NASBE’s Annual Conference empowers state board members to leverage their role in the education ecosystem to lead for equity and excellence. Attended by state board members from across the nation, along with leading experts, the NASBE Annual Conference is the only conference designed specifically for state board members.
NASBE’s 2023 Annual Conference will be held in-person October 25-28, 2023, in San Diego, California. Watch this space for all the details for this year’s conference!
We look forward to seeing you at NASBE's 2023 Annual Conference! The conference will be held in-person only.
Registration Fees (Early Bird Registration ends September 25!)
Member Rates
- Full Conference, Early Bird: $800 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $950)
- NCOSEA: $500 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $600)
- NCSBEE: $800 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $950)
- NASBE Board Past Chair: $450
- Daily: $550
- Welcome Reception Guest: $75
- State Night Guest: $75
Non-Member Rates
- Full Conference, Early Bird: $1,250 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $1500)
- NCOSEA: $500 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $600)
- NCSBEE: $800 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $950)
- NASBE Board Past Chair: $450
- Daily: $650
- Welcome Reception Guest: $100
- State Night Guest: $100
The 2023 conference will be held in-person only at the Paradise Point San Diego.
Paradise Point San Diego (hotel website)
1404 Vacation Road
San Diego, CA 92109
Attendees are responsible for making hotel reservations. Please call the hotel directly at (855) 463-3361 or connect via its online reservation website to make your room reservation. To guarantee this special group rate of $249.00 per night plus applicable taxes, you must make your reservation no later than Monday, September 25, 2023. After that time, higher rates will apply and rooms may not be available. Please identify yourself as a NASBE Conference attendee. NASBE will not make hotel reservations for attendees.
You support NASBE by staying at Paradise Point in our negotiated room block. Meeting our financial obligations to Paradise Point for our room block has a long-term benefit: It helps NASBE negotiate lower rates for our conferences in the future, and it lowers your out-of-pocket travel costs. When we fill our contracted room block, we avoid unnecessary financial penalties, which strengthens our negotiation efforts in the future to keep conference costs manageable.
Professional Development Account funds: If you are planning to use PDA funds, you must make your reservation using the link above or by phone. NASBE will work with the hotel to pay the charges as directed in your PDA request. Contact Paolo DeMaria, with questions.
Attendees are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. San Diego International Airport (SAN) is the busiest single-runway commercial airport in the United States. San Diego is not an airline hub or secondary hub; however, it is currently a focus city for Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Taxis, shuttles and ride-sharing services are available at all airport terminal curbsides for service to Paradise Point hotel.
Members using PDA funds may use NASBE’s travel agent, ProTravel. They can be contacted directly at 1-800-645-7466 or by email at reservations@protravelinc.com. Ask for a representative from Team One. Please note an administration fee of $31 is added to the cost of your ticket.
The Conference Planning Committee and NASBE staff are currently reviewing all conference proposals and deciding this year program and speakers. Below is the general schedule of events. Details will be filled in as the program is finalized.
Tuesday, October 24
Invitation-only pre-conference convening on early childhood education co-hosted with National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL). For more information, please contact NASBE Director of Early Learning Winona Hao.
Wednesday, October 25
Registration All Day
8:30 am to 5:30 pm Pre-conference Activities
Early Literacy Work Group Session (by invitation only)
Pre-Conference Session: High School Redesign (12:45 pm - 4:45 pm)
High schools across the nation have been innovating one at a time in order to deliver relevant and engaging learning that prepares students better for their next steps. For too many schools, though, it is business as usual. What state conditions enable and incentivize high school experiences that all students need? Leaders from Education Resource Strategies, the Education Commission of States, state boards, and districts will guide participants through a deep examination of the need for high school transformation at scale, the policies and resources that need to be marshaled, the role of state boards, and how states have innovated to change high school.
(Open to all conference attendees. Please sign up for this session when registering for the conference.)
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Board of Directors Meeting
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Welcome Reception
Welcome to San Diego! Join us for a drink, light fare and conversation with colleagues under the stars.
Thursday, October 26
Registration All Day
7:30 am – 8:30 am Networking Breakfast
8:30 am – 10:00 am Welcome and Keynote by Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond
We are excited to kickoff Annual Conference 2023 with remarks from California State Board President Linda Darling-Hammond! Darling- Hammond will share about the transformative work the California State Board of Education has done to improve public education for 5.8 million California students and their families, as well as insights on the education issues that are top of mind for state boards of education.
