Wednesday
October 7, 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Registration Desk Open (Early Check In)
We encourage you to check in on Wednesday to avoid lines on Thursday morning and ensure a smooth start to your Symposium experience.
Thursday
October 8, 2026
8:00 AM - 7:15 PM: Registration Desk Open
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Learning Labs
Learning Labs
Join FullScale for an engaging half-day workshop to explore how states can use flexibilities in federal policy to support student-centered learning. This workshop is specifically intended for state leaders and their local intermediary partners to come together to explore opportunities for flexibility in policies affecting assessment, accountability, and professional learning, learn from other states, and start to plan to use those flexibilities to achieve their goals. Hear from state leaders and their intermediary partners doing the work, learn about specific approaches to pressing policy issues, and leave with ideas for how to align policy to achieve your state’s vision for teaching and learning.
For additional information, contact Juliana.Finegan@fullscalelearning.org.
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM: Pre-Conference Workshops
Leveraging Flexibility to Support Student-Centered Learning
Jennifer Kabaker, Michael Ham, FullScale
Join FullScale for an engaging half-day workshop to explore how states can use flexibilities in federal policy to support student-centered learning. This workshop is specifically intended for state leaders and their local intermediary partners to come together to explore opportunities for flexibility in policies affecting assessment, accountability, and professional learning, learn from other states, and start to plan to use those flexibilities to achieve their goals. Hear from state leaders and their intermediary partners doing the work, learn about specific approaches to pressing policy issues, and leave with ideas for how to align policy to achieve your state’s vision for teaching and learning.
Mapping the Markers of Quality: Understanding and Advancing High-Performing Competency-Based Learning in U.S. High Schools
Rae Lymer, FullScale
What does high-quality competency-based learning (CBL) actually look like in practice—and what conditions allow it to thrive? This interactive pre-conference convening will bring together leaders from 10 nationally selected CBL high schools, policymakers, funders, technical assistance providers, and system leaders to explore findings from a national study examining the relationship between CBL practices, student outcomes, and enabling policy conditions. Participants will engage with practical tools, cross-sector dialogue, and peer learning designed to clarify what distinguishes high-quality CBL, what the evidence suggests about impact, and what must shift at the policy and system levels to support responsible scale. The session will culminate in identifying coordinated next steps for strengthening coherence and impact across the field.
Reimagining Readiness through the ISTE+ASCD Profile of an AI-Ready Graduate
Dr. Joseph South, Jessica Garner, ISTE+ASCD
What does it truly mean to be “ready” for an AI-augmented workforce? It’s not about mastering a specific tool—it’s about a fundamental shift in the student experience. Join ISTE+ASCD leaders for a high-impact, 3-hour preconference session that moves beyond teacher productivity and focuses squarely on the learner.
Together, we will explore the ISTE+ASCD Profile of an AI-Ready Graduate, a framework that elevates students from passive consumers to empowered Problem Solvers, Storytellers, and Synthesizers. Rooted in the Transformational Learning Principles, this collaborative session will help you:
- Empower Agency: Shift from “AI literacy” to “AI fluency,” where students use AI to get “unstuck,” set self-directed goals, and iterate on their work.
- Nurture Human Connection: Discover how AI can act as a Connector, breaking down language barriers and simulating divergent perspectives to build empathy.
- Guide Strategic Inquiry: Train students to evaluate claims and find patterns in an era of information overload.
Whether you are just starting your AI journey or are already piloting new experiences, you will leave with a clear roadmap, actionable pathways for your district, and a peer network ready to move the work forward.
Rural AI Strategy Lab Pre-Convening
Megan Benay, FullScale
Derived from lessons learned from FullScale’s Rural AI Strategy Lab — a six-month initiative in which 13 rural school district teams explored, piloted, and implemented AI in ways that reflected their local priorities and realities — participants will engage in cross-sector dialogue, explore practical examples of AI in action in rural K–12 contexts, and reflect on what it takes to move from promising ideas to implementation. Through structured collaboration and peer exchange, attendees will surface key lessons, identify enabling conditions, and help shape what responsible AI adoption can look like for rural schools and the communities they serve.
