Education: Professional Associations

ALER seeks to stimulate the self-development and professional growth of professors, teachers, reading specialists and students at all educational levels. We encourage the continuing improvement of college and university curricula and assist preparation programs for teachers and reading specialists. Our members work at the forefront of policy, pedagogy and practice. Further, we encourage the continuing improvement of administrative, clinical, diagnostic and instructional practices related to the learning process.

Child Care and Early Education Research Connections promotes high quality research in child care and early education and the use of that research in policy making, offering research and data resources for researchers, policy makers, practitioners, and others.

Since 1892, Childhood Education International has been committed to one central mission: ensuring children’s access to quality education worldwide. They direct their efforts toward programs and projects that support pre-primary to primary school-age children so they can learn, grow, and develop optimally.

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the success of children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.

This agency creates, collects, and disseminates information relevant to comprehensive early childhood programs.

The International Literacy Association (ILA) is a professional organization connecting research and practice to continuously improve the quality of literacy instruction across the globe.

The Literacy Research Association is a non-profit professional organization, comprised of individuals who share an interest in advancing literacy theory, research, and practice.

NAGC's mission is to support those who enhance the growth and development of gifted and talented children through education, advocacy, community building, and research. They aim to help parents and families, K-12 education professionals including support service personnel, and members of the research and higher education community who work to help gifted and talented children as they strive to achieve their personal best and contribute to their communities.

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research.

NABE’s priorities include improving instructional programs and practices for linguistically and culturally diverse children; providing bilingual and dual language educators with high-quality professional development opportunities; securing adequate funding for quality dual language programs serving English Learners (ELs); and keeping the rights of ELs clearly in focus as states and communities move forward with sustainable educational reforms.

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 U.S., Canada, and overseas.

Founded in 1921, National Council for the Social Studies has grown to be the largest association in the country devoted solely to social studies education.

Since 1911, NCTE has worked to advance teaching, research, and student achievement in English language arts at all scholastic levels.

Founded in 1920, NCTM is a public voice of mathematics education, providing vision, leadership, and professional development to support teachers in ensuring mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students.

NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States. They bring the expertise, drive, and dedication of 3 million educators and allies to advancing justice and excellence in public education.

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) improves the learning and development of young children by producing and communicating knowledge that transforms policy and practice.

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is a federation of state associations and the U.S. territory of the Virgin Islands that represent locally elected school board officials serving approximately 51 million public school students regardless of their disability, ethnicity, socio-economic status or citizenship. Working with and through their state association members, NSBA advocates for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership.

The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), founded in 1944 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science education.

SIG provides dynamic and innovative approaches for supplementing the education of the world’s most gifted and talented students, ensuring that they receive the individual attention they require.

The Rand Corporation produces an education bulletin that includes research on topics such as K-12 assessment and accountability, school reform, teachers and teaching, higher education, military education and training, worker training, and substance-abuse prevention in schools.

TESOL is an international association of professionals advancing the quality of English language teaching through professional development, research, standards, and advocacy.

The Kansas Association of American Educators (KANAAE) is a statewide non-union, professional educators' organization, advancing the profession by offering a modern approach to teacher representation and educational advocacy, as well as promoting professionalism, collaboration and excellence without a partisan agenda.

The Kansas City Area Chapter of the Missouri Literacy Association. We support both KCK & KCMO

The Kansas National Education Association's mission is to advocate for education professionals and to unite their members, Kansans, and the nation to fulfill the promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) is a dynamic, dedicated service agency that provides leadership, resources, support and accountability to the state’s K-12 education system. KSDE administers the state’s governance of education, standards and assessments, special education services, child nutrition and wellness, title programs and services, career and technical education, and financial aid. It is the goal of the agency to provide all Kansas children with equal access to a quality, high-level education that promotes student achievement and prepares all students for global success.

The Missouri Department of Higher Education (MDHE) strives to coordinate higher education policy that fosters a quality postsecondary system, as well as to increase participation in Missouri 's public institutions. The state system of higher education serves more than 450,000 students through 13 public four-year universities, 14 public two-year colleges, one public two-year technical college, 26 independent colleges and universities and more than 150 proprietary and private career schools.

The Missouri Distance Learning Association's mission is to be the premiere statewide organization in Missouri for promotion of the effective application of distance learning strategies to maximize access, equity, and quality of educational resources for teachers and learners of all ages.

The mission of the Missouri Literacy Association is to empower educators, ensure equity, inspire students & encourage leaders with the equitable resources they need to make literacy accessible for all in our diverse community.

The 32,000 members of the Missouri National Education Association are public school teachers, librarians, counselors, coaches, school psychologists and psychiatrists, administrators, and faculty in colleges and universities. They are proud to include among their membership all categories of education support professionals: bus drivers and custodians, teacher aides and paraprofessionals, nurses, school secretaries, and food service workers.