Alabama Independent School Association

What Alabama Independent School Association does

The Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) is a nonprofit membership association founded in 1970 and headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama. It serves independent private schools across the state, organizing member institutions into 7 districts for purposes of accreditation, athletic competition, academic activities, and shared services. AISA operates as the Lead Agency in partnership with Cognia/SACS, enabling member schools to obtain both AISA and Cognia accreditation through a single process — a positioning that anchors the association's primary value proposition to independent schools seeking recognized quality credentials.

AISA does not develop proprietary technology products; instead, it delivers services through an event- and partnership-driven model. Core offerings span 11 sports programs (football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, cross country, cheerleading, soccer, softball, track & field, golf, tennis) and a wide academic activities portfolio including spelling bee, scholars bowl, science fair, math competition, drama, visual arts, creative writing, computer science, and SGA competitions. Professional development is delivered via the annual Ignite Conference and Leadership Conference at Perdido Beach Resort. Member benefits include BCBS group health insurance (four plans, two dental, one vision), a 403(b) Multiple Employer Plan through the Independent School Collaborative (ISC), dual enrollment with Troy University, tuition discounts/scholarships with Faulkner University, and digital curriculum access through the Accelerate Education platform. The Campus Conversations podcast, blog content, and active social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube) extend the association's engagement beyond events.

AISA generates revenue through three streams: Board-set annual membership dues plus a $150 new member application fee (subscription_recurring), event registration and athletic gate admission fees ranging from $8 to $17 per attendee (transaction_fee), and a corporate sponsorship program providing brand visibility to member schools (advertising). Member schools must be accredited or candidates for accreditation by Cognia, SAIS, AISA, or other approved bodies, and per by-laws, schools outside Alabama or adjoining states are ineligible. The association is governed by a Board of Directors (up to 18 members) elected by member schools and operates with a small core team of 5 staff, including Executive Director Michael McLendon, Director of Member Services Matt Bruner, Athletics Director Roddie Beck, Director of Communications & Marketing Michael Shipma, and Director of Operations Sara Bazzle.

Name

Alabama Independent School Association

Legal name

Alabama Independent School Association

Website

https://aisaonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) is a nonprofit membership association founded in 1970 that provides accreditation, athletic programs, academic competitions, professional development, and group benefits (health insurance, retirement) to independent private schools across Alabama, organized into 7 districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Montgomery

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Schools pay annual membership dues to join AISA, with a $150 application fee required. Dues amounts are determined by the Board of Directors and vary based on membership classification.
2. Event Registration Fees: AISA generates revenue through fees for athletic tournaments, activities, and conferences including the Annual Conference and Leadership Conference. Fees vary by event - for example, the Elementary Choral Festival is $150 per choir.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: AISA maintains a corporate sponsorship program where businesses sponsor the association in exchange for visibility and brand awareness among member schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AISA is a nonprofit membership association that serves independent schools in Alabama by providing accreditation services (in partnership with Cognia/SACS as Lead Agency), administering state athletic championships across multiple sports, organizing academic competitions and student activities, hosting professional development conferences, and delivering member benefits such as group health insurance, retirement plans, and consortium purchasing power. Schools voluntarily apply for membership, pay dues, and receive accreditation, athletics oversight, professional development, and access to consortium buying benefits.

Product overview

The Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) is an organization of independent schools in Alabama that provides accreditation, academic and athletic activities programs, professional development, insurance and retirement benefits, government relations advocacy, and consortium purchasing power to its member schools. AISA does not offer a software product or technology platform; rather, it delivers services through member benefits programs, events, and partnerships with educational institutions and service providers. Key service offerings include: AISA/Cognia accreditation for member schools, the Campus Conversations podcast, annual conferences (Leadership Conference, Ignite Annual Conference), student activities including computer science/tech fair competitions, athletics programs across multiple sports, professional development workshops, BCBS health insurance plans, a 403B retirement plan through the Independent School Collaborative, Faulkner University tuition discounts, Troy University dual enrollment opportunities, and Accelerate Education online learning tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AISA/Cognia Accreditation Services Accreditation services provided through AISA's partnership with Cognia/SACS, where AISA serves as the Lead Agency, allowing member schools to obtain both AISA and Cognia accreditation through one seamless process utilizing Cognia's protocols and platforms.
• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletic program for AISA member schools offering regular season play, playoff tournaments, and state championships across football, volleyball, cross country, cheerleading, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, track & field, golf, and tennis.
• Academic Activities Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 31 member schools recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools for 2024-2025

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cognia (SACS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAISA maintains an agency partnership with Cognia, serving as the Lead Agency. This partnership allows schools to obtain both AISA and Cognia accreditation through one seamless process, with AISA serving as the managing partner utilizing Cognia's unique protocols and platforms.
• Troy UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAISA and Troy University partner to provide dual enrollment opportunities for high school students. In-state tuition reduced to $33 per credit hour, out-of-state $145 per credit hour. Requirements include 20 ACT/1030 SAT or letter of recommendation, 3.0 GPA, and 10th-12th grade status.
• Faulkner UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAISA and Faulkner University provide tuition discounts and scholarships for AISA graduates, employees, and their families. Full-time employees receive 50% tuition discount. Employee children receive either 50% discount or minimum $10,000 scholarship per academic year. AISA graduates eligible for $10,000+ scholarship.
• Independent School Collaborative (ISC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAISA participates in the ISC 403(b) Multiple Employer Plan enabling small organizations to offer big-company retirement benefits. Vendors include TIAA as record-keeper, Pentegra as 3(16) Fiduciary Administrator, and Compass Financial Partners as 3(38) Fiduciary Investment Manager. AISA Executive Director Michael McLendon serves on the ISC Board of Trustees.
• Alabama Scholastic Competition Association (ASCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAISA partnered with ASCA for scholars bowl competition. This partnership allows AISA State Scholars Bowl tournament winners to advance to ASCA state tournament. Schools must be ASCA members to participate in district/state competitions.
• Southeast CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAISA participates in the Southeast Collaborative with seven other state associations (FCIS, GISA, MAIS, NCAIS, PAIS, TAIS, VAIS) to negotiate member pricing on digital resources and subscriptions through collective bargaining power.
• Blue Cross Blue ShieldcoreOthersAISA offers health insurance options through BCBS partnership, providing four health plans, two dental plans, and one vision plan to member schools. Partnership has saved stakeholders thousands of dollars through group purchasing.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aisaonline
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AISAONLINEYOUTUBE/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/AISAONLINE
• Instagraminstagram.com/aisaonline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-alabama-independent-school-association-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Alabama Independent School Association