Collegiate Middle Level Association
At AMLE, we are passionate about supporting the next generation of middle school teachers. The Collegiate Middle Level Association is our professional community for college students preparing to become teachers of middle level education. There are two paths for involvement:
Join as a College/University Chapter
Colleges and universities can participate by creating a CMLA chapter affiliated with AMLE. Every member of the chapter receives all of the benefits of AMLE membership. Chapter dues are tiered depending on the number of participating students:
- Up to 10 students and one faculty member $139.99
- Up to 20 students and two faculty members $224.99
- Unlimited students and unlimited faculty $249.99
Join the CMLA At-Large Chapter
If your college/university does not have a chapter, there’s a home for you in our CMLA At-Large Chapter. All individual student members automatically become part of our CMLA At-Large Chapter which supports all students who are passionate about middle level education. Students join at the reduced rate of $14.99/year.
The CMLA At Large Chapter is divided into East and West, and our faculty advisors for each help mentor and guide participating students:
Dr. Sarah Pennington
CMLA At-Large West
Contact Sarah
States included in the West Chapter: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, ND, OH, OK, OR, SD, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY
Dr. Kristie Smith
CMLA At-Large East
Contact Kristie
States included in the East Chapter: AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MS, NH, NC, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA, WV
Opportunities for Student Members
Year-Round
Write for AMLE: Contribute an article for our monthly edition of Focus on the Middle for student membership. Articles are published weekly on AMLE.org and promoted through our social media channels. Must be 1,000 words or less an include references to cited research. Submit article proposals to membercenter@amle.org.
Opportunities for Chapters
Invite a Speaker: Looking for a speaker for an upcoming chapter meeting? Your AMLE community is here to help. Email info@amle.org to be connected with an AMLE leader or presenter who best fits your chapter’s needs.
CMLA Chapter Grants
The Association for Middle Level Education Foundation Fund Committee sponsors the annual CMLA Chapter Grant, which provides funding to a CMLA chapter that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the preparation of future teachers of middle level education.
Award
The AMLE Foundation Fund will be giving two, $2,000 grants to help defray the cost of students attending the AMLE26 Annual Conference for Middle Level Education in Nashville, November 4-7, 2026. The grant award also includes recognition and the invitation to present at the CMLA Summit held during the conference.
Advisors of the grantee chapters will also receive $500 of travel support to defray the cost of attending AMLE26 with their students.
Eligibility
- The applicant must be a current CMLA chapter by the application date. A chapter may join at the time of their application and still be eligible.
- The chapter must send at least 2 students to AMLE26 (the grant includes two complimentary student registrations) and agree to only use the grant funds to support their attendance at the conference.
- Previous recipients of the grant are eligible to apply
Application Components and Submission
The online application must be completed in its entirety in one submission. The applicant should be prepared to provide the following information:
- Name of College/University
- A letter of support from the chapter sponsor or advisor and letter of support from the dean or chairperson of the middle grades teacher education program (see template example)
- A narrative describing (a) what you hope to learn at the conference and (b) how you will apply and share knowledge gained at the conference. Include topics and concepts related to the 18 Successful Middle School characteristics that you want to learn more about to help you grow as a pre-service middle grades teacher. Share how attending the conference will contribute to your learning and how you will disseminate what you learned with other pre-service teachers. (Maximum 1000 words.)
- A conference presentation proposal related to Preparing to Teach at the Middle School: A Pre-service Teacher’s Perspective
Application Deadline
Applications must be submitted by midnight on May 15 June 1.
Grant awards will be announced by June 30.
Past Winners
2025
2024
Georgia College and State University
Shippensburg University
2023
Georgia College and State University
University of Georgia
2022
Illinois State University
University of Georgia
2021
Kutztown University
Georgia College & State University
2020
Illinois State University
Western Carolina University
2019
Georgia College & State University
University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
2018
University of North Carolina – Charlotte
Augusta University
2017
Georgia Southern University
2016
Georgia College & State University
2015
Ashland University
Lee University
University of Texas-Arlington
2014
Otterbein University
2013
Shippensburg University
2012
Georgia College & State University