National Association of Elementary School Principals

Serving All Elementary and Middle-Level Principals

The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), founded in 1921, is a professional organization serving elementary and middle school principals and other education leaders throughout the United States, Canada, and overseas.

The Association believes that the progress and well-being of the individual child must be at the forefront of all elementary and middle-school planning and operations. Further, NAESP supports elementary and middle-level principals as the primary catalyst for creating a lasting foundation for learning, driving school and student performance, and shaping the long-term impact of school improvement efforts.

As a national organization, NAESP operates through a network of affiliated associations in every state, the District of Columbia, Canada, and overseas.

As the representative of principals who serve 33 million children in grades pre-kindergarten through 8, the Association seeks to:

• Serve as an advocate for children and youth by ensuring them access to an excellent education;
• Sustain and promote high professional standards and leadership among principals;
• Heighten public awareness of elementary and middle school education as the foundation for all future academic achievement;
• Serve as a national representative for elementary and middle-school education to Congress, the Executive Branch, state and federal agencies, the news media, researchers, educators, and other education and child advocacy groups;
• Serve as an advocate for the professional tenets and priorities of elementary and middle-school principals; and
• Ensure that education continues to be recognized as a matter of national priority.