership skills and improve their school environment and student performance. The NASSP also promotes student excellence and continues to sponsor the National Honor Society, the National Junior Honor Society, National Student Council and the National Elementary Honor Society.
• National Association of Special Education Teachers: NASET provides its members with ongoing resources pertaining to current research and development in special education. Members also receive weekly newsletters and monthly journals, and they may participate in continuing education courses. Other benefits include tools to help improve classroom management and printable forms. NASET offers collaborative opportunities through roundtable discussions and professional development events.
• National Association of Teachers of Singing: The NATS boasts a membership of more than 7,000 teachers in 35 countries. Its educators work in traditional K-12 settings, independent studios and institutions of higher education. The association offers a wide range of collaborative and learning opportunities, including workshops, conferences, master classes, intern programs and competitions.
• National Council for the Social Studies: In operation since 1921, the NCSS supports social studies educators at all educational levels and across a spectrum of subjects, including history, civics, geography, economics, political science, sociology, psychology, anthropology and law-related education. The council advocates for the importance and continued inclusion of social studies in the academic curriculum. The NCSS offers several levels of membership. All of them include access to an expansive digital library filled with teaching tools, historical documents and peer-reviewed articles. NCSS members may also strengthen their own lessons with the help of online webinars.
• National Council of Teachers of English: Founded more than 100 years ago, the NCTE supports its members’ dedication to the advancement of literacy. The association’s membership includes English teachers from every level of the education system. NCTE’s evidenced-based journals and professional development opportunities address learning disparities and age-specific literacy and comprehension benchmarks and concerns. Members receive discounts on insurance plans, conventions and learning materials. English teachers also have access to a wealth of instructional ideas contributed by experienced colleagues.
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Since 1920, the NCTM has supported math teachers through networking and professional development opportunities, informative research-based journal articles, classroom activities and online resources. NCTM offers math educators annual local and regional workshops and presentations that focus on enhancing lessons through technology. Members may also access hundreds of webinars at their own convenience to stay current on best practices in mathematics education. Other membership benefits include access to more than 20 grant opportunities and discounted insurance benefits.
• National Education Association: The NEA’s membership of more than 3 million people includes educators, parents and students entering the profession. The association is committed to improving student success, engaging parents and advocating for teachers’ rights at the local and national levels. Teachers receive legal support, and the NEA actively pursues legislation for its members to receive equitable pay and benefits. Teachers can also apply for scholarships for classroom materials and participate in a wide range of professional development opportunities.
• National Parenting Education Network: Focused on providing support and resources for individuals who provide parenting education, the NPEN is available at the local, state and national levels. Members may interact with each other through online forums, and they have access to webinars featuring topics specifically related to family support.
• Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education: NASPA supports more than 15,000 professionals in 1,200 institutions worldwide. Working with students, faculty, administrators and professionals, NASPA offers collaborative opportunities through virtual learning communities and events, multi-module short courses and scholarly reports and papers.