2026 Conference Schedule
“Blazing New Trails: Innovation in Alternative Education”
WELCOME ATTENDEES! Quick Links:
Full Schedule — view here on the page
Conference Notes for Attendees — please read
Schedule App for Attendees — find instructions to download and login
Notes for Speakers — find instructions to update your profile
Find the Latest Updates (top of page) | Awards Dinner (Friday) | Gala Dinner (Saturday) | Theme Days & Style Guide | Program Cover | Save the Date 2027
Scroll down to view the full schedule, or open the schedule in a new window. Click the date box at the top to see all activities for that day. Enjoy the Conference!
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Conference Notes for Attendees
What you should know!
Attendee Check-in:
Pick up your badges at Check-in under your name. No paperwork needed. Our Check-in table will be located in one of the main foyers at the hotel venue starting Wednesday evening. The Check-in table will be available during select times throughout the weekend. A paid order with your attendee info means you are registered and will have a badge waiting for you. Find Conference details, updates and hotel address
About the Conference App for Attendees:
There will be a new interactive schedule app for 2026 (called “Whova”). Attendees will be provided access to the app to schedule your days and join events. You can use the app to set your schedule, select your seminars, read about speakers and exhibitors, share your bio, and interact with everyone.
For instructions to download the Whova app and connect with the CCEA Conference: Visit the app page here
Registered attendees will receive an email invite sent to the email address used to register them for the Conference. If you are attending, please check your inbox for the Whova invite. If you do not receive the invite, please check your “promo” folder and (in rare cases) your “junk” folder. We recommend you download the app once you receive the invite.
If you did not receive an invite to join the app, you can still download the app, find the CCEA Conference event, and log in. For this to work, you must use the email address you registered for the Conference. If your email does not work, visit the Check-in table to get your badge and get help connecting with the app.
The is no invite code — if you received an invite code, that will not provide access. Your email must be granted access from your registration.
You are not required to download the Whova app in order to participate with the Conference. We have provided every attendee with a special badge for access, and you can find the complete schedule above on this page. Your badge and the schedule will still let you enjoy the Conference. The app is provided for interaction and convenience.
If prompted for a password following your email invite (required to connect), use this:
Notes for Speakers / Presenters:
Presenter profiles in the Whova app have extra “bio” and profile fields, so you can share more with your audience. You can include more description of your seminar, add article links, and include presentation materials for download. We recommend uploading your docs to a Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Sharepoint folder (whatever you use everyday) and include the link toward the top of your profile.
The easiest way to update your profile is by filling out the “speaker form” that app provides. You may receive an email from the CCEA account at Whova, reminding you to update your speaker profile.
Attendees can scan your badge to find your profile, or look you up in the app, and connect with you or download docs. Likewise, you can interact with your audience in the same way using the app. You can request feedback, make community posts and create polls within the app.
Featured Schools Visit Bus Trip (Thursday):
Pickup is 8am outside the front entrance of the Conference hotel venue. Buses will depart at 8:30am. There will be 6-8 buses that will have pre-arranged schedules of school visits in varying sequences. The locations and bus schedules are subject to change. If there is space available on the day of, you may register in person with a credit card. The bus trip to the Getty Museum has been cancelled. If you purchased the Getty trip, we’ve automatically transferred you to join the Featured Schools trip instead — we will hold your spot for you and you can check-in with the group normally. Sign up and info
Meet and Greet Party (Thursday):
Big social event with food, games, giveaways and a no host bar. Thursday, April 30, 2026, starts 6:30pm. Location: Flamingo Lawn. All Conference attendees are invited to join us at the Town & Country resort for some fun and networking. View party info
Conference Theme Days:
Check out the Conference Style Guide by clicking the box on the Conference page.
Professional Awards and Exemplary Programs Dinner (Friday):
Friday, May 1st @ Los Angeles Marriott Burbank, starting at 6:30pm. 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 showcase will be presented in person, for the 2025-2026 school year. Dinner with a speaker, special guests, awards for personnel, essays, student art, Region Basket, Vendor’s Raffle/Auction Prizes. Attire is evening casual. Venue address: 2500 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, California 91505. There will be a security / check-in area — as you arrive, please give the security staff your name and they will check you in. Please note that the Awards dinner is an add-on this year, and does not come included with Conference registration. Purchase tickets and tables
Model Schools Awards Gala (Saturday):
The awards dinner will be Saturday, May 2, 2026 @ Autry Museum of the American West. At the Gala dinner, newly-selected Model Schools for 2026 will be awarded and recognized in person. Busing from the hotel to the gala will start at 5:30pm; President’s reception 6:30pm; dinner at 7pm, with the awards ceremony to follow, ending around 10pm (or later). Attire is evening casual. There will be a security / check-in area — as you arrive, please give the security staff your name and they will check you in. Please note that the Gala dinner is an add-on this year, and does not come included with Conference registration. Venue address: 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027 (in Griffith Park across from the Los Angeles Zoo) | Get directions | Venue phone: 323-667-2000. Purchase tickets and tables
Student Cover Design
Congratulations to our student design contest winner is Yalixza Y. Lopez-Martinez from Phoenix High School. The art appears on the 2026 Conference program, shown below. View full artwork
Save the Date for 2027
Conference theme: “Game On: Level Up for Alternative Education”
To be held: April 21 – 25, 2027 @ Visalia, CA | Event details
Location: Visalia Marriott Convention Center — 300 South Court, Visalia, CA 93291
Registration: opens September 2026. Get an online discount by February 1, 2027!