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: Lunch in the Exhibit Hall
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM: Main Stage Presentation
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Showcase Sessions and Network
Potential Futures Showcase
AI in Action: How Arizona Is Driving Learner-Centered Innovation
Jill Loveall, ASU Preparatory Academy
Every Student Deserves the School They Need: Spreading Innovation Through a Public Microschool Network in Indiana
Nate McClennen, Getting Smart; George Philhower, Indiana Microschool Collaborative/Eastern Hancock School District
From Initiative to Intermediary: Reimagining Educator Leadership to Sustain Personalized Learning
Dr. Allen Burgad, Valley City State University
The Living Transcript: Visualizing Competency with Mastery Map AI
Dr. Anais Campa, PSI High
What If We Measured Human Skills the Way We Measure Reading?
Dr. Michelle Ament, ProSolve
Place Showcase
Beyond GPA: Making Durable Skills Visible, Portable, and Recognized in a Community Ecosystem
Rachel Wagner, Elizabethton City Schools, Jeff McClellan, StartSOLE
Is Your Region Ready for Expanded Learning Opportunities? Building a Community Infrastructure for Learning Ecosystems
Nate McClennen, Getting Smart; Amy Anderson, RESCHOOL
New England District-Community Consortium: A Regional Effort Fueled by Local Solutions
Paulina Murton, Great Schools Partnership
The Consortium Advantage: Building Sustainable Ecosystems for Student Access — A District’s Strategy for Aligning Partners and Resources
Conrad Woodhead, Lower Yukon School District
Year 5 of Washington’s MBLC Demonstration Sites Project: Focus on Sustainability through Continued Networking, Professional Development, and the Building of Local Expertise through Living Lab and Impact Fellows Initiatives
Seema Bahl, Washington State Board of Education
Progress Showcase
Can You Prove It? Using AI Simulations to Assess What Students Can Actually Do
Chris Unger, Northeastern University; Taryn Campbell, Cambiar Education
Leading Learning to Scale Agency
Hector Estrada, Cathy Beaudoin, Mesa Public Schools
Measuring What Matters in Math: Centering Student Voice and Discourse
Emily Amick, PowerMyLearning
Telling the Whole Story of PBL: Designing Systems That Capture How Learners Grow
Sabrina Tirachen, The Possible Zone
Additional Progress Showcase coming soon!
Practice Showcase
Building Coherent Career-Connected Learning Systems for English Learners and Immigrant Youth
Jon Harriman, Marguerite Lukes, Internationals Network for Public Schools
Competent in Competencies: Classroom-Level First Steps in Competency Integration
Kat McRitchie, Michelle Davies, Crosstown High
Designing Systems for Personalized Pathways: Building Infrastructure for Durable Skills, Equity, and Real-World Readiness
Nerel Winter, David Bautista-Rios, Bostonia Global; Michael Reagan, Evangeline Horel, One Stone
If It’s Not Better for Students, It’s Not Transformation: How SAU #9 is centering the student experience in district transformation
Sandra Moumoutjis, Ayris Sanders, Building21; Christa Biche, Aimee Frechette, School Administrative Unit #9
You Mean There’s Still a Test?! Combining Competencies and Standards in Courses with Mandatory High-Stakes Testing
Kat McRitchie, Michelle Davies, Joshua Sloan, Jacob Weaver, Crosstown High
Policy Showcase
A Bridge to New Models: How State Assessment Systems Can Build to the Future
David Nitkin, Transcend
Designing and Implementing Performance Assessments in Service of Promoting Competency-Based Education
Ellen Vorenkamp, Michigan Assessment Consortium; Ninette Soares, Farmington Public Schools
Designing for Integrity: How Leaders Can Build Trust and Authentic Learning in the Age of GenAI
Aaron Schorn, Unrulr
From Listening to Learning Infrastructure: Designing Local Accountability Through Community-Rooted Systems
Rob Collins, Sarah Snipes, Kentucky Department of Education; Karen Perry, University of Kentucky
Local Accountability Systems That Last
Adam Hicks, Dan Pfaff, Shelby County Public Schools; Brian Stack, Jonathan Vander Els, V&S School Solutions
People Showcase
Beyond the Screen: A School-Based Family Digital Literacy Model
Lia Dossin, All4Ed; Shannon McClintock Miller, Van Meter (IA)
Designing the Adults Who Design the Future: Reimagining Educator Roles Through R&D, Inquiry, and Community Partnership
Danielle Ragavanis, Philip Baker, Thomas A Edison Career & Technical Education High School (NYCPS)
