Membership Required: CCEA+ membership is required for all Conference attendees and presenters. Active members can register online for a discounted price; this discount is only available with online registration, through the member’s account login.

Confirmation: payment is required in advance of the event for all attendees and dinner guests, in order to process badges, meals and seminars — by April 2nd to be in time for badge printing, but no later than 4/9/27. Online registration provides immediate confirmation and an email receipt, with payment options including credit card, PayPal and eCheck (debit/withdrawal).

Once Registered: once paid, you are confirmed. Registered attendees can swing by Check-in table at the Conference hotel venue and pick up their badges. Advanced payment is sufficient, best before April 3rd for personalized badge printing and expedited check-in.

Group Registration: if you are purchasing for a group of attendees, our Group Registration allows you to easily register a number of attendees in one purchase. Receipt is automatically emailed for your records. Visit here (TBA) for details and registration.

Meals Included: all Conference registrations include select meals listed below. For 2027, the Professional Awards Dinner and Model Schools Gala Dinner are additional for Conference attendees — it can be included as an add-on at a special discounted attendee price. If you plan to bring a guest to either Awards dinner, please purchase an Extra Dinner Ticket or consider purchasing a Table for 10 for your group.

• Breakfast Friday
• Breakfast Saturday
• Breakfast Sunday
• Hors d’oeuvres Thursday evening party
• Snacks and drinks between some seminars

Restrictions: the Conference weekend and events are for adults only. We are not able to accommodate students (including K-12 students of any age) and children at our events.

Accommodations: hotel accommodations are not included in Conference registration. Please arrange separately.

Conference venue: Visalia Convention Center
Venue address: 303 E Acequia Ave, Visalia, CA 93291 | View map

Main hotel: Visalia Marriott at the Convention Center (connected to the Convention Center)

We have a special group rate for a block of rooms at six participating hotels either connected to (Visalia Marriott), next to (Comfort Inn), or near the convention center. The booking link has all the hotel deals, options, and info about nearby attractions. When you book online, the reservation will automatically find you available rooms in all the hotels. Available dates include Wednesday (limited), and Thursday-Sunday (open). Booking online is the preferred method for you to get the group rate discount. Room block reservations may have additional limitations, with cut-offs ranging from March 20th to April 10th, depending on the location. The booking link outlines parking and amenities.

To book online: click this special reservation link for CCEA+ booking info and room block.

To book by phone: check the link above for the phone number for each participating hotel. If you plan to book early, ask for the “CCEA+ group block” — if the representative does not know how to assist, please ask for a reservations manager to call you back.

Since the hotels around the convention center are relatively small, we have arranged five overflow hotels below, all in close proximity. For each hotel, same instructions as above.

Overflow Hotels:
1. Fairfield Inn – 140 South Akres Street, Visalia, CA 93291
2. Comfort Suites – 210 East Acequia Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291
3. Holiday Inn Express – 5625 West Cypress Avenue, Visalia, CA 93277
4. Hilton Garden Inn – 8715 West Hillsdale Avenue, Visalia, CA 93291
5. Darling Hotel – 210 North Court Street, Visalia, CA 93291

From the Visalia Marriott:
“Extraordinary accommodations and modern amenities provide comfort, and quality, at Visalia Marriott at the Convention Center. Our hotel boasts an ultraconvenient location adjacent to the Visalia Convention Center and near Park Plaza. Attend CCEA’s professional conference in one of our 22 meeting rooms capable of welcoming up to 4,000 attendees. Step outside our doors to encounter an abundance of adventure that awaits. Discover Visalia and the surrounding cities of Tulare, Exeter, and Fresno, as well as Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyons National Park, all within easy reach. Our welcoming guest rooms and suites feature, 55-inch smart TVs, and comfortable workspaces to make you feel right at home throughout your travels. Our hotel boasts an unbeatable location in downtown Visalia, steps from restaurants, breweries, children’s activities, and Kaweah Delta Hospital.”

Refunds and Transfers: we do not offer refunds on registrations or memberships, and cannot permit switching registrations for another person after orders are received. Billing policy (no refunds or transfers)

Photograph Permission: By registering for this conference, attendees give CCEA+ permission to use any photographs taken during the events on the CCEA+ website, the event website/app and related social media accounts.

