Washington Association for Career and Technical Education

What Washington Association for Career and Technical Education does

The Washington Association for Career and Technical Education (WA-ACTE) is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1946 and headquartered in Olympia, Washington. It serves as the leading state affiliate of the national ACTE organization, providing membership services, professional development, advocacy, and recognition for CTE educators and administrators across Washington State. Its primary customer segments are CTE educators and administrators working in agricultural sciences, business and marketing, family and consumer sciences, health sciences, technology education, trades and industry, and emerging fields, as well as the students participating in the eight affiliated Career and Technical Student Organizations (DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, TSA, WCTSMA) that together reach over 70,000 Washington students annually.

WA-ACTE generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues (subscription-style recurring payments accepted online or by check/purchase order) and conference and sponsorship revenue from its Summer Conference (Spokane, August) and Fall Conference (Great Wolf Lodge, October). The association offers a portfolio of member-facing products including the WA-ACTE CTE Director Preparation Program, an awards program (New Teacher of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Counseling and Career Development Professional Award, Excellence Awards, Impact Awards, and Achieve 100% Membership Award), a job board, and legislative advocacy services delivered through a WOVE legislative update channel.

The association operates with a small paid staff (1-10 employees including Executive Director Michelle Spenser, Executive Assistant Tess Alviso, Government Relations Coordinator Jesse Taylor, and Accounting Services support) governed by an Executive Board with elected officers and eight discipline-based section representatives. The website and membership operations are powered by Wild Apricot membership management software. WA-ACTE maintains formal board-liaison relationships with state-level bodies including OSPI, WTECB, PESB, and Washington STEM, and is governed as an independent nonprofit with no parent company or external ownership structure.

Name

Washington Association for Career and Technical Education

Legal name

Washington Association for Career and Technical Education

Website

https://wa-acte.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Washington Association for Career and Technical Education is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1946 that provides membership, conferences, training, advocacy, and awards for CTE educators and administrators across Washington State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Education Association

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Career & Technical Education (CTE) Standards Authorities (EDADAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Career & Technical Education (CTE) Centers & Programs (EDAJAAAJ)

Keywords

• Career technical education
• Professional membership association
• Educator professional development
• Education advocacy services
• Teacher training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

East Olympia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from CTE educators and administrators across Washington State. The association offers online and check/purchase order payment options for joining or renewing membership.
2. Conference and Sponsorship Revenue: Revenue generated from Summer Conference, Fall Conference, and other professional development events through registration fees, exhibitor fees, and sponsorship opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

WA-ACTE is a nonprofit professional membership association that delivers CTE-focused membership services, annual Summer and Fall conferences, the CTE Director Preparation Program, an annual awards program, an online job board, and legislative advocacy for Washington State CTE educators and administrators. The association coordinates eight discipline-based sections and supports eight Career and Technical Student Organizations that together reach 70,000+ Washington students annually.

Product overview

The Washington Association for Career and Technical Education (WA-ACTE) is a professional membership association offering a portfolio of services including annual conferences (Summer and Fall), the CTE Director Preparation Program, an awards program recognizing excellence among educators, a job board, legislative advocacy, and support for Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs). These services are delivered through Wild Apricot membership software and focus on supporting CTE educators across eight affiliated sections representing different career disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WA-ACTE Summer Conference Annual premier professional development conference featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities for CTE educators across Washington State.
• WA-ACTE Fall Conference Annual fall professional development event offering additional training and networking opportunities for CTE professionals.
• WA-ACTE Membership Program Professional membership program offering benefits including professional development, advocacy, networking, and resources for career and technical educators, joined online or via PDF/check forms.
• WA-ACTE CTE Director Preparation Program Comprehensive preparation program for current and aspiring CTE directors, offering two tracks: one for those not yet in the role and another for current CTE directors seeking professional advancement.
• WA-ACTE Awards Program Annual awards program recognizing excellence among CTE educators, administrators, and partners, including New Teacher of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Counseling and Career Development Professional Award, Excellence Awards, and Impact Awards.
• WA-ACTE Job Board Online job board connecting CTE educators with career opportunities in Washington State schools and districts.
• Legislative Advocacy Services Advocacy and promotion of Career and Technical Education at local, state, and national levels, including legislative updates via the WOVE program, policy influence, and representation in government relations.
• Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) Coordination Support and coordination for eight Career and Technical Student Organizations (DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, TSA, WCTSMA), which together serve over 70,000 Washington students annually with leadership development, competitive events, and career pathway exploration.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70,000 Washington students annually benefit from CTSO programs supported by WA-ACTE