Stop Running Leadership Programs. Start Building a Latino Workforce Strategy for 2050
R.D. Leyva, Dr. Elvira Salazar, Latinos for Education
Summer Educator Residency: Cultivating Innovation
Pam Wright, Steve Strothman, Missoula County Public Schools
The Prism Challenge: Co-Designing Effective Teaming Models
Amy Junge, Education Evolving; Hannah Foley, Empower Schools
Perspective Showcase
Brave Pack Rising: Elevating Student Voice Through the KPS Student Impact Team
Roni Saavedra, Ben Boar, Bryson Wakefield, Xinnia Hansen, Claire Timm, Z Belt, Bella Hernandez, Kalispell Public Schools
Designing for 90,000 Fans: How Project-Based Learning Turns Math into Meaningful, Real-World Problem Solving
Alyson Morse, Mount Vernon School
Ditch the Intercom: Reimagining the First Five Minutes of the School Day
Kari Moulton, Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53
From Equity to Architecture: Designing Belonging in Personalized Math Systems
Saroja Warner, John Jacobs, WestEd
From Portfolio to Performance: Student-Led Design of a Competency-Based Defense of Learning
Dr. Caren Roberts Williams, Kim Mawhiney, Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM: Main Stage Presentation
Designed for Every Student: AI and the Promise of Learner-Centered Futures
Moderator: Beth Rabbitt, FullScale
Panelists: Babak Mostaghimi, LearnerStudio; Sandra Moumoutjis, Learning Innovation Network at Building 21; Julia Freeland Fisher, Christensen Institute
5:15 PM - 7:15 PM: Welcome Reception
Friday
October 9, 2026
7:15 AM - 5:30 PM: Registration Desk Open
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Main Stage Presentation
What Schools Are For: Communities, Quality, and the Future of Public Education
Moderator: Katie Martin, Learner-Centered Collaborative
Panelists: Bibb Hubbard, Learning Heroes; George Philhower, Eastern Hancock Schools, Indiana Microschool Collaborative; Felicia Cumings Smith, National Center for Families Learning; David Miyashiro, Cajon Valley Union School District
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM: Sessions
Beyond Voice and Choice: What True Student Agency Really Looks Like in Practice – and How to Catalyze It in Your School
Andrew Calkins, Jessica Paulsen, LEAP Innovations; James Hill, Taundra Miles-Cranor, The Match High School & Career Center
From Pockets to Systems: Building State R&D Infrastructure to Scale Learner-Centered Education
Timothy Michalak, Alliance for Learning Innovation; Sydnee Dickson, Former Utah State Board of Education; Sarah Bishop-Root, Education Reimagined
Making Equity Irresistible: Designing Adult Learning People Actually Use—at Scale
Caroline Hill, 228 Accelerator
Rural AI in Action: Lessons from Three National Cohorts
Megan Benay, FullScale; Aidan O’Donnell, Accelerate
Scaling Networked Learning: Building Local Ecosystems for Innovation, Workforce Development, and Change Management
Edward Montalvo, XQ Institute; Ginger Spickler, Crosstown High; Angela Daniel, PSI High; Dustin Hensley, Elizabethton High School; Chris Hanks, Grand Rapids Public Museum Schools
State Lines and School Design: A Road Trip to Innovation
Emily Brixey, Kyle Anderson, KnowledgeWorks; Ann Ellefson, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction; Jeanine Collins, Center for the Future of Learning; Chad Geston, Arizona Institute of Education and the Economy; David Cook, Learning Ecosystems Design LLC
Supporting Future-Ready Teachers: Instructional Practices, Career Trajectories, and Systems Shifts in CBE Models
Heather Harlen, Building 21; Jessica Royer, Conway Intermediate School/SAU 9; Linnoya Watkins, Sledge Institute; Charles Schmied, Bridgeview Academy of Health, Science, Innovation, and Technology; Riley Paolino, Building 21 High School Philadelphia
The Innovation Slowdown: Why Bold District Transformation Gets Softened Over Time
Chelsea Waite, Bree Dusseault, Center on Reinventing Public Education
The Mastery Shift: Redesigning Assessment and Instruction for Learner-Led Success
Toni Rose Deanon, Michael Hakkarinen, Modern Classrooms Project; Starr Sackstein, Starr Sackstein Consulting, LLC; Saenovia Smith, Frankie Woods McCullough Academy; Heather Starks, Christel House Dors
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM: Sponsor Sessions
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM: Book and Research Talk
Insights for Tomorrow: Leveraging Co-Design and Alumni Data to Drive Change
Shelton Daal, Tiffany Leones, Taylor Alexander, Digital Promise
Additional Book and Research Talks coming soon!
