Professional Associations & Resources for Education

Join a professional association to stay current on industry trends, build a strong network in your desired field, and gain access to internships, jobs, and learning opportunities in your field of interest. It’s a powerful way to grow both knowledge and connections before graduation. Plus, many associations offer students a discounted membership rate and/or scholarships.

  • Montana Federation of Public Employees (MFPE) – Montana’s statewide professional union for teachers and school staff (affiliated with NEA and AFT). MFPE advocates for educators’ rights, offers liability coverage, and hosts the largest teacher professional development conference in MT.  
  • National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – The major professional organization for early childhood educators. NAEYC sets standards for high-quality early learning and provides resources on best practices for teaching children from birth to age 8. (Montana AEYC is the state affiliate offering local events and training for early childhood professionals.) 
  • Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) – The leading international organization for special education professionals. CEC is dedicated to improving the success of children with disabilities and gifts/talents, through research-based practices and policy advocacy. Montana has a CEC unit (MCEC) that hosts an annual conference and networking for special educators. 
  • School Administrators of Montana (SAM) – Montana’s umbrella association for school leaders, including principals, superintendents, special education directors, and other administrators. Based in Helena, SAM provides support, professional development, and statewide networking for school administrators. Its vision is to foster collaborative, effective educational leadership across Montana’s schools. (Nationally, administrators also connect through NAESP, NASSP, and AASA for elementary principals, secondary principals, and superintendents respectively.) 
  • National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) – The world’s largest organization of school psychologists, representing more than 25,000 school psychologists, graduate students, and related professionals throughout the United States and an additional 25 countries worldwide.  
  • American Counseling Association (ACA) – Provides education, community and professional development opportunities for more than 60,000 members, including counselors in various practice settings and counselors in training. 

Local & Regional Resources

  • University of Montana College of Education Specialty Units – Learning and Belonging (LAB) School, Institute for Early Childhood Education, Center for the Advancement of Positive Education (CAPE), Montana Safe Schools Center, National Native Children’s Trauma Center, Montana Digital Academy.  
  • Montana Office of Public Instruction (OPI) – The state education agency, which oversees teacher licensure, K–12 content standards, professional development, and educator resources in Montana.  
  • Montana Early Childhood Project (ECP) – A statewide resource center supporting the early childhood workforce. ECP maintains the Practitioner Registry for early childhood educators and administers the Montana Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program (MECAP), which combines on-the-job training with coursework. ECP offers professional development, career advancement pathways, and information on scholarships/financial aid. 
  • Raise Montana – Support and resources for early childhood professionals and parents 

Other Professional Resources

  • TEACH.org – A national nonprofit platform that guides people into the teaching profession. It provides personalized tools and advice for every stage of the career decision process, from exploration (“Why teach?”) and preparation (finding the right degree or alternative certification program) to job search strategies. Users can get a tailored roadmap, live coaching, information on scholarships and loan forgiveness, and application checklists. TEACH.org is a one-stop hub to explore teaching as a career, learn about certification in each state, and even “test drive” teaching through virtual simulations. 
  • Edutopia – Teachers share innovative strategies and inspiration for better teaching through articles, videos, discussion forums, local workshops, state conferences, and online networks.