Educational Organizations

The Council for Exceptional Children is a national educational organization geared towards special educators. Their website is full of useful information as well as opportunities to attend, www.cec.sped.org. They update their twitter @CECMembership and their Facebook page, Council for Exceptional Children (International Headquarters) frequently. The cost of membership varies by the level available to choose from. There is a basic membership that is $65, full membership is $115 and the premier membership option is $205, but college students can obtain any level of membership for 20% off. What you receive with your membership is determined upon the level you pay for. The basic level includes useful articles, the most recent information regarding all things involving special education, opportunities to connect with other educators, member discounts on things like continuing education and access to CEC Career Center. All of the higher packages include the basic membership resources. With the basic level, access to Special Education Today and Policy Insider e-newsletters is included. The conference for the CEC is April 13-16 this year in St. Louis. For a member to attend the conference costs $450, a nonmember costs $565 and a student member costs $320. It’s great that Grand Valley has a student organization chapter of CEC. This organization allows for members to grow as educators through them and all that they provide.

The Michigan Reading Association is a state-wide educational organization that has a mission to promote literacy. Their website is www.michiganreading.org. They update their twitter @michiganreading and their Facebook page, Michigan Reading Association. A regular membership to join is only $35, retired membership is $20 and a full-time undergraduate membership is $15. Membership includes digital networking, leadership opportunities, state/national legislative updates, three issues of the Michigan Reading Journal and News and Views newsletter and connections to local reading councils. The Michigan Reading Association 60^th Annual Conference is March 18-21 in Detroit, MI. For a member to attend the conference costs $185, $170 for a retired member and $125 student member. A non-member conference fee is $265. This organization has a section entirely dedicated to student involvement which is applicable and student focused.