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM: Lunch in the Exhibit Hall
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: Main Stage Presentation
Indiana GPS: A Shared Vision, A Brighter Future. How Collective Leadership is Redefining Student Success
Moderator: Scott Bess, Indiana State Board of Education & Indiana Charter Innovation Center
Panelists: Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education; Dr. Keeanna Warren, Purdue Polytechnic High Schools; Claire Fiddian-Green, Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: Sessions
CBE with Heart and Soul: Connecting MTSS and CBE to Personalize Schools for Learners with Special Needs
Hawar Khalandi, Platte County School District; Rebecca Midles, Getting Smart; Mike Ruyle, Marzano Resources
Educational Ambidexterity: Creating Space for Innovation in Traditional Learning Systems
Ben Koch, Building 21 Philadelphia; Tamika Henry, Grand Rapids Public Museum School; Andrew Hoyt, Portage School of Leaders; Diego Arambula, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
From Margins to Models: Alternative Schools as Hubs of Learner-Centered Innovation
Jeff Petty, School Foundry
The Community Is Our Classroom – Virtually experience real excursions Museum High School
Nate Langel, Kameron Sumoski, Joshua Olexa, Ki’Ahir Baker-Noble, Jonathan Coronelgalan, Ben Hoff, Grand Rapids Public Museum School
The Superintendent’s Dilemma: Why Leading System Innovation Is Harder Than It Looks
Chelsea Waite, Center on Reinventing Public Education; Stephen Bowen, Hoover Institution; Jeremy Tucker, Liberty Public Schools; Bill Kimball, Maple Run Unified School District
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: Sponsor Sessions
Beyond Retention: Measuring What It Actually Means for Teachers to Thrive
Pete Fishman, Ally Skoog-Hoffman, NewSchools Venture Fund
From One State to National: What Maine’s Competency-to-Credential Model Proves Is Possible
Craig Larabee, Generation US; Kim Acker Lipp, JMG; Virgel Hammonds, FullScale
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: Stories of Learning
Potential Futures
Beyond the Building: Reimagining Education as an Ecosystem
Geoffrey Roehm, Runway Green
Built Together: A Home for Learning Life
Kristel Barr, Raymore Peculiar School District
Public Microschools as Lab Schools for System Change: Small Schools. Big Impact
Jeffrey Imrich, Rock by Rock
Place
Designing AI-Resilient Pathways: Lessons from Scaling a Statewide Work-Based Learning Intermediary
Kelsey Bickett, QuantHub
From the Capitol to the Community: Building Digital Learning Infrastructure for the State You Actually Have
Lisa Bechtold, MTDA; Mike Agostinelli, Montana Digital Academy
From Vision to Vibrant Learning: Building a Bold New Future Through Kentucky’s Innovative Teacher Fellows
Dr. Robin Hyden, Kalli Colley, Kentucky Department of Education
Progress
Change Management: Comparing Tech Promises Around Unified Data Platforms
Kelly Ronnebeck, Amy Linn, East Moline School District 37
From Innovation to Evidence: Measuring What Works in Real-World Math
Beth Boesche-Taylor, Out Teach
Surveying Equitable Assessment Practices Through Teacher and Student Perspectives
Ellen Vorenkamp, Michigan Assessment Consortium; Ninette Soares, Farmington Public Schools
People
Distributing the Spark: Scaling Personalized Learning Through Teacher-Leaders
Dana Burns, Andrew Wall, Jennifer Raymond, Pattonville High School
