The NAESP National Leaders Conference brings school leaders together to lobby Congress on behalf of our nation's students. The 2012 conference is July 19 and 20.

Objectives of the conference include: 

• Leadership Development for executives from large and small state associations
• Advocacy including a visit to Capitol Hill
• Membership Growth through enhanced campaigns, retention, and coordination as well as new state representative training and development

Key 2011 Advocacy Initiatives Presented at NLC:

• Principal Evaluation–Visit the Principal Evaluation Initiative page for more on NAESP's new report, Designing Principal Evaluation Systems: Research to Guide Decision-Making, presented at the conference.

• ESEA Reauthorization
  • Issue Sheet: NAESP's Vision for ESEA Reauthorization
  • PowerPoint: Setting the Stage for ESEA Reauthorization and Key Policy Initiatives

The NAESP Federal Relations Conference (FRC) is held annually each winter. The 2012 FRC is scheduled to take place February 7-8, 2012. Participants will travel to Washington, DC on Monday, February 6 for sessions on Tuesday, February 7 and Hill visits on Wednesday, February 8.

• The FRC brings principals from all fifty states to Washington, D.C., to discuss current education issues and pending legislation with members of Congress.

• In 2011, attendees focused on ways to improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and ask legislators to support principals in the reauthorized law.
  • NAESP's ESEA policy proposal on professional development in early childhood education.
  • NAESP's ESEA policy proposal on professional development and mentoring for principals new to the profession.