Membership Categories

Regular Membership

Regular Membership shall be limited to:

1. Practicing elementary or secondary school administrators and supervisors upon payment of the prescribed annual dues. A practicing elementary or secondary school administrator or supervisor is defined to include: Those persons engaged in school building administration or in administering an educational program as a complete or partial responsibility in one or more of the grade levels encompassed in kindergarten through grade twelve.
2. Those who have supervision of personnel as a major responsibility.
3. Those who serve in an administrative position in a regional, state or national educational agency or association, college, or university.
4. Those who teach persons preparing for a professional career in education.
5. Those association members not currently employed in the field of education but who are receiving compensation from the State Teachers Retirement System.

Benefits/Services:
Voting members, may serve on committees, receive all publications including the annual salary report, specially priced fees for inservice events, Legal Services Plan (3 levels of service plus access to a retained attorney at no extra cost for legal advice on professional problems).

Associate Membership
(Includes DPI and University personnel)

Associate membership is available to individuals not eligible for Regular membership. Associate membership shall be limited to:

1. Association members reassigned to classroom or other duties, outside administration.
2. Individuals meeting certification requirements for membership but who have not yet been employed in a position qualifying them for Regular membership.
3. Individuals who are graduate students verified to be enrolled in programs of educational administration leading to administrative certification in an accredited higher education institution.
4. Other individuals as approved by the Board of Directors.

Benefits/Services:
Associate Members do not have voting privileges nor are they eligible to serve as association elected officers or directors. They may serve on committees. Associate members will receive all AWSA publications and be entitled to pay membership fees (when applicable) at inservice events.

Life Membership For The Retired

Available to administrators who have been a member of AWSA for at least five years prior to retirement.

Benefits/Services:
Voting members, eligible for all benefits of regular members. Life retired members retain the legal benefits they were entitled to upon retirement. Their AWSA Level II legal financial assistance account is not increased annually as it is for regular members.

Retired Membership

Available to regular members who are receiving compensation from the State Teachers Retirement System. Two categories are offered: basic and full service.

Benefits/Services:
Basic - Voting members, may serve on committees, receive all publications, special retiree fees when applicable at inservice events.
Full Service - All benefits of regular members, including legal services.

Institutional Membership

Available to libraries, professional organizations, schools or school districts, governmental agencies, or other institutions involved in concerns regarding Wisconsin education. For schools, Institutional Membership is available only when there is at least one Regular Membership in that school.

Benefits/Services:
Receive all publications

Aspiring Administrator Program
(not a membership category)

1. A purpose of the program is to introduce administrator-related programs and services to teachers whose career goals include seeking administrative positions.
2. Another goal is to make this program part of the teacher's inservice program. Attendance at AWSA/WFEA-sponsored programs, AWSA regional meetings, etc., will be an excellent introduction to topics, issues, problems, etc. which administrators experience. The person will also become acquainted with practicing administrators, thus beginning the networking which is vital to success.
3. There must be no confusion over the purposes of this program nor competition with any other organization.
4. Services offered will include receiving AWSA publications, attending AWSA meetings, attendance at WFEA conferences and conventions at member fees, and access to staff members for advice and counseling. No other services are available.
5. The fee for the program is $48.00 for one year. (Twelve full months from receipt of nomination form and fee.)
6. AWSA members, superintendents, and professors of educational administration are asked to nominate persons for this program. They are encouraged to seek out the "best and brightest" and to include women and minorities.
7. A person is eligible to continue in the program until he/she receives an administrative appointment.

Complimentary Initial Membership Program

1. The complimentary membership will extend from the date the AWSA office receives the new appointee's name for a total of six months.
2. The program will provide full membership benefits with the exception of reimbursement for legal costs.
3. AWSA will only accept names of administrators and supervisors who are not included in a collective bargaining unit.
4. Eligibility will be restricted to first-time appointments to administrative or supervisory positions. Job promotions or transfers are not eligible (i.e., assistant principals becoming principals; building administrators going to central office positions, etc.)
5. Those eligible may elect to pay dues at the time of their appointment and, thus, receive up to 18 months of membership for the price of 12. These people will receive full legal service.
6. At the end of the complimentary membership period, the complimentary membership person will receive a notice and invoice to renew the membership for a full year at the regular member rate.
7. For building administrators, the program will include membership in either the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) or the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) as appropriate.

Temporary Membership

Available to regular members whose contracts were not renewed from the previous year.

Benefits/Services
Same benefits and services as full membership.

 June, 2006

Questions? Contact Pat Wilson