Professional Groups
This is a selection of the professional organizations for educators. Joining a professional organization adds to your professional knowledge (most offer continuing education and development opportunities), allows you to network in the field, and shows future employers you are engaged in the professional community.
Most offer discounted student rates.
Why Get Involved?
- Expand your network: Make new connections with professionals who can hire or refer work to you. Participating in an organization should provide you with many opportunities to connect with professionals on a local, regional, national, and sometimes global level. Participating in special interest groups, sections, or discussion boards sponsored by an organization is another way to connect with people who are likeminded and/or working in the same niche you are.
- Boost your credibility and visibility: Being actively involved in your professional community can boost your credibility among your peers, your clients, and your prospects. Associations generally look to their members to share their unique expertise and their connections through their participation in the organization. Raise your hand for a leadership role to not only develop your skills as a leader but also to boost increase your visibility. Relating to other professionals who share common interests is a great way to strengthen your reputation.
- Professional development: Join a professional organization that directly aligns with your interests. Organizations often offer articles, webinars, reports, white papers, courses, workshops, seminars, conferences, and certifications to keep their members current on the latest industry research, innovations, and trends.
- Mentorship opportunities: Finding professionals—junior and senior—who can support your growth is a huge benefit in joining a professional association. There are also meaningful rewards in mentoring others, including honing your leadership abilities, learning new perspectives and insights, and feeling a sense of contribution.
- Build a support system: Making connections outside of your school who understand your circumstances and can offer guidance and insight is one of the most important reasons to join a professional organization. Strong bonds within professional organizations will improve your career opportunities, will help you garner more influence, and most importantly, will make work and life more fun.
Best practice: Don’t wait until you are in need to build your support system. Make the investment into developing authentic relationships early to build a network of advocates who want to see you succeed and are happy to help as needs arise.
- ACTFL Language ConnectsACTFL is an organization aiming to improve and expand the teaching and learning of all languages at all levels of instruction. ACTFL is an individual membership organization of more than 13,000 language educators and administrators from elementary through graduate education, as well as in government and industry.
- American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)The American Association of Physics Teachers is a professional membership association of scientists dedicated to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching.
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)A professional organization representing education researchers in the United States and around the world. AERA's mission is to advance knowledge about education and promote the use of research in educational practice.
- Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT)An academic and professional association that promotes educational uses of technology. Members provide leadership in the field by promoting scholarship and best practices in instructional technology and educational technology.
- Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE)The Association for Middle Level Education, formerly National Middle School Association, is an international education association dedicated exclusively to the middle level grades.
- National Art Education AssociationThe National Art Education Association is a non-profit professional association founded in 1947 in the United States, is the leading professional membership organization exclusively for visual arts, design, and media arts education professionals.
- National Association for Music Education (NAfME)NAfME is a collaborative community that supports music educators and advocates for equitable access to music education.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)NAEYC is a large nonprofit association in the United States representing early childhood education teachers, para-educators, center directors, trainers, college educators, families of young children, policy makers, and advocates.
- National Association of Bilingual Education (NABE)A non-profit membership organization that works to advocate for educational equity and academic excellence for bilingual/multilingual students in a global society.
- National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)The National Association of Biology Teachers is the “leader in life science education.” Since its inception in 1938, thousands of educators have joined NABT to share experiences and expertise with colleagues from around the world, keep up with trends and developments in the field, and grow professionally.
- National Council for the Social StudiesThe National Council for the Social Studies is a U.S. based association devoted to supporting social studies education.
- National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)NCTE is a United States professional organization dedicated to "improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education.
- National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)Founded in 1920, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a professional organization for schoolteachers of mathematics in the United States. One of its goals is to improve the standards of mathematics in education. NCTM holds annual national and regional conferences for teachers and publishes five journals.
- National Education Association (NEA)The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education.
- National Science Teaching Association (NSTA)NSTA was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is an association of science teachers in the United States and is the largest organization of science teachers worldwide.
