association for middle level education

What association for middle level education does

The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) is a 501(c)-equivalent non-profit professional membership association headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, founded in 1973 (originally as the National Middle School Association, renamed AMLE in 2011). It is the only international organization dedicated exclusively to educators of young adolescents aged 10–15, serving a community of 35,000+ members through individual memberships, school memberships, Collegiate Middle Level Association (CMLA) chapters, and a network of over 30 U.S. state, regional, and international affiliates. Its core intellectual property is "The Successful Middle School: This We Believe" (now in its 5th edition), which articulates 18 Characteristics of Successful Middle Schools and underpins the Successful Middle School Assessment (a statistically validated tool with 134 research-based exemplars) and the Successful Middle School Online Course Series.

AMLE operates a community-led, multi-revenue-stream business model. Primary revenue is generated through tiered annual membership dues ($14.99 student, $49.99 professional, $249.99 school), with significant contributions from professional development workshops and consulting (200+ school engagements per year), events including the AMLE Annual Conference and the Institute for Middle Level Leadership, publication and resource sales via the AMLE Store, and tax-deductible donations through the Foundation Fund supporting grant programs of up to $40,000. The organization publishes two peer-reviewed journals (Middle School Journal and Research in Middle Level Education Online) and holds formal responsibility for the CAEP program review process for middle level teacher preparation accreditation.

The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees, has a small professional staff of approximately 15–20 (including CEO Christopher Woodside, appointed June 2026, and COO Derek Neal), and is funded entirely through operating revenues without equity investment or public market exposure. Distribution occurs through the my.amle.org self-service member portal, the amle.org content hub, the AMLE Store e-commerce channel, direct professional development sales to schools and districts, and the affiliate network spanning the U.S., Canada, Europe, and New Zealand.

Name

association for middle level education

Legal name

Association for Middle Level Education

Website

https://www.amle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) is a non-profit membership association serving more than 35,000 middle school educators in the U.S. and internationally, delivering membership services, peer-reviewed publications, the Successful Middle School Assessment, professional development consulting, accreditation review for teacher preparation programs, and an annual conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Education Association Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

Keywords

• Professional education association
• Middle school educator membership
• Teacher professional development
• Middle grades research
• Educator training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Westerville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual educators ($49.99/year), school memberships ($249.99 covering all staff at a single school building), student memberships ($14.99/year), and CMLA chapter dues ($139.99-$249.99 depending on size). First-year educator memberships offered at reduced or free rates.
2. Professional Development and Consulting: Custom professional development workshops and consulting services for schools and districts, conducted virtually or in-person over various timeframes. Includes ongoing coaching and support packages at discounted rates.
3. Events and Conferences: Annual Conference (AMLE26 in Nashville, November 4-7, 2026), Institute for Middle Level Leadership, and various webinars with discounted registration for members.
4. Publications and Resources: Sale of books, publications, and resources through the AMLE Store including The Successful Middle School and companion texts. Members receive up to 60% discounts on books with free shipping.
5. Foundation Fund and Grants: Tax-deductible donations through the Foundation Fund supporting initiatives for middle grades students and educators, including recognition levels from Donor ($100) to Founders Club ($5,000+).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AMLE is a non-profit membership association providing professional development, peer-reviewed research, advocacy, and consulting services dedicated exclusively to middle school educators and the middle grades (students aged 10-15). The organization sells individual, school, and collegiate memberships, conducts workshops and consulting engagements with schools and districts, operates an annual conference and leadership institute, publishes two peer-reviewed journals and books, runs the Schools of Distinction recognition program, and administers CAEP program review for middle level teacher preparation.

