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Important Message from IPA Executive Director, Dr. Jason Leahy, Regarding National Membership

The purpose of this message is to update you on our transition from being affiliated with two national affiliates, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), to one PK-12 national umbrella affiliate, the National Principals Association (NPA). As I shared in previous updates, the IPA went through a yearlong process in 2025 to study our national partnerships to determine what would be most advantageous to the IPA, our members, and the profession. The result of the effort was to approach NASSP with four other states (Indiana, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin) to request that NASSP reconstitute to a PK-12 national umbrella association. NASSP agreed, and we will be solely affiliated with them as the new National Principals Association (NPA) on July 1, 2026.

As a NASSP member, you may be wondering what this means for your NASSP membership and joining the National Principals Association (NPA) through IPA. When it comes to joining the new NPA through the IPA, the process will be no different than what you have done to join NASSP previously except that you will have one national option to choose from starting July 1st. Regarding how this changes your current NASSP membership, the move NASSP is making to transition to NPA brings the national organization inline with the IPA as it will serve all school leaders across the PK-12 spectrum. The FAQs below will provide additional context to this decision and why it makes logical sense for the organization and profession.

Moving forward, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about this transition. I would be happy to jump on a phone or Zoom call if you would prefer. Thank you for your leadership.

Dr. Jason Leahy

IPA Executive Director

National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) to Become National Principals Association (NPA)

Why is NASSP expanding to serve leaders across PreK–12?

School leadership has evolved. The challenges facing principals – federal policy shifts, funding decisions, student well-being, safety, accountability, and staffing affect every school across the PreK–12 continuum. Federal education policy increasingly treats PreK–12 as one system.

Over the past year, we have spoken with members and state leaders across the country, and the message is clear: to meet the complexity of today’s educational landscape, school leaders need stronger alignment and a unified voice across the entire PreK–12 continuum. This expansion is not simply about broadening membership. It is about strengthening the profession as a whole.

As of July 1, NASSP will operate as the National Principals Association, reflecting this unified PreK–12 commitment.

How does the expansion benefit members?

• A stronger, unified national advocacy voice
• More coherent leadership development across PreK–12
• Expanded networks and collaboration
• Elevation of nationally recognized student leadership programs
• No loss of secondary services or benefits

This expansion strengthens what members already value while broadening opportunity.

How will this affect secondary leaders?

Secondary leadership remains foundational to the organization’s mission and identity. The transition to a unified PreK–12 platform strengthens the profession’s national voice while creating opportunities to further enhance the value delivered to middle and high school leaders.

The PreK–12 model strengthens:

• National advocacy influence
• Cross-grade collaboration across school systems
• Leadership pipeline development

At the same time, NASSP is actively evaluating and enhancing programming, networks, and resources grounded in secondary leader voice and informed by research on effective middle and high school leadership. This work ensures that secondary leaders continue to benefit from strong, relevant, and evolving support that reflects the complexity and impact of leading middle and high schools today.

Will NASSP’s annual conference change?

Yes. The conference will continue to serve school leaders while evolving to reflect the broader PreK–12 leadership community. NPA’s inaugural PreK-12 conference, National Principal’s Conference (NPC) will take place February 6-9, 2027.

Will student leadership programs change?

Student leadership programs—including NHS, NJHS, NEHS, and National Student Council—will continue to operate as core pillars of the organization and will become even more integrated within the unified PreK–12 platform.

Does the PreK–12 expansion change insurance coverage?

No. Members will enjoy professional liability and legal assistance coverage administered by Forrest T. Jones & Company (FTJ). Coverage attaches when a member is added to the NPA master membership list. There is no waiting period once membership is active.

Will my accrued Legal Assistance Program (LAP) benefits be carried forward?

Legal benefits accrue based on continuous membership. Where there is no lapse in membership dates, prior years of membership will be recognized for purposes of calculating legal assistance benefits.

Enhanced LAP Benefits

• If you are subject to a job-related due-process proceeding, NASSP’s legal benefits program has been enhanced and will reimburse up to $2,000 of legal expenses for each year of continuous membership, to a maximum of $20,000 (subject to a $500 deductible per claim).*
• *Available to members in the Individual and Institutional membership categories only. This benefit covers incidents occurring after 4/1/26 that are the subject of a claim. For claims administration purposes, "continuous membership" means you accrue tenure for this benefit so long as your membership with NASSP, or between NASSP and NAESP, is continuous (meaning no lapses). If you become a member of NASSP and were previously a member of NAESP you must ensure that there is no lapse in your membership to receive full credit for each year of continuous service.
• In limited instances, members moving between associations may be required to provide proof of continuous membership at the time of a claim. Each association will communicate requirements clearly.

How will the PK-12 voice be represented in NPA governance?

Balanced representation across the PreK–12 continuum is a priority for the National Principals Association governance. The current Board reflects leadership experience and perspectives across elementary, middle, and high school settings.

As the organization evolves, governance will be intentionally phased to ensure balanced representation across the continuum while maintaining the strong leadership voice that has historically guided NASSP.

How does this help the profession?

• A unified national voice representing the full PK–12 continuum
• Stronger alignment across grade spans
• Expanded leadership development opportunities
• Elevated student leadership integration (NHS, NJHS, NEHS, NASC)
• More coherent advocacy and policy representation
• A more inclusive professional community

Does this change how NASSP advocates at the federal level?

Yes. Expanding to represent PreK–12 leaders strengthen the organization’s ability to advocate for policies affecting the entire school leadership continuum. A unified platform allows the National Principals Association to represent elementary, middle, and high school leaders together in national policy conversations.

What Happens Next?

• Implementation planning continues through June
• National Principals Association officially launches July 2026
• Governance adjustments phase in gradually
• Member and affiliate engagement continues
• Clear guidance will be provided to members regarding transition details

The PreK–12 expansion strengthens the profession while preserving continuity, governance integrity, and member protections. Our commitment is to clarity, stability, and confidence throughout this transition.

Where can I get updates about the transition?

Members will receive updates through:

• NASSP/National Principals Association communications
• Member emails
• The PreK–12 expansion landing page
• Member Care support channels

Additional Questions: Send inquiries to NPA-questions@nassp.org or Customer Care @ 800-253-7746 option 4. You can also visit https://www.nassp.org/npa for more information.