The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese

What The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese does

The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) is a 501(c) nonprofit professional association founded in 1917, headquartered in Chesterton, Indiana (with a relocation to California announced for July 1, 2023). It serves nearly 10,000 educator members spanning PreK-12 through graduate school and operates 50 regional/state chapters plus more than 2,500 Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH) high-school chapters. The association's mission is to promote the study and teaching of Spanish and Portuguese languages and their corresponding Hispanic, Luso-Brazilian, and related literatures and cultures at all levels of education. AATSP also recognizes Portuguese through Phi Lambda Beta collegiate honor society, the National Portuguese Exams, and The Portuguese Newsletter, having incorporated Portuguese into its name in 1944.

AATSP's product portfolio is anchored by the annual conference (108th edition scheduled July 8-11, 2026 in Orlando), the National Spanish Exams (NSE) and National Portuguese Exams (NPE) assessment franchises, and a publications suite including the peer-reviewed Hispania journal, Spanish and Portuguese Review (graduate-student journal), Albricias (student creative journal), The Portuguese Newsletter, and Revista Luso-Hispánica. Complementary programs include honor societies (SHH, SHA, Phi Lambda Beta), an Awards and Scholarships program, Career Center, K-12 Poster Contest, Higher-Ed Photo Contest, Sheri Spaine Long Webinar Series, World Readiness Standards framework, and heritage-celebration programs (Hispanic Heritage Month, National Teach Spanish/Portuguese Week). The technology backbone is YourMembership.com association management software handling membership database, event management, email marketing, and career-center functionality; member authentication supports Facebook and LinkedIn social login.

The business model is membership-dues-driven with diversified supplementary streams: annual membership subscriptions (with periodic free first-year promotions), conference registration fees, Career Center transaction fees ($99 member / $125 non-member per 90-day posting), publication subscriptions, and merchandise sales through the AATSP Store. Sponsorship revenue from partners such as the Tourism Office of Spain, Avant Assessment, Wayside Publishing, and the Consejería de Educación (Washington, DC) supplements operations. Distribution relies on the website (aatsp.org), email newsletters, social media, the in-person annual conference, chapter grassroots networks, and partnership co-marketing, targeting Spanish and Portuguese language educators, students, and academic institutions.

Name

The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese

Legal name

The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese

Website

https://aatsp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) is a 1917-founded nonprofit professional association serving nearly 10,000 Spanish and Portuguese language educators through memberships, annual conferences, standardized exams (NSE/NPE), peer-reviewed journals, honor societies, and 50 regional chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services for Language Educators

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic Language Support (ESL/EFL for School & University) (EDANACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic English / EAP Materials (EDAGAHAI), ESL for Work & Workplace English (ESP) (EDAAACAC)

Keywords

• Language teacher association
• Professional membership services
• Scholarly journal publishing
• Foreign language assessment
• Academic honor society

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesterton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees providing access to publications, conferences, awards, chapters, and professional development resources
2. Conference Registration: Fees for annual conference attendance including sessions, workshops, and networking events
3. Career Center Postings: Job posting fees for employers: $99 for members and $125 for non-members, with 90-day posting duration
4. Publications: Sales of journals including Hispania, Spanish and Portuguese Review, Albricias, and The Portuguese Newsletter
5. Merchandise: Sales of SHH and AATSP branded merchandise through the AATSP Store (aatsp-store.com)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) is a nonprofit professional association serving nearly 10,000 educators of Spanish and Portuguese from PreK-12 through graduate school. Its core offering is annual membership that delivers access to scholarly publications (Hispania, Albricias, Spanish and Portuguese Review, The Portuguese Newsletter, Revista Luso-Hispánica), the Annual Conference, the National Spanish and Portuguese Exams, honor society programs (SHH, Phi Lambda Beta, SHA), a Career Center, awards and scholarships, and a network of 50 chapters across the United States.

