Alaska Council of School Administrators

We are the professional leaders of Alaska’s schools and school systems. Our members include superintendents, assistant superintendents and other central office administrators, school business officials, and both elementary and secondary principals.

As a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation, established in 1989, the Council serves as an umbrella for four of our state’s educational leadership organizations, including: the Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals, Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals, Alaska Superintendents Association, and the Alaska Association of School Business Officials.

In the interest of sound public education for the children of Alaska, ACSA takes a lead role in:
 Providing a respected voice for education and children
with the state department of education, the state
legislature, and federal entities.
 Organizing and directing statewide conferences for its affiliated associations and their members.
 Producing publications and offering electronic resources of vital interest to school leaders and their districts.
 Promoting constructive partnerships with business and other key groups for the benefit of education in Alaska.
 Providing quality professional development opportunities to Alaska’s educators.
 Recognizing educators and their communities for their leadership.
 Helping professional school leaders reach the education goals of the communities they serve.
 Offering strength in numbers in addressing issues important to public education and children.

ACSA SERVICES
ACSA offers an array of services for its members to help them provide leadership for constantly improving education and to assist them in becoming even more effective advocates for children.
Those services include:

Professional Services:
 Individual professional consultations and connections with mentors, including peers, who can provide advice on dealing with issues and problems.
 Networking opportunities that provide an ongoing source of support and information in addressing issues and in developing and recommending policies, goals, and educational priorities.
 Resources aimed at helping administrators stay up-to-date and on the leading edge, including communications networks that provide immediate answers and timely information and a web site with a wealth of online resources.
 Free publications, such as ACSA’s Education Bulletin, published three times a year, which provides reports on Council member activities.
 An ACSA Legislative Newsletter published every two weeks during the legislative session, reporting on state budget issues and K-12 education bills before the legislature.

Personal Services:
 Leadership opportunities as an officer of the board and as a member of state and national committees.
 Opportunities for affordable liability insurance and participation in a legal defense fund.
 Membership in national professional organizations.
 Reduced rates for conferences.
 A variety of recognition and award programs calling attention to distinguished service offered by administrators and other members of the education community and bringing honor to the school districts they serve.

Advocacy:
 A collective voice in shaping education policy and in speaking out on behalf of children at the state and national levels.
 Immediate contact when members need to consider giving an issue their immediate attention and offering a rapid response.
 A forum for discussing emergencies and emerging issues and topics.
 Liaison with other education organizations and state agencies whose programs affect education.
 Representation of members’ interests on state task forces and study groups.

Professional Development:
Conferences and workshops for all affiliates feature nationally known and respected keynote speakers to help expand the vision, and the leadership and management skills of school leaders.

The Alaska State Development Network (ASDN) is the training arm of the Alaska Council of School Administrators. ASDN provides year round face-to-face and distance-delivered opportunities for educators to achieve professional growth through cost-effective, quality professional development.

The Alaska Association of School Business Officials (ALASBO) organizes annual conferences and vendor trade show in December, focusing on exposure and grounding in school business topics for all levels of staff. ALASBO also offers Power Lunch teleconference sessions and networking opportunities throughout the school year.

The school principals associations, the Alaska Association of Elementary Principals and Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals (AAESP & AASSP), provide the statewide Principal Conference each fall. Participants benefit from nationally recognized
educational speakers, opportunities to share with other Alaskan principals, and discussions on policy, goals, and educational priorities.

ACSA and its affiliated organizations & members are committed to being “Champions for Children.” Therefore, we strive to:
 Enhance the opportunities for children to learn in a safe and secure environment free from ridicule and violence.
 Reaffirm the worth and dignity of every child as a member of a diverse society.
 Provide equity of access to quality educational programs and services.
 Encourage and support children in becoming lifelong learners who are a part of an enlightened society.