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| American Association of School Administrators (AASA) If you’re in public education and want to lobby for a better education system in the United States, the AASA is a great launching point. Memberships range from CEOs to professors to those who are just getting started in the school administration careers. Members receive $1 million in professional liability insurance and legal assistance. The AASA also provides leadership development opportunities, like workshops, consultants, and their magazine, School Administrator. Finally, members also receive special discounts to major brands, like Target, Barnes & Noble, and Disney. Administrative memberships start at $197 a year. |
| American Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) The AASPA is a unique association in that it solely targets and represents school personnel professionals. The AASPA provides its members with the latest information on talent management, including how to organize an HR office, the best practices on meeting governmental regulations, and recruitment advice. Members also receive insurance (professional liability, home and auto, and life), health plans (including dental), discounted rates for AASPA material, and professional development resources like webinars. School administration memberships start at $195 a year. |
| ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) Boasting over 125,000 members in 138 countries, this nonprofit shapes education public policy across the globe. Both school administrators and advocates make up this behemoth of an organization, and they work together to further ASCD’s stated goals. Members get home, auto, and life insurance, access to their member-only webinar series, free books, and job training. Online memberships start at $39 a year. |
| Learning Forward: The Professional Learning Association Learning Forward focuses largely on one aspect of teaching: professional development for teachers and principals. They write that “all educators have an obligation to improve their practice,” and that students benefit when they do so. Members receive a copy of JSD, e-learning opportunities, and access to networking events. Online memberships start at $69 a year. |
| National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) The National Association of Elementary School Principals, or NAESP, is an international professional organization for middle and elementary school principals and education leadership. This student-minded organization holds its members to high professional standards and advocates for middle and elementary school priorities. This organization offers $2 million of individual professional liability coverage and $10,000 for legal counsel to their members, along with professional training and networking opportunities. The active membership fee is $235 a year. |
| National Association of Federal Education Program Administrators (NAFEPA) – While raising funds for public education has grabbed the public’s eye for decades, how the federal government spends that money is equally important. NAFEPA has been involved with numerous federal education policies, including the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act and No Child Left Behind. Members pay $100 a year, and in return receive discounts from affiliates, policy analysis, legal services, access to members-only webinars, entry into the NAFEPA’s annual conference, and a subscription to NAFEPA’s bi-weekly newsletter. |
| National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) This is the leading professional organization for middle and high school principals. The association breaks down its mission into six sections: connecting (networking), advocacy, organizational vitality, membership, student programs, and professional development. Membership is spread out through different tiers, from retired to individual options, though most school administrators can expect to pay $250/year. Most options have significant benefits however, including $1 million in liability coverage ($2 million for U.S.-based educators), low-cost life insurance, access to their publications (including Principal Leadership), and discounted rates for NASSP publications and merchandise. |
| National Association of Secondary School Principals |
The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), founded in 1921, is a professional organization serving elementary and middle school principals and other education leaders throughout the United States, Canada, and overseas.
Principal Journal – Sept/Oct 2014: Managing & Communicating Change
Link to the Online version of this journal
November 2019 Principal Leadership Link to the Online version of this journal
| Free Journals from “Leaning Forward” |
JSD, a bimonthly journal run by Leaning Forward, explores what role a principal should play in his or her school, how to ensure teacher quality, and just how to balance running a school with continuing professional development. Every article must have a practical element—there’s no fluff here—and every issue is thematic. JSD is free for Learning Forward members.
| Click on the link to download this journal. RESILIENT LEADERSHIP OCTOBER 2019 VOL. 40, NO. 5 For education leaders, stress and challenges are part of the job – but resilience can be, too. This issue highlights how professional learning enables leaders to manage stress, navigate competing priorities, and maintain focus on instructional leadership. Building resilient leadership helps everyone in schools thrive. |
| Click on the link to download this journal. PERSONALIZING LEARNING AUGUST 2019 VOL. 40 NO. 4 The movement to personalize learning is growing. What does this mean for students and educators, and how is it changing professional learning? This issue tackles how to build educators’ capacity for personalizing to students’ needs and how teachers can benefit from experiencing personalization themselves. |
| Click on the link to download this journal. LEARNING BETTER BY LEARNING TOGETHER JUNE 2019 VOL. 40, NO. 3 Collaboration is at the heart of effective professional learning. But collaborative learning isn’t as straightforward as getting people together in a room. This issue highlights what makes true collaborative learning work and why we learn better when we learn together. |
| Click on the link to download this journal. ENGLISH LEARNERS APRIL 2019 VOL. 40 NO. 2 Nearly five million students come to U.S. schools speaking over 400 home languages. Are educators prepared to help them succeed? In this issue, experts share professional learning strategies for working more intentionally and inclusively to meet English learners’ needs. |
| Click on the link to download this journal. TRANSITIONS AND TURNING POINTS FEBRUARY 2019 VOL. 40 NO. 1 Transitions are a part of life in schools, sometimes planned but other times unexpected. In this issue, we celebrate transitions and turning points, examining the challenges and opportunities they create for professional learning and how to thrive in the midst of change. |
School Administrator, a free magazine run through the AASA, has received a bunch of awards, including the Award of Excellence from the National School Public Relations Association, an honorable mention from the TABBIES, and the Award of Excellence from Conference Daily Online. The monthly magazine is “delivered to every public school superintendent in the United States,” making it a must-read for anyone looking to stay in the know and network.
School Administrator: February 2015 – AASA Celebrates 150 Years: 1865-2015
Link to online version of this Anniversary Issue Journal
School Administrator: November 2022 – Social Media: Friend or Foe