Product overview

The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) operates as a membership-based professional association offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs, publications, and services for language educators. The organization functions as a unified platform centered on its Annual Conference and membership community, supplemented by multiple complementary offerings. Key products include the AATSP Exams (National Spanish Exams/NSE and National Portuguese Exams/NPE) for student assessment; scholarly publications including Hispania (flagship peer-reviewed journal), Spanish and Portuguese Review (graduate student journal), Albricias (student creative journal), The Portuguese Newsletter, and Revista Luso-Hispánica; honor societies including Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH) for high school, Sociedad Hispánica de Amistad (SHA) for K-8, and Phi Lambda Beta for Portuguese; awards and scholarships; Career Center; 50 regional chapters; webinar series; teaching resources; and contests including Poster Contest (K-12) and Photo Contest (Higher Ed). The association is powered by YourMembership.com association management software for website and member services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Conference Annual professional conference bringing together Spanish and Portuguese educators for sessions, workshops, networking, and professional development. The 108th Annual Conference is scheduled for July 8-11, 2026 in Orlando, Florida.
• AATSP Exams (National Spanish Exams / NSE) Multi-level standardized assessments for Spanish and Portuguese language students, covering vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension, and listening comprehension, delivered online.
• National Portuguese Exams (NPE) Assessment program for Portuguese language students, providing recognition of achievement and promoting proficiency in Portuguese studies.
• Hispania Flagship peer-reviewed journal of the AATSP, publishing scholarly articles on applied linguistics, cultural studies, language, linguistics, literary criticism, literature, and pedagogy. Published multiple times per year.
• Spanish and Portuguese Review Graduate student journal featuring articles and reviews on literature, culture, linguistics, and pedagogy of Spanish and Portuguese, accepting submissions from graduate students and early-career scholars.
• Albricias Biannual student journal of the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica containing essays, poetry, photography, and artwork created by student members and distributed to chapter sponsors.
• The Portuguese Newsletter Biannual bulletin published in fall and spring covering applied linguistics, cultural studies, film studies, language, linguistics, literature, and topics related to Portuguese study and teaching.
• Revista Luso-Hispánica Academic journal focusing on Portuguese and Spanish literary and cultural studies.
• Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH) National honor society for high school Spanish and Portuguese students, supporting chapter sponsors, induction ceremonies, and student scholarships. Operates over 2,500 school chapters.
• Phi Lambda Beta Sociedade Honorária de Língua Portuguesa - honor society recognizing academic achievement in Portuguese language studies at the collegiate level.
• Sociedad Hispánica de Amistad (SHA) K-8 Spanish and Portuguese student organization promoting early language learning and cultural appreciation.
• Awards and Scholarships Program Multiple awards recognizing member and student achievements, including Chapter of the Year, Outstanding Teacher of the Year (Elementary, Secondary, Two-Year College, Four-Year College), Distinguished Leadership Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Outstanding Scholarly Publication Award, Mario Vargas Llosa Award, and various student scholarships.
• AATSP Career Center Job posting service for school districts, colleges, and universities to announce language teaching openings. Offers career guidance for job seekers; employer posting fees are $99 for members and $125 for non-members for a 90-day posting.
• AATSP Chapters Network of 50 regional and state chapters providing local professional development, networking, and advocacy for Spanish and Portuguese language educators.
• Webinar Series Professional development webinars offered during the academic year, covering current topics in Spanish and Portuguese instruction, including the Sheri Spaine Long Webinar Series and National Teach Spanish Week / National Teach Portuguese Week events.
• Teaching and Learning Resources Curated collection of teaching materials organized by theme, including COVID resources and classroom support materials for Spanish and Portuguese educators.
• Poster Contest (K-12) Annual competition for K-12 students to showcase creative work related to Spanish and Portuguese languages and cultures.
• Photo Contest (Higher Ed) Photography competition for college and university students, launched in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Poster Contest.
• A&R E-Newsletter Announcements and Reminders newsletter keeping members informed about association news, deadlines, and opportunities.
• World Readiness Standards for Learning Spanish Standards framework guiding Spanish language instruction, aligned with national and international proficiency guidelines.