- Society of Health and Physical EducatorsThe Society of Health and Physical Educators, known as SHAPE America, is an American organization that provides support to professionals in health, physical education, recreation and dance
- Coalition of Small and Rural Schools (COSARS) of VirginiaThe Coalition of Small & Rural Schools of VA was established in 2017 to provide divisions with a strong, collaborative partnership. Insisting on a “hold harmless” approach to legislation and policy impacting non-participating divisions, the Coalition seeks to better advocate for the students, teachers, staff and stakeholders of small and rural school communities throughout the commonwealth.
- Foreign Language Association of Virginia (FLAVA)An organization of professionals in education and business, students, and all those who have a common interest in promoting and utilizing world languages to accomplish their various goals.
- Speech-Language-Hearing Association of Virginia Inc. (SHAV)Their mission is to promote awareness, diversity and collaboration in the professions of audiology and speech-language pathology through empowerment and advocacy for members and the community in order to ensure best practices.
- State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV)SCHEV is the Commonwealth's coordinating body for higher education.
- Virginia Academy of School PsychologistsVASP supports school psychologists in promoting and advocating for the educational and mental health development of all Virginia's students, schools, families, and communities.
- Virginia Art Education AssociationTheir mission is to support, promote, and advance visual arts education through professional development, leadership, research, and service.
- Virginia Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (VAHPERD)This Association is a charitable and educational association that promotes quality programs, and facilitates professional growth of its members through best educational practices.
- Virginia Association of Science Teachers (VAST)VAST was formed in 1952 with the mission of promoting excellence in science teaching and learning in Virginia.
- Virginia Counselors Association (VCA)The VCA is a non-profit organization (501c6). VCA was founded in Richmond in 1930 as the Virginia Personnel and Guidance Association (VPGA). VCA is dedicated to the goal of meeting the needs of Virginia counselors in a variety of work settings. It is a dynamic and active organization that has been effective in responding to state-wide issues and in providing opportunities for professional interaction at the state and local levels.
- Virginia Educational Research Association (VERA)A group for education professionals across Virginia’s research community, including educators, leaders, researchers, and policymakers.
- Virginia Education AssociationA Union of more than 40,000 teachers and school support professionals working for the betterment of public education in the Commonwealth.
- Virginia Middle School Association (VMSA)The VMSA is an alliance of schools and individuals advocating academic excellence in a supportive and equitable learning environment responsive to the diverse interest, talents, accomplishments and needs of young adolescents.
- Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA)The purpose of the (VMEA) is to promote quality music education throughout the Commonwealth by providing leadership, instructional resources and professional development opportunities for Virginia’s music educators.
- Virginia Music Teachers Association (VMTA)An organization of teachers throughout the state who are united in promoting music and musicianship through mutual cooperation. The main objectives of VMTA are the advancement of musical knowledge and education through discussion, examination of new trends in teaching and publication, and promotion of the general welfare of music teachers in Virginia as well as our members living in neighboring states.
- Virginia Professional Educators (VPE)Virginia Professional Educators (VPE) is a nonprofit professional teacher association offering many of the same benefits that teacher unions provide – but at a fraction of the cost. VPE rejects the negative tactics, partisan politics, and controversial social agendas that are typical of most teacher unions.
- Virginia School Counselor Association (VSCA)Founded in 1962 , the Virginia School Counselor Association is a state chapter of the American School Counselor Association. It is the only school counselor association in the Commonwealth of Virginia solely for and by school counselors.
- Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE)VSTE’s mission is to promote excellence in education through professional development endeavors supporting the integration of existing and emerging technologies.
- Virginia Technology and Engineering Education Association (VTEEA)The Virginia Technology and Engineering Education Association (VTEEA) is a professional organization whose goal is to promote and encourage STEM education.
- Women Education Leaders in VirginiaEstablished in 1998, Women Education Leaders in Virginia (WELV) is a not-for-profit organization, affiliated with the Curry School at the University of Virginia, that includes and supports women in all areas of education in Virginia.