10:00 am – 10:15 am Break
10:15 am – 11:45 am Concurrent Sessions
From Vision to Action: Reimagining Teaching Roles: A diverse group of educators shares ways to make teaching a more inspiring, compelling profession, with direct benefits for school culture and student outcomes. What state policies foster innovative staffing models that can attract, develop, and retain more high-potential educators? (90 minute workshop)
Using Data to Inform State Board Decision Making: Four use cases for how data can support decision making at key points on a student's journey through preK-12 and into a rewarding career. Learn how state policy leaders makers can coalesce around the right data. (40 minute session)
Top Ten Lobbying Strategies: A former legislator and current state board member shares his strategies for weighing in effectively with legislative policymakers on education policy and appropriations. (40 minute session)
Is Civility Possible in a Challenging Governance Environment?
Explore the current environment for board governance, review principles of civility, and discover the consequences of mistrust and a lack of civility. Share examples of incivility, analyze hypothetical situations to identify factors that foster trust, and identify effective strategies for encouraging civil discourse. (40 minute session)
11:45 am – 12:00 pm Break
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch Session
1:00 pm – 1:15 pm Break
1:15 pm – 2:15 pm Concurrent Sessions
Balancing Equity & Excellence: Lessons from the National Working Group on Advanced Education: Get a sneak peek at forthcoming research on how race and socioeconomic status intersect to shape "excellence gaps." Explore universal screening to identify high-achieving, low-income students; social and emotional support for advanced students; high-quality instructional materials; selective-enrollment high schools; the alignment of advanced learning services across K-12; and more.
Student Assessment & School Accountability Systems That Support the Whole Child: A whole-child approach has far-reaching implications for preK-12 that will require practice and policy shifts informed by the science of learning and development. Building on the work of the Whole Child Policy Table, a partnership of 16 organizations including NASBE, this session will explore actions states can take to redesign assessments and accountability systems to support the whole child.
2:15 pm – 2:30 pm Break
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Concurrent Sessions
Competency-Based Education and Skills for the Future: What's Now and What's Next for High School Design: Utah and other states that have begun to center their systems around attainment of competencies share early lessons on the shift’s impact on skills such as civic engagement, communication, and collaboration.
California's Community Schools Playbook: Learn how to set up a coherent, effective community schools initiative statewide with robust community input, effective technical assistance, and continuous improvement and responsiveness.
Preparing Early Childhood Teachers: State Policy Strategies For Success: Early educators’ formal preparation and skills in child development drive successful public preschool programs, studies show. Researchers from the Learning Policy Institute will share findings from a national landscape study on early childhood teaching credentials, characteristics of eight well-regarded preparation programs across four states, and state policy strategies to strengthen the workforce. Former deans of early education programs at Stanford and the City University of New York will share their experiences with public preschool expansion and with leveraging university partnerships to better prepare and credential teachers of young children.
3:30 pm – 3:45 pm Break
3:45 pm – 4:15 pm General Session: Keynote from Rebecka Peterson, 2023 National Teacher of the Year
Rebecka Peterson, the 2023 National Teacher of the Year, is a high school math teacher from Oklahoma who loves stories and believes that highlighting the stories of joy happening in classrooms across the country will help encourage current teachers and attract new educators to the profession. Peterson will provide remarks virtually.
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm Area Meetings (Northeast, Southern, Central, Western)
7:00 pm State Night: Dinner and Reception
This year, State Night will be held off-site at Stone Brewery World Bistro & Garden. We thank Curriculum Associates for sponsoring this event.
Friday, October 27
Registration All Day
7:30 am – 8:15 am Networking Breakfast
8:30 am – 10:00 am Welcome and Keynote
Rethinking Education Through AI: A leading technology entrepreneur and education nonprofit leader shares his inspiring vision of the future classroom that illuminates AI’s transformative potential for education. Explore the opportunities and risks of AI and why computer science is a fundamental literacy, not just for AI but for future technological revolutions as well.
10:00 am – 10:15 am Break
10:15 am – 11:30 am Concurrent Sessions
New York’s Rethinking of Graduation Measures: A Research to Practice Partnership: With help from WestEd, New York is infusing research on state experiences with performance assessment into its initiative to change diploma requirements and broaden measures of students’ college and career readiness.
