Details

View full Conference event details for updates on the agenda.

Choose from two educational trips:

These experiences are additional event opportunities added on Thursday, April 22, 2027. Sign up is a separate add-on with Conference registration, or it can be purchased here on this page. Space is limited, please register early.

Trip option #1: Featured school visits

See alternative education schools in action, on a guided tour. Get a new perspective on your educational programs in person with your fellow colleagues. The trip will include schools within driving distance from the Conference venue. You’ll have an opportunity to tour the campus and spend time in a question and answer session with a site representative.

Transportation from the Conference venue to the school locations and back to the conference venue is included. Lunch will also be catered. Sign up is recommended by Tuesday, April 20th; after that date, if extra seats are available, tickets can be purchased on site by credit card only (on the date of the trip). Registration includes school visits, lunch and bus transportation. Destinations to be visited may change depending on number of attendees and the schools.

Agenda & Schools: Tentative agenda will be announced in April 2027, and is subject to change. Depends on each site’s ability to accommodate our groups, as well as time restrictions and transportation. There will be more than one bus, each with varying agendas.

Pickup will be at the Conference venue at 8am, leaving at 8:30am, with the trip ending around 2-3pm, and no later than 5pm. * Please note the end time may change based on the duration of the trip and travel time.

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

Details for both bus trip options:

Date: Thursday, April 22, 2027.
Pickup: arrive 8 AM, buses leave at 8:30 AM from the Conference venue.
Cost: $199.00 per person.

Fee includes:

• Bus transportation to and from the Conference venue.
• Lunch with the group, food and drink provided.

Please note: sign up is a separate add-on to Conference registration. Destinations to be visited may change depending on number of attendees and the schools. Transportation to and from the Conference venue is provided. Space is limited, please register early.

During checkout: be sure to include the attendee’s full name and email in the box at the bottom of the checkout/registration page “Conference Badge Check-In”, so that we can contact them with updates.