Rules for Student Affiliation

Basic Qualifications

1. Student groups with 10 or more student members of NCTE organized under faculty sponsorship may form a student affiliate. 

Criteria for Affiliation

1. All faculty sponsors of student affiliates shall be members of the National Council of Teachers of English and will represent the student affiliate at the Annual Business/Board of Directors Meeting.

2. Every student affiliate of the Council shall appoint or elect a liaison officer for the purpose of interpreting the student affiliate to the Council and the Council to the student affiliate.

3. Members of the executive board of your student affiliate need to be members of NCTE.

4. The affiliate shall have a written constitution that

a) provides for continuity of personnel within the administration of the organization;

b) stipulates an affiliation with NCTE and the state affiliate;

c) provides for a Liaison Officer to NCTE;

d) needs to make provision for disbursement of your treasury to another nonprofit organization, should your organization become defunct;

e) is on file at NCTE.

If you would like sample constitutions from other organizations, please e-mail .

5. The student affiliate shall have a written policy for involvement of people of color (e.g. See NCTE's Policy on Involvement of People of Color).

6. A roster of the members of your student affiliate must accompany your application (include name, address, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses).

7. Each student affiliate shall pay annual dues.  Dues are $2.50/year for the entire affiliate, NOT per student.

8. Each student affiliate shall be entitled to designate one faculty sponsor as a member of the Board of Directors.

9. The student faculty sponsor shall make a report to the members of his/her student affiliate of the actions taken at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Council.

10. The student affiliate shall hold at least one general meeting each year for the total membership, of which a part shall be devoted to the business of the student affiliate.  In addition, the governing board of the student affiliate shall hold at least one additional meeting per year.

11. Each student affiliate shall submit reports at least annually to the Council.  These reports are to include the following:

a)  A statement of the membership of the student affiliate accompanied by a membership list;

b)  A generalized report of an annual meeting;

c)  The results of the election of officers;

d)  A summary of projects undertaken or contemplated;

e)  Notice of special situations and problems as they arise in the area served by the student affiliate;

f)  Notice of special needs of the affiliate or its committees.

12. Each student affiliate must maintain effective means of disseminating information to the membership.

Steps Toward Affiliation

1. The student faculty sponsor submits a formal application to NCTE through the Director, Division of Communications and Affiliate Services.

2. The student faculty sponsor  returns

a) the Application for Student Affiliation form;

b) a statement certifying that all members of the governing board are members of NCTE;

c) a copy of the association's constitution;

d) a copy of the association's policy on involvement of people of color;

e) a list of the association's members;

f) payment of dues (see Annual NCTE Student Affiliate Dues)

3. The completed student affiliate application is presented to the NCTE Executive Committee which votes on it.

4. If the application is approved, a letter is sent to the student faculty sponsor  announcing the approval of the new affiliate. In addition, an announcement of approval is made in a regular Council publication (e.g., Council-Grams).

Benefits of Affiliation

1. Connection to a national network of professionals working
to improve the teaching of English language arts.

2. Representation on the NCTE Board of Directors.

3. Information on a wide variety of projects and programs from the Affiliate/Assembly Lending Library and ability to share ideas and information with other leaders through the affiliate discussion list.

4. Information on NCTE through the NCTE Web site.

5. The use of Manage My Organization, an online program designed to enable NCTE affiliates and assemblies to manage their membership using the NCTE database.