States’ Role in Developing Effective Principals: Great principals don’t grow on trees; they receive high-quality development and ongoing support. Research from the Learning Policy Institute for The Wallace Foundation shows high-quality pre-service principal preparation programs share common elements. Explore the qualities of high-quality principal preparation programs and the ways in which state leaders can help ensure prospective principals get this authentic, pre-service experience they need to help them meet the demands of the job.
11:30 am – 11:45 am Break
11:45 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch Session
Using New Laws on the Science of Reading to Unlock the Power of Early Literacy: Despite a raft of state legislation that elevates the science of reading, it remains challenging to ensure that every child receives high-quality early literacy instruction. This expert panel identifies key aspects of early literacy education and proficiency and shares how effective policy implementation can drive meaningful change.
1:00 pm – 1:30 pm Networking Break
1:30 pm - 2:45 pm Concurrent Sessions
Building a National Movement to Scale Student Success Systems: What are student success systems? Experts in school design and transformation share the evidence base behind these systems, strategies for promoting their adoption statewide, and ways state boards can advocate and support them.
How Utah Boosted Student Outcomes and Teacher Retention: The Utah state board and DonorsChoose partnered to boost student outcomes and reduce teacher turnover. They share tips for using evidence and actionable insights to devise turnkey solutions for efficient resource allocation to support classrooms’ unique needs.
2:45 pm – 3:00 pm Break
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Concurrent Sessions
Brushing Up on Parliamentary Procedure: Build your knowledge of parliamentary procedure and implement these skills through interactive activities. Explore basic parliamentary devices (motions) like the main motion, amendments, refer to a committee, lay on the table, postpone definitely, and postpone indefinitely. Scripts will be used to engage participants in scenarios to illustrate selected motions.
Rowing in the Same Direction: Arkansas's Approach to Accountability and Funding: Despite their immense power to influence and build coherent P-16 education systems, states too often administer programs and funding incoherently, which leaves educators unclear about priorities. Learn how Arkansas is aligning funding and accountability systems through a comprehensive reform that is more than the sum of its parts.
Kentucky's Portrait of a Learner: A Catalyst for Deeper, More Vibrant Learning for All: Learn how Kentucky is elevating student demonstrations of knowledge, skills, and dispositions valued in state or local portraits of a learner to ensure that every learner experiences deep, meaningful learning.
4:00 pm – 4:15 pm Break
4:15 pm – 5:30 pm General Session
From Time to Skill: For the first time, this session brings together leaders from ETS and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching to dive deep into how the two organizations are working to design, pilot, and distribute a new suite of assessments to measure the essential affective, behavioral, and cognitive skills students need to succeed in school and in the 21st century economy, with a focus on equity considerations.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Friday Night Movie: Screening of THE FIRST CLASS
THE FIRST CLASS follows the founding class of Crosstown High in Memphis, one of the XQ schools from across the country that is redefining the future of learning. Join Crosstown students on their journeys from ninth grade through the triumph of graduation as they imagine life on Mars, step into the lives of refugees, learn to think critically—and ultimately find themselves. This intimate verité film gives voice to the beauty and value of the American high school—and the possibility of what high school can be for students everywhere.
We thank XQ Institute for choosing Annual Conference 2023 to host one of the first screenings of this film!
Saturday, October 28
Registration until 10:30 am
8:00 am – 8:30 am Breakfast
8:30 am – 10:00 am Morning Workshop
Strategies for Reducing Chronic Absenteeism: The pandemic led to troubling increases in chronic absenteeism, which threatens to undermine efforts to help students recover academically and emotionally. Learn about evidence-based practices states and districts have used to bring students back to school regularly. Discuss efforts to reengage families and students through a home-visiting program, address health and transportation barriers, and create a welcoming, safe school climate.
