The   Kansas Association of Middle School Administrators, or K.A.M.S.A., was founded in 1987 by a group of middle school principals who felt the need to have some camaraderie with administrators who work with 5th through 9th graders. The person who is given credit for starting the "grassroot" organization is Mike Hall, principal of Atwood Middle School, Atwood, Kansas. In September of 1987, Mike sent out a letter to all middle school principals inquiring if there was any interest in a state organization. The first annual meething and constitutional convention was held at Salina South Junior Hight School in Salina, Kansas, on December 11 and 12, 1987. It was at this meeting that the organizational structure was drafted and a Board of Directors was established. At that time the organization was called K.A.M.S.P., or Kansas Association of Middle School Principals. The first Board of Directors met on January 27, 1988, during the U.S.A. Convention in Wichita, Kansas.

Among the early K.A.M.S.A. pioneers who helped Mike Hall establish this organization were Bob Overstreet, Jeff West Middle School, Ozawakie; Monica Davenport, Atchison County-Effingham; Steve Wycoff, Rose Hill Middle School; Francis Karlin, Colby Middle School; Bill Swendson, Herington Middle School and Terry Duntz, Sabetha Middle School.

In the first couple of years, the infant organization had to fight an uphill battle to be recognized by the other well established organizations in the state, such as the Kansas Association of Secondary School Principals (K.A.S.S.P.), the Kansas Association of Elementary School Principals (K.A.E.S.P.) and the Kansas Association of Middle Level Educators (K.A.M.L.E.). Understandably this new organization did raise some well founded concerns among the established organizations. There were concerns that K.A.M.S.A., would steal members from their membership rolls, thus weakening their organizations. Others voiced the opinion that middle level administrators' needs were already being met in the K.A.S.S.P., K.A.E.S.P., and K.A.M.L.E.

In May, 1990, U.S.A. (United School Administrators of Kansas) welcomed K.A.M.S.A., as the ninth association to join the umbrella organization. A lot of credit should go to Monica Davenport for her tireless work to help bring about the recognition of K.A.M.S.A. by U.S.A. Since then the organization is continuing to grow as a viable fraternity of school administrators who share a unique set of challenges. At present, K. A. M.S.A. has over 144 members.

In the fall of 1992, K.A.M.S.A. instituted the K.A.M.S.A. Principal of the Year Award. The purpose of the award is to recognize a middle school principal who exemplifies the standards of excellence expected in a Middle School Principal. Candidates for the award are nominated by their middle school peers. A committee, appointed by the President, select the winner. In January, 1994, at the United School Administrators Convention at Wichita, Kansas, Terry Duntz, Sabetha Middle School, became the first recipient of the K.A.M.S.A. Principal of the Year Award. In 1998, K.A.M.S.A. began recognizing Middle School Assistant Principals. The first recipient of the K.A.M.S.A. Assistant Principal of the Year Award was Don Krouse, Paola Middle School.

Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year the position of Executive Director was added. This eliminated the position of Secretary/Treasurer. John Sanborn was selected as the first KAMSA Executive Director. Also during that school year, the District Representative positions were expanded to include a second representative from each district. The First Annual KAMSA Spring Conference was held that year in Salina with approximately 80 attendees. In 2005 KAMSA installed a display case in Visser Hall at Emporia State University. They now are represented the same way as KAESP and KASSP at the Teachers College. In 2009 the position of Vice President was added. That person will then move to President-Elect and then KAMSA President.