Participating in professional organizations is an important aspect of ongoing personal and professional development. Explore relevant professional organizations by content area.
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
This organization can help you connect with, network with, and explore information about foreign language teaching/teachers - American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)
A useful organization to learn about applied linguistics and engage with fellow applied linguists - Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL)
An important organization dedicated to studying, researching, and improving the field of Applied Linguistics - TESOL Internationl Association(TESOL)
An organization where you can meet people who are teachers of English to speakers of other languages from all over the world - Maryland TESOL
A local affiliate of the TESOL organization - Washington DC TESOL (WATESOL)
local TESOL organization) –A local affiliate of the TESOL organization - Virginia TESOL (VA-TESOL)
A local (Virginia-based) affiliate of TESOL International - LINGUIST List
Find jobs, post positions, check out calls for papers, and more!
- American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
The largest national organization concerned about intellectual and developmental disabilities. - Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)
National association that encourages research and best practices related to technology integration in education. - Association of Teacher Educators (ATE)
A national organization for K-12 and higher education professionals interested in teaching future teachers. - Kappa Delta Pi
An international honor society in education. - National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE)
A national organization promoting multilingual education. - National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
A national professional organization for K-12 English and language arts teachers. - National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
A national professional organization for K-12 mathematics teachers. - National Education Association (NEA)
The nation’s largest education employee organization. - National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
A national professional organization for K-12 science teachers that encourages implementation of pedagogical practices supported by current science research. - Virginia Association of Science Teachers (VAST)
A network or professionals in K-12 science teaching in Virginia. - Virginia Department of Education
Get tips and resources, and connect with what is going on at the Virginia Department of Education. - Virginia Education Association
A VA teachers’ association. - Virginia Professional Educators
A VA teachers’ association. - Virginia Education Research Association (VERA)
A state organization devoted to enhancing educational research and evaluation in Virginia. - Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE)
Offers networking and professional development opportunities related to technology integration in education.
- Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA)
The only association for leaders in international higher education - American Educational Research Association (AERA)
A society working to advance knowledge of education to improve practices and society - Association of American Colleges and Universities
An association dedicated to promoting liberal education in higher education - Association of American Universities
Focusing on issues related to higher education in American universities - Chronicle of Higher Education
Offering a contemporary view of realities within higher education for higher education administrators and faculty members - The Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)
Advancing scholarly inquiry of and about higher education - NAPSA
An association for student affairs professionals - NAFSA: Association of International Educators
An association dedicated to international education and exchange - National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU)
Providing a voice for private nonprofit higher education institutions
In the United States, colleges and universities can choose to participate in regional accreditation, which helps to ensure quality. Regionally accredited institutions subscribe to a process of peer review and self-evaluation of an institution’s ability to meet quality indicators of academic excellence. The following are the regional accreditation commissions:
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. - New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont - Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Wyoming. - Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. - Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS COC)
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. - Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC)
California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, Palau, and Northern Marianas Islands, as well as schools for American children in Asia. - Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
California, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, Palau, and Northern Marianas Islands, as well as schools for American children in Asia.