Leadership ATPE: Unlock Your Potential
Leadership ATPE is a transformative one-year program designed to equip emerging leaders with the tools to thrive in education and beyond. The application period for the 2025-26 cohort is now open through May 31.
Leadership ATPE is a dynamic one-year educational program that focuses on the skills emerging leaders need to best serve their schools and communities, pursue leadership roles within ATPE, and advance their careers—including public speaking and presentation skills, strategic thinking practices, building connections, enhancing interpersonal communication, advocacy, and more.
The application period for our next cohort, which will meet during the 2025-26 membership year, is now open through May 31. ATPE volunteer experience is not required to apply for Leadership ATPE. Members who are just starting their careers in education are also eligible, as long as they have been an ATPE member for at least two years, including the current 2024-25 membership year, and are strongly encouraged to apply.
Leadership ATPE alumni have gone on to serve the association at the local, region, and state levels, as well as outside of ATPE—including serving on SXSW EDU panels and within their local communities as education advocates.
Lena Angel, an ATPE leader from Katy ISD, participated in the most recent Leadership ATPE cohort. As a first-year campus representative, she wanted to know more about the organization so she could be the best advocate possible for fellow members. “I joined ATPE out of my frustration with the way educators were being treated, and I made a commitment to try to improve working conditions for all educators,” Angel says.
When she first walked into Leadership ATPE, one of the questions Angel asked was, “Why ATPE?”
“This is a question I get a lot as a campus representative at a large, comprehensive high school. There are multiple organizations and unions that educators can choose from, so I needed to have a deeper understanding of what makes ATPE the superior choice. Through talking to others in my cohort and the ATPE leadership team, I realized that we have the strongest legal protections possible*, and our membership rates are competitively priced. Our legal department is very accessible and responsive to member needs, and all of our dues stay in Texas. In short, I can now confidently answer, ‘Why ATPE?’ as a result of this experience.”
“ATPE is unique to Texas, and it shows in the warmth and welcoming attitude of the organization. I’ve been a part of other teacher organizations, and I can attest that ATPE is the most inclusive one I’ve been a part of.”
Lena Angel
<ATPE leader from Katy ISD>
Angel emphasizes that members will get what they put into the program: “Leadership ATPE will provide the tools and skills, but we must as individuals make a commitment to using them. We must work both collectively and individually toward the goal of improving public education.”
Since completing the program, Angel has become an education advocate in her community. “In the past, I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t really pay attention to school board candidates in elections,” Angel says. “But now the stakes are much higher, and I see the impact school boards have on educators’ day-to-day lives. Leadership ATPE helped me feel more confident in this role as I understand more about how our state and local policies intersect.”
Angel says Leadership ATPE has empowered her to connect with people with different political beliefs but who find common ground in supporting public education. She frequently uses ATPE’s resources on atpenews.org and TeachtheVote.org to guide her advocacy efforts: “Last spring, the two pro-public education candidates my community organization supported maintained their seats on the board. Seeing the skills I learned through Leadership ATPE having an impact was very powerful, and I feel even more motivated to continue work that supports public education.”
To learn more about the important role of advocacy in your leadership journey, read Angel’s recent article for ATPE News, titled “Advocacy Starts With You: Standing Up for Yourself Is Standing Up for ALL of Us.”
How to Apply for Leadership ATPE
Applications for Leadership ATPE are now open at atpe.org/leadership-atpe through May 31. Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for the next cohort:
- Must have been an ATPE member for at least two years, including the current 2024-25 membership year.
- Cannot be current or past members of the ATPE Board of Directors, current or past state officers, retired members, public education supporter members, college student members, or clinical teacher (formerly student teacher) members of ATPE.
- Must commit to participating in two mandatory weekend training retreats (Oct. 24-26, 2025, and March 27-29, 2026) and all assignments during the program year.
- Must pay a $20 application fee; payment is due when the online application is submitted. ATPE will cover all other program expenses, including study materials and travel costs for the fall and spring retreats.
- Must certify they have read all program requirements.
Visit atpe.org/leadership-atpe for more details and to complete the application. If you have questions about Leadership ATPE, please contact ATPE Membership Director Joy England at jengland@atpe.org.
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