8:30 am – 10:00 am Annual Business Meeting and Delegate Assembly
We are excited about this year's conference keynotes and session speakers, including:
- Bob Balfanz, Johns Hopkins University and The GRAD Partnership
- Christine Benson, Illinois State Board Member, NASBE Chair
- Meredith Brewer, Kentucky State Board Member
- Todd Call, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Utah State Board of Education
- Sherry Cleary, retired University Dean, Early Childhood Initiatives at City University of New York (CUNY)
- Hedy Chang, Founder and Executive Director, Attendance Works
- Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, Chair, California State Board of Education, and Learning Policy Institute
- Paolo DeMaria, NASBE President and CEO
- David Donaldson, National Center for Grow Your Own
- Jason Downey, Chair, Georgia State Board of Education
- Roger Eddy, Illinois State Board of Education Member
- Francisco Escobedo, California State Board Member and National Center for Urban School Transformation
- Ryan Foor, Executive Director, Nebraska State Board of Education
- Laura Giuliano, Associate Professor of Economics, University of California-Santa Cruz
- Paul Gollash, Vice President of K-12 Solutions, ETS
- Patti Gubbels, Nebraska State Board of Education Member
- Mary Hart, Utah State Board of Education Member
- Sara Haviland, Research Scientist, ETS
- Joy Hofmeister, Former Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Phyllis Jordan, FutureEd
- Angelique Johnson-Dingle, Deputy Commissioner for P-12 Instructional Support, New York State Department of Education
- Sam Keppler, University of Michigan
- Lesley Muldoon, Executive Director, National Assessment Governing Board
- Sarah Moore, Arkansas State Board of Education Member
- Rob Metz, Deputy Director, BARR Center
- Kunjan Narechania, President, Watershed Advisors
- Jacob Oliva, Secretary, Arkansas Department of Education and Commissioner, ADE Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Hadi Partovi, CEO, Code.org
- Rebecka Peterson, 2023 National Teacher of the Year
- Michael J. Petrilli, President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute
- Ventura Rodriguez, Partner, Education Resource Strategies
- Jenny Scala, Principal Researcher, American Institutes for Research
- Abby Schachner, Senior Researcher, Learning Policy Institute
- Amit Sevak, CEO, ETS
- David Sherer, Senior Associate, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
- Kirk Smiley, Managing Director of Advocacy and Public Partnerships, DonorsChoose
- Lindsay Sobel, Chief of Policy, Planning & External Affairs, Teach Plus
- Randy Spaulding, Executive Director, Washington State Board of Education
- Deborah Stipek, Emeritus Judy Koch Professor of Early Childhood Education at Stanford University
- Jenna Terrell, Senior Research Associate, WestEd
- Craig Walker, Regional Vice President, Curriculum Associates
- Victoria Wang, Research and Policy Associate, Learning Policy Institute
- Julie Woods, Senior Advisor, Learning Policy Institute
- Lu Young, Chair, Kentucky State Board of Education
- and many more!
NASBE offers multiple ways to partner at our premier membership meeting, the NASBE Annual Conference. Please read through our conference sponsorship guide for a list of options, or contact NASBE President and CEO Paolo DeMaria.
Thank you to our current funding partners and conference sponsors!
Programmatic Funders:
- The Bainum Family Foundation
- Child Trends
- Foundation for Child Development
- Kaiser Permanente
- The Joyce Foundation
- The Wallace Foundation
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Principal Sponsors:
- ACT
- AT&T
- College Board
- Curriculum Associates
Major Sponsors:
- NWEA
- Renaissance
Supporting Partners:
- ETS
- The GRAD Partnership
- Great Minds
- Lexia Learning
- XQ Institute
- Zearn
This year, National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) sought conference session proposals to share and highlight the exemplary work by state boards of education on critical education issues at its Annual Conference in San Diego.
The deadline has now passed to submit proposals. All proposals are currently being reviewed. Those who submitted a proposal will be notified by August 18, 2023, if their proposal has been selected to be a session at the conference.
How are Proposals Selected?
The Conference Planning Committee and NASBE staff will review all proposals based on the following criteria:
- relevancy to topics prioritized by state board members
- qualifications of presenters and panelists
- degree to which proposals incorporate the actual work of state boards and demonstrate applicability to their work.
Look here to find answers to the most common questions about NASBE’s Annual Conference!
How much is conference registration?