Quantifiable outcome

• Spanish garners over 50% of all language enrollments at all levels of instruction in the US, supported by AATSP advocacy

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• XperitascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022Nonprofit organization that works with language teachers to plan language and cultural immersion programs abroad. MOU established for supporting teachers and students in authentic intercultural learning experiences through awards, sponsorships, and co-sponsored events.
• Idioma Education & ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2022MOU established to expand access to high-quality, affordable professional development and graduate-level courses to Spanish and Portuguese educators across the US
• Time2TalkminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2022Mobile app partnership offering AATSP members professional development through instant connection with native Spanish speakers. Special holiday offer of buy 3 hours get 2 free for $44.95.
• Alabama Humanities AllianceminorOthers · 1 January 2020Grant supporter (formerly Alabama Humanities Foundation) that helped fund the redesign of the AATSP website in 2020
• FIAPE (Federación Internacional de Asociaciones de Profesores de Español)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational federation providing AATSP members with international networking opportunities and collaboration with Spanish teachers worldwide
• Tourism Office of Spain (Spain.info)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Spain tourism board sponsoring AATSP events and activities
• Consejería de Educación (Washington, DC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish Ministry of Education office in the US receiving 2022 Lawrence Wilkins Founder's Award. Long-standing collaboration supporting Spanish instruction through educational outreach programs.
• Avant AssessmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssessment company sponsoring AATSP opening plenary speaker and providing professional development webinars on assessment topics
• Wayside PublishingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational publisher sponsoring AATSP keynote speakers including Dr. Maria Carreira's keynote address
• Instituto CervantesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost of Hispania centennial roundtable event at the Observatorio in April 2018 celebrating 100 years of the journal
• Heritage Language Exchange (HLX)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by AATSP Executive Director Maria Carreira; initiative focusing on heritage language teaching resources and professional development
• National Heritage Language Resource Center (UCLA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAATSP co-founder Maria Carreira served as Emerita co-director; center focuses on heritage language research and pedagogy

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL): The US umbrella professional association for all world language educators, offering overlapping membership, conferences, publications, and advocacy. Directly comparable as a peer language-teacher association but broader in scope across all foreign languages.
• Modern Language Association (MLA): Larger scholarly association covering modern languages and literatures, including Spanish and Portuguese. Comparable as a publisher of major academic journals (e.g., PMLA) and convener of academic conferences for language faculty.
• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE): Large US professional association for English language arts educators. Comparable as a single-subject teacher association with membership, publications, and conventions, though focused on English/Language Arts rather than world languages.

Others

• Avant Assessment: US-based language proficiency assessment company that partners with AATSP (sponsoring plenary speakers and co-hosting webinars). Comparable as a peer organization operating in the language assessment and educator professional development space that intersects with AATSP's NSE franchise.

Direct peers

• American Classical League (ACL): National US professional association for Latin and Greek teachers with a similar membership-and-conference model, publications, and student recognition programs (National Latin Exam). Comparable as a language-specific teachers' association.
• American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ): National US professional association for Japanese language educators with membership, publications, and conferences. Closely mirrors AATSP's single-language professional association model for a different language community.
• American Association of Teachers of German (AATG): US national professional association for German teachers with membership, conference, publications, and student contests. Operates with a similar nonprofit membership-based business model focused on a single language.
• TESOL International Association: Major international professional association for English language teachers, with membership, conferences, publications, and advocacy. Comparable as a language-teacher professional association but focused on English rather than Spanish/Portuguese.
• American Association of Teachers of French (AATF): National US professional association for French educators with the same operating model: membership dues, annual conference, journal (French Review), honor societies, and chapter network. Closely analogous structure to AATSP for a different language.

Regional players

• Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL): Regional US conference and professional organization for foreign language teachers in the Northeast. Comparable as a conference-driven professional development organization but geographically narrower than AATSP's national scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AATSPglobal
• Xx.com/AATSPglobal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese