Become an ACRES Member | American Council on Rural Special Education

Members can register, renew, and manage their own accounts online

Visit our online membership management portal through the Member Login button on the menu bar above.

If you have been an ACRES member in the past, we may have already created an account for you. To find out please go to the login page, click " I forgot my login name or password " and enter the address you use to receive ACRES emails. If you receive a message saying "email not found," you can try another email address or create a new account.

Membership Categories

Please determine which membership category best meets your needs:

Regular Membership

$100 per year (add $6 for international)
Individual professional

Student Membership*

$50 per year (add $6 for international)
Individual full-time student; please be prepared to verify university status on request.

Pay By Credit Card

Please have your credit card ready, then select the link above and submit the requested information in our online form.

Pay by Check or Purchase Order

Download and print the form below, and follow the directions for mailing the form and payment to ACRES Headquarters.

ACRES New Membership Application (PRINT FORM)

If you need assistance with the payment process, please contact ACRES Headquarters at 304-293-4387.

A $25 service charge will be assessed on all denied credit card payments or returned checks.

Who are ACRES Members?

You are invited to join the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES). ACRES is the only national organization dedicated solely to the enhancement of services to students and individuals with disabilities living in rural areas. The membership of ACRES includes special and general educators, related service providers, administrators, teacher trainers, university students, and parents. Rural America offers unique and exciting challenges. The very nature of rural areas (for example: sparse populations, tendencies toward professional isolation, remoteness from resources) makes it essential for rural educators, service providers, and parents to have an effective communication network. Rural areas thrive on warm personal relationships and close-knit communities. ACRES can offer rural professionals and parents the opportunity to develop a “close-knit” rural organization at the national level. There is no longer any reason for those working in rural areas to be isolated. If you are concerned about students and individuals with special needs who live in rural areas, and if you have been seeking an organization that needs your abilities as much as you need its expertise, then ACRES is the organization for you.’‘

What are Benefits of ACRES Membership?

ACRES Annual National Conference

Members receive discounted rates on registration fees for the national conference.

Rural Special Education Quarterly

Members receive a free subscription to RSEQ.

ACRES Scholarship Program

Members have the opportunity to apply or nominate others for the ACRES annual scholarship. The award is for practicing rural teachers to pursue education and preparation that would not otherwise be affordable within their districts.

ACRES Awards Program

Members have the opportunity to apply or nominate others or ACRES annual awards. These awards, in several categories, recognize individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership or proposed significant research in rural special education; or to recognize exemplary programs that have documented contributions to innovation in service delivery or personnel preparation in rural special education.