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National ACTEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Association for Career and Technical Education - WA-ACTE is the Washington state affiliate of the national ACTE organization, coordinating on policy, professional development, awards, and CTE advocacy at the federal level.
• DECA (Distinguished Education Clubs of America)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and Technical Student Organization focusing on Marketing, Finance, Hospitality, and Management. Washington DECA is one of the largest associations in the world.
• FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and Technical Student Organization focusing on Business, Information Technology, and Entrepreneurship, bridging the gap between classroom and professional world.
• FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and Technical Student Organization with family as its central focus, addressing personal, work, and societal issues while preparing for careers in education, food services, hospitality, interior design, and human services.
• FFA (Future Farmers of America)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and Technical Student Organization for Agricultural Education, preparing members for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.
• HOSA (Future Health Professionals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and Technical Student Organization focused on Health Sciences and Healthcare, empowering students to become leaders in the global health community.
• SkillsUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and Technical Student Organization for Trade, Industrial, Technical, and Health Occupations, covering more than 130 occupational areas.
• TSA (Technology Student Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer and Technical Student Association dedicated to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), with members applying STEM concepts through robotics, architecture, and video production competitions.
• WCTSMA (Washington Career & Technical Sports Medicine Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington-specific Career and Technical Student Organization providing students with leadership and skill competencies in sports medicine, serving as a pathway for athletic training, physical therapy, and fitness careers.
• OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction - Board liaison relationship focused on CTE student success and career pathways.
• WTECB (Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board - Board liaison relationship for workforce development coordination.
• Washington STEMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington STEM organization - Board liaison relationship focused on strengthening CTE student pathways and career navigation in STEM fields.
• PESB (Professional Educator Standards Board)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWashington Professional Educator Standards Board - Board liaison relationship for educator preparation and standards.
• WACTA (Washington Association of Career and Technical Administrators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministration Section of WA-ACTE, informing members on current WA-ACTE policies and issues, promoting high-quality professional standards across all facets of CTE programming.
• WAAE (Washington Association of Agricultural Educators)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural Education Section of WA-ACTE, preparing students for successful careers in global agriculture and natural resources systems.
• WE-BAM (Washington Business and Marketing Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness and Marketing Education Section of WA-ACTE, dedicated to educating students for tomorrow's business community.
• WA-CCER (Washington Career Counseling and Employment Readiness)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer Counseling and Employment Readiness Section of WA-ACTE, dedicated to designing and evaluating programming for CTE, career pathways, and decision-making.
• WA-FACSE (Washington Family and Consumer Sciences Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily and Consumer Sciences Education Section of WA-ACSE, empowering individuals and families across their life span to manage challenges of living and working in a diverse global society.
• WITEA (Washington Industrial and Technology Education Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology Education Section of WA-ACTE, preparing students for STEM-related careers in engineering, design, and applied sciences.
• HSCTE (Health Science Career and Technical Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth Science Education Section of WA-ACTE, educating students for tomorrow's health care community and serving as advisers for HOSA-Future Health Professionals.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Texas Association of Career and Technical Education (TX-ACTE): State-level CTE professional association serving Texas educators. Operates with the same membership/conference/advocacy model as WA-ACTE, though at larger geographic scale.
• SkillsUSA: National Career and Technical Student Organization covering 130+ occupational areas and one of WA-ACTE's eight CTSO partners. Comparable membership/conference model but focused on students rather than educators.
• Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE): National parent association of which WA-ACTE is the official Washington state affiliate. Offers the same membership, advocacy, conference, and awards model at the federal level, making it the closest structural peer and primary ecosystem partner.
• Oregon ACTE: Sister state ACTE affiliate providing parallel membership, conferences, and advocacy for Oregon CTE educators. Directly comparable in scale, mission, and revenue model to WA-ACTE.
• National FFA Organization: National CTSO for agricultural education that WA-ACTE's WAAE section interfaces with directly. Comparable student-membership and conference model within the broader CTE ecosystem.
• DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America): National CTSO for marketing, finance, hospitality, and management — one of WA-ACTE's eight affiliated CTSO partners. Closely comparable community/conference-based student organization model.
• California Association for Career and Technical Education (CACTE): State-level ACTE affiliate offering the same membership, professional development, and policy advocacy for CTE educators in California. Highly comparable operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Washington Education Association (WEA): Statewide Washington educator union with overlapping membership of K-12 educators and active legislative advocacy function — comparable membership/advocacy model at significantly larger scale.
• National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP): Larger national professional association for school administrators with overlapping K-12 educator advocacy and professional development offerings. Comparable membership/advocacy business model but broader scope.
• Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP): Washington-state professional association for school principals; shares the same state-level educator membership and advocacy model as WA-ACTE but serves building administrators more broadly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Washington Association for Career and Technical Education