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The National Association of Secondary School Principals

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) began modestly in 1916 when just 78 high school principals initiated its establishment. Now in its ninth decade, middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and around the world call themselves members.

Mission

“Excellence in School Leadership” is NASSP’s goal. To meet this goal, the group provides its members with programs and services to guide them in:

  • administration;
  • supervision;
  • curriculum planning; and
  • staff development.

Through its award-winning publications, professional development, and persistence in educating Congress on important education issues, NASSP helps advance middle level and high school education by:

  • promoting high professional standards;
  • focusing attention on school leaders’ challenges;
  • providing a “national voice” for school leaders;
  • building public confidence in education;
  • strengthening the role of the principal as instructional leader; and
  • publicizing the issues and interests of its members in the news media.

NASSP believes that outstanding school leadership includes training student leaders. Consequently, it is the proud parent organization of the National Association of Student Councils® and the National Honor Society® and National Junior Honor Society®.

Professional Development

Successful schools require leaders who are able to perform at optimum levels and who have the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to meet the complex challenges of their schools today and in the future. Every principal, assistant principal, and school leader must share responsibility for his or her own professional development. To assist in these efforts, NASSP offers online courses, professional skills development assessment programs, and individual assessment exercises and development guides.

Publications

NASSP publishes several award-winning periodicals that its members receive as a benefit of membership.

Newsleader

Newsleader, the official newsletter of NASSP, keeps members up-to-date with current educational and professional activities.

Principal Leadership

Principal Leadership magazine focuses on school leaders’ real needs, offering them practical, hands-on strategies for improving their schools in a constantly evolving educational environment. A middle level edition and a high school edition are published monthly from September through May.

NASSP Bulletin

This award-winning scholarly journal provides juried research and scholarship that drives the thinking of secondary school leaders at both the middle and high school levels. NASSP Bulletin is published quarterly in March, June, September, and December.

A Legal Memorandum

A Legal Memorandum, a quarterly publication, provides in-depth information on prominent topics in education law.

Connections: NASSP Journal of Principal Preparation and Development

Connections: NASSP Journal of Principal Preparation and Development is an annual Web-first journal directed to district administrators, professors of educational administration, and others involved in the preparation and continued development of principals.

Books and Monographs

NASSP also publishes books and monographs, available through The Principal's Store. NASSP invites book proposal submissions on topics of interest to middle level and high school leaders.

Principal’s Legislative Action Center

The Principal’s Legislative Action Center (PLAC) is an online grassroots advocacy center designed to provide the individual principal a means through which to affect legislation and federal education policy. PLAC’s effectiveness relies on each principal contacting his or her elected officials on issues of importance to the principalship and secondary schools. By visiting PLAC, members can:

  • read action alerts on pending federal policy decisions and legislative updates from NASSP;
  • access important legislation;
  • e-mail their federal and state elected officials;
  • generate scorecards on congressional votes; and
  • send opinion letters to their local and national newspapers.

Advocacy*

The primary goal of NASSP is to give school leaders a “national voice” by bringing the issues of the principalship to the halls of Congress, the White House, and the news media. The Office of Advocacy and Strategic Alliances monitors legislation directly affecting education, communicates with congressional offices and the U.S. Department of Education, and actively participates in coalition-building activities.

Advocating on behalf of the principalship also includes affecting public policy by changing attitudes, shaping public debate, and informing public thought through editorials, policy briefings, and regular interaction with the nation’s news media. The Office of Advocacy and Strategic Alliances translates complex education issues into compelling and persuasive arguments that inform the media, policymakers, and the public.

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* As of August 2003, the Office of Advocacy and Strategic Alliance is being restructured. It is anticipated that this restructuring will be completed by the end of 2003.

For more information, contact:

Rosa Aronson, Director, Advocacy and Strategic Alliances, National Association of Secondary School Principals, 1904 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1537. 703-860-0200 (phone), 703-476-5432 (fax), aronsonr@principals.org (e-mail), www.principals.org (Web site).