From “Too Many Competencies” to Focused Growth: What We Learned About Leader Development
Christina Aries, Laura Furlong, Citizens of the World Charter Schools
Who Gets to Teach? Dismantling Barriers for Educator Pathways
Shanita Pryor, Jessica Cardullo, TNTP
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM: Book and Research Talk
Beyond a Portrait: Learning Opportunities That Stick
Lara Ohanian, Dave Kershner, TNTP
Creating an Education Ecosystem: How Arizona Policy Enables School System Diversity to Better Serve Students
Emily Brixey, KnowledgeWorks
Empowering Math Learners Through Standards-Based Grading: Evidence, Tools, and Lessons from the Field
Steven Kramer, John Baker, Tyrone Dash II, The 21st Century Partnership for STEM Education
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Sessions
A K-12 System’s Approach at Authentically Creating Agency Across K-12: How Southern Berkshire works with their community to implement agency
Holly Reardon, Nik Namba, Transcend; Jane Schur, Sarah Tetreault, Southern Berkshire Regional School District
Architects of Agency: Linking Educator Efficacy to Learner-Led Success
Theresa Ewald, KnowledgeWorks; Joyce Daigle, Madisyn McDole, Keeling Elementary, Amphitheater School District
Beyond the Poster: Operationalizing the Portrait of a Graduate
Jordan Lewis, SpacesEDU by myBlueprint; Jason Smith, Palos Heights School District 128; Shannon Creemens, Oregon CUSD 220; Jennifer Pepper, Riverbend School District
Designing for Student Agency in the Age of AI: Reimagining systems to emphasize the process of learning and learning-to-learn skills for future-ready learners
Nikita Khetan, Red Bridge; Michelle Rainey, Da Vinci Schools; Jane Bryson, Transcend; Brian Griffin, Lindsay Unified School District
Kuleana in Action: Redesigning Learning Systems to Honor Identity, Grow Agency, and Ensure Mastery
Kaʻulu Gapero, Danielle Sanchez, Roxanna Kala, Leayne Patch-Highfill, Waianuhea Paleka, Kamehameha Schools Hawaii
New, Now, Next: Why Building a Comprehensive Assessment System Is Both Necessary and Hard
Justin Wells, Jillian Juman, Envision Education
Small School Solutions for Multi-Grade Classrooms through Blended Learning Rotations and Teacher-Informed EdTech Decisions
Kristin Mansell, Heather Greenhalgh-Spencer, Michael Strange, Texas Tech University; Andrea Guerrero, Uvalde CISD
So You Want Systems Change: Leveraging Federal Waivers to Advance Student-Centered Learning Policies
Kirsten Carr, Foresight Law + Policy; Lillian Pace, KnowledgeWorks; Chris Domaleski, Center for Assessment; Doannie Tran, Center for Innovation in Education; David Nitkin, Transcend
Where Students Lead: What a Decade of Alumni Data Reveals About the Long-Term Impact of Career-Connected Learning
Corey Mohn, CAPS Network; Zandria Brewer, Baptist Health College / Arkansas Children’s Hospital
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Sponsor Sessions
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Book and Research Talk
Designing Beyond One-Teacher, One-Classroom: Educator Teams for Student Success
Lennon Audrain, Arizona State University’s Next Education Workforce Initiative
Grading Isn’t Just About Grading: How Improvements to Grading Practices Unlock Deeper Learning and Accelerate Instructional Innovation
Joe Feldman, Crescendo Education Group
Additional Book and Research Talk coming soon!