Attendees: there will be an interactive schedule app for 2027. You can use the app to set your schedule, select your seminars, read about speakers and exhibitors, share your bio, and interact with everyone. When the app is ready in mid-April, we will post instructions for all attendees.

Tentative Schedule: to be announced.

Speakers and Seminars: to be announced.

Dress Up Days: to be announced.

Meet and Greet Social: networking, fun, food and fellowship on Thursday, April 22nd. Featuring raffles, games and other surprises. Time, location, flyer and details to be announced. Free for Conference attendees.

Get Social: there will be an interactive schedule app announced in April for Conference attendees.  In the meantime, you can post and connect on social media.  Here’s how to find and tag us!

Instagram = @CCEAPlus
X/Twitter = @CCEAeducation
Facebook = Group

Professional Awards Dinner: Friday, April 23rd @ Visalia Convention Center. Awards include Exemplary Programs, Superintendent of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Officer of the Year, Classified Employee of the Year, Counselor or Support Person of the Year, and our Student Essay winners. Exemplary Programs will be featured. Professional awards and the exemplary programs will be presented in person, for the 2026-2027 school year. Dinner with a speaker, special guests, awards for personnel, essays, student art, Region Basket, Vendor’s Raffle/Auction Prizes. Start time TBA. Book by 4/19/27; after that, tickets may be available by credit card on site, if seats are still available. Address: 303 E Acequia Ave, Visalia, CA 93291. Get tickets & event details (TBA)

Model Schools Awards Gala: Saturday, April 24th @ Boomers Visalia. Includes free entry to the gaming area, fully operational amusement park! Transportation provided to and from the hotels. At the Gala dinner, newly-selected Model Schools for 2027 will be awarded and recognized in person. Attire is evening casual. Tentative schedule: busing from the hotel to the gala starts as early as 5pm; President’s reception 6pm; dinner at 7pm, with the awards ceremony to follow. Book by 4/19/27; after that, tickets may be available by credit card on site, if seats are still available. Venue address: 5600 W Cypress Ave, Visalia, CA 93277. Get tickets & event details (TBA)

Choose from two bus trip options:

Both bus trips below are on Thursday, April 22, 2027. Bus trips are not included with Conference registration, and requires separate sign-up or an add-on selection. Sign up is a separate add-on with Conference registration, or it can be purchased separately. Space is limited, please register early. Get details & sign up (TBA)

Trip option #1: Featured school visits

See alternative education schools in action, on a guided tour. Includes school visits, lunch and bus transportation. Destinations to be visited may change depending on number of attendees and the schools. Transportation to and from the Conference venue is provided.

Date: Thursday, April 22, 2027.

Pickup will be at the Conference hotel venue at 8am, leaving at 8:30am, with the trip ending around 2-3pm, and no later than 5pm.

Trip option #2: Educational field experience at Sequoia National Park

Extend your professional learning beyond the traditional conference setting through place-based and experiential education. Participants will explore one of California’s most significant natural environments while considering how outdoor learning experiences can strengthen student engagement, interdisciplinary instruction, relationship-building, and connections to the broader community.

Sequoia National Park serves as a living classroom where educators can examine concepts related to environmental science, ecology, climate, conservation, history, and responsible stewardship. Giant sequoias can live for thousands of years, and their growth patterns provide scientists with important information about climate and fire history. The park also provides real-world examples of fire ecology, ecosystem management, adaptation, and the relationship between human activity and natural resources. The National Park Service incorporates many of these same themes into its educational programming, including ecosystems, watersheds, stewardship, scientific observation, climate, and fire ecology.

For educators serving students in continuation, community day, independent study, and other alternative education settings, the experience also provides an opportunity to consider how learning outside the classroom can re-engage students who may not respond to traditional instructional approaches. Participants will be encouraged to reflect on how experiential and project-based learning can be incorporated into their own programs through field studies, interdisciplinary projects, career-connected learning, environmental education, and community partnerships.

The experience also reinforces the importance of creating meaningful opportunities that expand students’ understanding of the world beyond their immediate communities. Educators will return to their schools with ideas for using local and regional resources to develop authentic learning experiences that promote curiosity, student connection, environmental responsibility, and a greater sense of belonging.