Product overview

AMLE (Association for Middle Level Education) is a membership organization offering a comprehensive suite of products and programs for middle school educators. The core offering is The Successful Middle School Program, centered on the landmark position paper 'The Successful Middle School: This We Believe' (5th edition) and supported by complementary resources. The product portfolio includes: the Successful Middle School Assessment tool for school improvement; the Successful Middle School Online Course Series for professional development; the Schools of Distinction recognition program; professional development workshops and consulting services; publications including Middle School Journal and RMLE Online; grant and award programs; the CMLA collegiate chapter network; annual conferences and the Institute for Middle Level Leadership; webinars and podcasts; and advocacy resources including the National Policy Agenda. Membership tiers provide access to these resources, with special programs for early career educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Institute for Middle Level Leadership
• AMLE Grants Programs
• CAEP Program Accreditation Services
• AMLE Awards Programs
• Professional Membership
• School Membership
• Student/Collegiate Membership
• Early Career Educator Membership
• CMLA Chapter Membership
• The Successful Middle School: This We Believe
• The Successful Middle School Assessment
• The Successful Middle School Online Course Series
• AMLE Professional Development and Consulting
• AMLE Schools of Distinction
• Middle School Journal
• Research in Middle Level Education Online (RMLE Online)
• AMLE Annual Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• The Successful Middle School Research Grant provides up to $40,000 of funding over a two-year grant term
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Teaching ChannelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeaching Channel partnership providing additional video content and professional development resources for middle level educators.
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMLE is a constituent member of CAEP (formerly NCATE) and is responsible for the program review process within CAEP for institutions seeking national recognition of middle level teacher preparation programs. AMLE sets national standards for middle level teacher preparation.
• European League for Middle Level Education (ELMLE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational affiliate organization promoting middle level education in Europe. Part of AMLE's global network of affiliates.
• Middle Level Education Research (MLER) Special Interest Group of AERAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMLE's Research in Middle Level Education Online journal is endorsed by the MLER SIG of the American Educational Research Association.
• New Zealand Association of Intermediate and Middle SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational affiliate organization promoting middle level education in New Zealand. Part of AMLE's global network of affiliates.
• State and Regional Affiliate OrganizationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 30 affiliate organizations throughout the US, Canada, and internationally (Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and others) offering dual membership options and local programming.
• National Policy Agenda PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMLE seeks support from educators, district and state education leaders, and policymakers to advance the National Policy Agenda for the Middle Grades and its Seven Federal Policy Priorities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Association for Music Education (NAfME): NAfME is a subject-matter professional association for music educators, directly comparable in structure, revenue model (membership dues, conferences, publications), and governance to AMLE. AMLE's incoming CEO Christopher Woodside previously led NAfME, underscoring operational similarity.
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM): NCTM is a subject-specific professional association serving math educators with membership, peer-reviewed journals, an annual conference, and CAEP-recognized standards. Closely comparable to AMLE in scale, structure, and value proposition.
• National Science Teaching Association (NSTA): NSTA is a K-12 subject-matter professional association with membership tiers, conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and standards-based resources. Comparable to AMLE in business model and member services focus.
• International Literacy Association (ILA): ILA is a global literacy professional association offering membership, conferences, journals, and standards. Structurally and operationally similar to AMLE in serving educators through dues, events, and publications.
• National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS): NCSS is a professional association for social studies educators offering membership, an annual conference, peer-reviewed journals, and CAEP-affiliated program recognition. Closely comparable in scope, scale, and member value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development): ASCD is a large, established professional association serving educators across all grade levels and roles. Overlaps with AMLE in professional development and curriculum resources but with a much broader scope and larger membership base.
• Learning Forward: Learning Forward is a professional association focused on educator professional learning, offering standards, consulting, and conferences. Overlaps with AMLE's PD and consulting services but targets all grade levels and systemic roles.

Regional players

• National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP): NAESP serves elementary school principals with membership, publications, and advocacy, sharing member-type and governance structure with AMLE. Targets adjacent (pre-middle) grade band with similar association-style offerings.
• National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP): NASSP serves middle and high school principals with membership, advocacy, and student programs. Comparable in serving the middle level audience but with a leadership/principal focus rather than the broader educator audience AMLE serves.

Others

• Teaching Channel: Teaching Channel is a digital professional development platform for educators and a current content partner of AMLE. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant in the educator PD space, complementing rather than competing with AMLE's offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AMLE
• Facebookfacebook.com/amle.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/amleorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about association for middle level education