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM: FullScale Exploration
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM: Learning Labs
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM: Awards Ceremony
Saturday
October 10, 2026
7:00 AM - 1:45 PM: Registration Desk Open
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM: Breakfast
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Sessions
A Personalized Learning Journey to Increase Students Performance in Aldine ISD
Fernanda Flores-Bolivar, Scott Dubberke, Gregory Castille, Aldine Independent School District; Paige Stavena, Untapped Genius
Breaking the Mold: District Perspectives of How Collaborative Teaming in Westminster Public Schools (CO) and Shelby County Public Schools (KY) Led to a More Inclusive Student-Centered System Focused on Learning for All
Jennifer Rizzo Hamilton, Dr. Jeni Gotto, Westminster Public Schools; Dr. Adam Hicks, Shelby County Public Schools; Jonathan Vander Els, Brian Stack, V & S School Solutions
Foundational Learner-Centered Practices: Exploring A New Resource for the Field
Milissa McClaire Gary, Education Reimagined; Katie Martin, Learner-Centered Collaborative
From Individual Classrooms to Collaborative Teams: Redesigning How Educators Work Together
Nicole Assisi, Nicole Allard, Thrive
From Policy to Performance: Backing Portrait of a Graduate Commitments with Research-Based Assessment and Accountability Systems
Dr. Michelle Barrett, Brad Baumgartner, Edmentum; Dr. Kyle Dunbar, Digital Promise
Gamification and 21st Century Skills: Educational Games Teaching Skills and Content
Benjamin Little, The ACE Program at Brookline High School
Grading for Learning: The Logic Model Grading Revolution
David Wartowski, Learning Portrait; Mirah Anti, Township High School District 113; Cathy Ishikawa, California State University, Sacramento; Tim Dohrer, National Louis University; Sam Bogan, Loring Elementary School; Josh Brown, Evanston Township High School
Redesigning the Student Experience: How Three Districts Are Shifting from Tools to Transformation
Dr. Mike Hastings, Grand Rapids Public Schools; Nadine Gilkison, Franklin Township Schools; Kari Moulton, Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53
Rural by Design: How Local Ecosystems Are Shaping the Future of AI-Enabled Learning
Sandra Jin, Leading Educators; Amy Graeber, Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District; Dr. Richard Ramos, Miami Unified School District #40; Drew Olsson, Bridge Consulting
What Rural AI Pilots Taught Us: Practical Tools Schools Can Use Now
Megan Benay, FullScale
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM: Sessions
“Nothing about us, without us”: Redesigning Learning with Students, Not for Them
Sang Hee Kim, Edward Merrill, Hector Estrada, Mesa Public Schools; Theresa Ewald, KnowledgeWorks
AI Agency as a Core Competency: How Indiana School Systems Are Redefining What It Means to Teach and Learn
Arion Clanton, Playlab AI
Beyond the AI Handbook: Shaping AI Adoption through Real-Time Mapping of Social Norms
Jennifer Poon, Doannie Tran, Center for Innovation in Education; Shereen El Mallah, University of Virginia, Center for Promoting Effective Youth Development (Youth-Nex)
Community-Connected Learning: Lessons We’ve Learned
Megan Benay, FullScale; Derek DiStefano, Morgan Elementary School; Roberto Moctezuma, Carlos Aceves, Raíces del Saber Xinachtli Community School
Designing for Durable Skills: Building Scalable Systems for Competency-Based Learning
Michael Reagan, Evangeline Horel, Addison (Crim) Stewart-Fatzinger, One Stone; Nerel Winter, David Bautista, Bostonia Global; Shane Krukowski, Headrush Learning
Innovation Schools as a Tool for Creating Sustainable, Customized Learning
Rachell Avery, Empower Schools; Stephen Bowen, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Mike Calvanese, Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership; Cody Stipes, Cold Spring School; Monique Uzelac, Washtenaw Educational Outcomes Consortium
Rethinking the Diploma: Indiana’s Bold Bet on Personalized, Competency-Aligned High School
Eric Waters, TNTP; Ron Sandlin, Indiana Department of Education
Scaling Rural Pathways: Reinventing High School to Create Upward Mobility for Communities
Kimberly Smith, Digital Promise; Scott Ross, Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology; Seth Walker, Troy University