Registration fees for Annual Conference 2023 are as follows:
Member Rates
- Full Conference, Early Bird: $800 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $950)
- NCOSEA: $500 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $600)
- NCSBEE: $800 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $950)
- NASBE Board Past Chair: $450
- Daily: $550
- Welcome Reception Guest: $75
- State Night Guest: $75
Non-Member Rates
- Full Conference, Early Bird: $1,250 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $1,500)
- NCOSEA: $500 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $600)
- NCSBEE: $800 (After 9/25/23, Regular Registration: $950)
- NASBE Board Past Chair: $450
- Daily: $650
- Welcome Reception Guest: $100
- State Night Guest: $100
I don’t want to attend the whole conference. Can I register for only the pre-conference sessions or a single day?
Yes. If you want to attend only one day of the Annual Conference, please select “single day registration” when you register for the day you plan to attend. For NASBE members, the fee is $550, for non-member, the fee is $650.
Do I have to register separately for the evening events?
No, it is included in your full conference registration. If you opt to bring a guest, there is an extra fee. of $75 for members, and $100 for non-members.
Does NASBE make my hotel reservation?
No, all conference attendees are responsible for making their own hotel reservations. Please call the hotel directly at (855) 463-3361 or connect via its online reservation website to make your room reservation. To guarantee this special group rate of $249.00 per night plus applicable taxes, you must make your reservation no later than Monday, September 25, 2023. After that date, higher rates will apply and rooms may not be available. Please identify yourself as a NASBE Conference attendee.
Making a reservation in NASBE’s room block is important. Meeting our financial obligations to Paradise Point for our room block has a long-term benefit: It helps NASBE negotiate lower rates for our conferences in the future, and it lowers your out-of-pocket travel costs. When we fill our contracted room block, we avoid unnecessary financial penalties, which strengthen our negotiation efforts in the future to keep annual conference costs manageable.
How far away is the hotel from the airport?
The hotel is approximately 10 minutes from San Diego International Airport (SAN) and 50 minutes from Carlsbad (McClellan – Palomar) Airport. Taxis, shuttles and ride-sharing services are available at all airport terminal curbsides for service to Paradise Point hotel.
How do I access “PDA” funds for NASBE’s annual conference?
NASBE Professional Development Accounts (PDA) provide support to state board members who wish to participate in NASBE activities such as attending conferences, regional meetings, travel and other related activities. It is a perfect way to fund your trip to NASBE’s Annual Conference 2023! If your state has set up a PDA with NASBE, individual members may use available funds. Please contact Paolo DeMaria for more information.
How are you keeping attendees safe during the conference? (COVID-19 Policy)
Your well-being is our top priority, and we are dedicated to ensuring attendees and guests have a safe environment at NASBE's 2023 Annual Conference. Masks are recommended, but not required.
NASBE is monitoring the World Health Organization updates as well as the local CDC guidelines and the U.S. Travel Associations updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and we will adjust our plan as needed and work together to protect all attendees. Every effort will be made to adhere to physical distancing guidelines, cleaning & hygiene, minimizing food and beverage risks, and will have an on-going communication plan.
What is your cancellation policy?
Registrations may be cancelled for a refund (less $100 processing fee) if cancellation request is received in writing by Friday, October 6, 2023. All cancellations must be submitted in writing and emails to nasbeconference@thebalcomgroup.com.
Registration substitutions are accepted. The substitution deadline is Friday, October 6, 2023. All substitutions after this date will be processed on-site. Please email substitution requests to nasbeconference@thebalcomgroup.com.
All refunds are issued via original form of payment after the conference.
Are there sponsorship or advertising opportunities during the conference?
Yes! Please find our 2023 sponsorship guide here. If you are interested in becoming a NASBE annual conference sponsor, please contact Paolo DeMaria.
This year, National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) sought conference session proposals to share and highlight the exemplary work by state boards of education on critical education issues at its Annual Conference in San Diego.
The deadline has now passed to submit proposals. All proposals are currently being reviewed. Those who submitted a proposal will be notified by August 18, 2023, if their proposal has been selected to be a session at the conference.
I submitted a conference proposal. When will I hear and what's next?
The Conference Planning Committee and NASBE staff is currently reviewing all proposals on the following criteria:
- relevancy to topics prioritized by state board members
- qualifications of presenters and panelists
- degree to which proposals incorporate the actual work of state boards and demonstrate applicability to their work.
Those who submitted a proposal will be notified by August 18, 2023, if their proposal has been selected to be a session at the conference. Once the session is confirmed, you will be assigned a NASBE staffer to help guide your further planning and logistics.
Coming Soon!