As an optional extension of the CCEA Plus Conference, the Sequoia National Park Educational field experience supports the organization’s commitment to innovative practices, student engagement, and expanding educational opportunities for students served in alternative education settings.

Bus Schedule: departs 8:30 AM, returns 3:30 PM
Large shuttle bus – 40 passengers (limited space)

Tie-Dye Student Engagement Workshop

A hands-on professional learning experience focused on building stronger relationships, increasing student engagement, and creating positive school culture through accessible, collaborative activities.

Participants will learn basic tie-dye techniques, including pattern preparation, color application, and project setup, while also exploring how similar activities can be adapted for use in continuation, community day, independent study, and other alternative education settings. Because tie-dye activities are highly visual, creative, and approachable for students with varying levels of academic confidence, they can serve as an effective strategy for encouraging participation, conversation, and connection.

For alternative education educators, structured hands-on activities can be especially valuable for developing trust and creating informal opportunities for staff and students to interact in a positive setting. A tie-dye project can be incorporated into advisory periods, schoolwide culture-building events, student recognition activities, orientation programs, after-school opportunities, or PBIS and attendance incentives. The activity can also support teamwork, self-expression, patience, planning, and a sense of accomplishment as students create a tangible product they can take pride in.

Participants will leave the session with practical tools they can immediately bring back to their school sites. Each attendee will take home their own tie-dye creation, a tie-dye kit, and a how-to guide designed to support replication of the activity with students. These resources will help educators move beyond learning about the strategy and provide them with a ready-to-use model for implementing a similar student engagement activity at their school.

As an optional extension of the CCEA Plus Conference, the Tie-Dye Student Engagement Workshop supports the organization’s commitment to student-centered practices, relationship-building, school culture, and innovative approaches to engaging students in alternative education settings.

Date: Thursday, April 22nd

Two Sessions (25 participants max per session):
9:30 – 11:45 AM
2:00 – 4:15 PM

Get details & sign up

Exhibitor / Vendor Packages: reserve a vendor display table, select specialized advertising options (in print and online) and more at the CCEA Plus Conference. Participate in the raffle/auction and get special access. Reach a large, amazing audience of educators, administrators and education professionals across the state of California. We have great options to bring your team and participate during the Conference. Get details & sign up

Keynote Speakers: to be announced.

Student Art Show: we host a student art display each year in one of the main areas of the Conference. Consider including your students’ art. To include your students’ artwork in the display, Learn more

Student Design Contest: submit your student entries to design the Conference program cover art. Deadline 3/15/27. This year’s theme “Game On: Level Up for Alternative Education”. Learn more

Student Essay Contest: enter your top student’s essay. Each school may submit up to two essays, one from a Senior and one from a Junior. The top six essays will be recognized. The top three will receive awards and recognition at our annual CCEA Plus conference. Deadline 3/15/27. Learn more

Call for Presenters: if you are interested in joining us as a speaker, presenter, or have a seminar in mind for the Conference, please Apply here. We are always seeking content area speakers and exemplary programs to share with our attendees. Conference registration is required.

Purchase orders (PO) payment is required in advance of the event for all attendees and dinner guests, in order to process badges, meals and seminars — by April 2nd to be in time for badge printing, but must be received no later than 4/9/27. We require our online Purchase Order Request Form to be completed in advance. *Discounted pricing is not available for purchase orders or offline payments.

Each registration is $949.00 per person using this method without any add-ons. An additional processing fee is required. Registrations can only be processed once actual payment is received (required in advance of event). Please note: active members can only receive member discounts by logging in and paying online.

Visalia Convention Center

“We’re thrilled to welcome you to Visalia for your 2027 convention! Our charming city is ready to show you our best, and we can’t wait to make your experience unforgettable. From the picturesque streets lined with unique shops and local eateries to the warm hospitality that defines our community, there’s so much to explore. If you are arriving early, we encourage you to dive into everything our city has to offer, whether it’s savoring farm-to-table cuisine, visiting the bustling Downtown area, or strolling through one of our scenic parks. And don’t forget—you’re at the gateway to the stunning Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Take a moment to stand in awe beneath the Giant Sequoias, hike breathtaking trails, or enjoy the serenity of nature that will leave you inspired and refreshed.”