The First Year Playbook: What Successful Schools Get Right
Andrew Vega, NewSchools Venture Fund; Dermoth Mattison, South Shore Charter School; Alexa Sorden, LEAD
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM: Book and Research Talk
Balancing Act: How Policymakers Can Mitigate the Risk and Maximize the Opportunities of AI
Juliet Squire, Bellwether
Built for Learning: Lessons from AI-Powered Ed Tech in Practice
Marisa Mission, Bellwether
Competency-Based Practices: From Barriers to Breakthroughs — Implementing Competency-Based Practices That Last
Bill Zima, Marzano Academies; Brian Stack, Jonathan Vander Els, V & S School Solutions
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Sessions
Connecting Competency-Based Education (CBE) with Career and Technical Education (CTE): A Model for School Innovation and Workforce Readiness
Dr. Mike Ruyle, Marzano Resources; Rebecca Midles, Getting Smart; Dr. Hawar Khalandi, Platte County Schools
From Purpose to Postsecondary Outcomes: Building a Learning-Centered Infrastructure for Career Readiness
Patrick Rametti, Uncommon Schools; Ryan Hoch, Overgrad; Briana Anderson, nXu
Listening to Learn: Using Cognitive Labs for Student-Centered, Competency-based Assessment Development
Dr. Jilliam Joe, Kelly Organ, FullScale
Reimagining the Teaching Role: How Tech‑Enabled Staffing Models Expand What Educators Can Do
Ashley Williams, Public Impact; Krissy Fisher, Level Data; Paymon Rouhanifard, Timely Schools; Lamar Grant, Coursemojo
System-Level R&D: Creating the Conditions for Scalable, Sustainable Change
Katie Martin, Learner-Centered Collaborative
The Montana Movement — Scaling Statewide Transformation
Matt Jensen, Sara Cole, Kalispell Public Schools; Micah Hill, Pam Wright, Missoula County Public Schools; Krystal Smith, Montana Office of Public Instruction; Jason Neiffer, Montana Digital Academy
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Book and Research Talk
Scalable Teacher-Led Tutoring with Causal Impact: How a Virtual Platform Enables Access and Accelerates Learning
Amy Dray, Edmentum
Additional Book and Research Talks coming soon!
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM: Stories of Learning
Practice
From Points to Purpose: How Students Reclaimed Their Learning
Josh Brown, Evanston Township High School
Levers for Living the Portrait of a Graduate — A Real-Time Story of PoG
Kimberly Erickson, Norwalk Public Schools; Abby Benedetto, Core Shifts
Transformational Contribution: Redesigning the Student Experience Through Bilingual Project-Based and Competency-Based Learning
Danya Villanuevea, Vanessa Rocha, Bostonia Global
Policy
Building Bridges Between Policy and Practice: Lessons from an Intermediary Network Advancing Secondary School Transformation
Charlie Thompson, Cheryl Jones-Walker, Jennifer DePaoli, Learning Policy Institute
Harnessing the Power of Accreditation to Drive CBE Reform
James Mattiace, Assessment and Competency Collaborative
The Learning Was Bigger Than the Metrics: A Story of Measuring Competency-Based Learning
Rae Lymer, Dr. Jilliam Joe, FullScale
Perspective
Mindset Before Machine: What the National Math Partnership Taught Us About Leading AI Integration
Britney Wray, Leading Educators
The Innovation Loop: Turning AI Into Capacity for Continuous Improvement
Jason Neiffer, Montana Digital Academy
Additional Perspective Story of Learning coming soon!
Play
Making PBL Easier: The Power of TEACH
Jason Colombino, PBL Works
Redesigning Middle Grades for Agency, Alignment, and Access
Lindsey Lovern, East Central Educational Service Center
Seeing My Skills: A Student Story Beyond GPA
Rachel Wagner, Elizabethton City Schools
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM: Lunch
Don’t forget to pick up your grab-and-go lunch in the hallway before heading to the airport or the Vibe Coding session. Registered attendees for the paid Learning Labs session should also pick up their lunch before the session begins.
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM: Learning Labs
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM: Vibe Coding
Vibecoding a glimpse into the ‘future of work’ in 90 minutes
Alex Kotran, Lindsay Berger, The AI Education Project (aiEDU)
Please Note: All times are in the Eastern Time Zone.




