Join us March 19-21, 2023, in Washington DC, for NASBE’s Legislative Conference 2023.
This conference will be held in-person only and is an opportunity to engage with the leaders who shape federal education policy: members of Congress, senior officials at the U.S. Department of Education, and other prominent national education experts.
Conference sessions will explore topics that are front and center for state boards, including educator retention, high school redesign and workforce innovation, learning recovery, early childhood education, collaboration with other state policy leaders, and more.
Legislative Conference is an opportunity to engage with the leaders who shape federal education policy: members of Congress, senior officials at the U.S. Department of Education, and other prominent national education experts. Conference sessions will explore topics that are front and center for state boards. Watch this space for program developments.
Note: Session times listed below may shift slightly.
Sunday, March 19, 2023
Registration All Day
12:00 pm to 2:30 pm – NASBE Board of Directors Meeting (lunch at 11:30 am) - closed to press
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm – Government Affairs Committee Meeting - closed to press
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm – NASBE-CCSSO Joint Welcome Reception and Dinner (at Capital Hilton, 1001 16th St NW, Washington, DC)
Clips and Conversation on The Right to Read, a new documentary film that shares the stories of an activist, a teacher, and two American families who fight to provide our youngest generation with the most foundational indicator of life-long success: the ability to read. Experts throughout the film also discuss the current state of literacy in the United States and the importance of implementing the Science of Reading into classroom instruction nationwide. (closed to press)
(Confirmed Speakers: Right to Read’s Executive Producer, LeVar Burton; Emmy-award winning Director, Jenny Mackenzie; and the film’s lead protagonist, literary advocate, and former educator/administrator, Kareem Weaver.)
Monday, March 20, 2023
Registration All Day
7:30 am to 8:15 am – Breakfast
8:30 am to 10:15 am – Welcome and Opening General Session
Stronger Together: State Leaders Collaborate for Education Success: Hear from state leaders who are building a shared vision of education success as they navigate changes in the state house and political dynamics. Learn strategies to forge relationships with other state policymakers, use data to find common ground, and engage parent and family community as partners in designing an education system that meets the needs of all students and ensures their success.
(Confirmed Speakers: Andrew Rotherham, Virginia State Board of Education Member and Bellwether; Matthew Blomstedt former Nebraska Commissioner of Education; Keven Ellis, Chair of the Texas State Board of Education).
10:15 am to 10:30 am – Break
10:30 am to 11:45 am – Concurrent Sessions
Getting State-Funded Pre-K Right: The National Institute for Early Education Research’s Lori Connors-Tadros briefs state boards on the status and national trends in state-funded prekindergarten. Attendees will break out to dive more deeply into finance, teacher quality and support, and curriculum and hear recommendations and next steps for improving pre-K quality and access.
(Confirmed Speakers: Lori Connors-Tadros, National Institute for Early Education Research; Winona Hao, Director of Early Learning, NASBE)
Expanding and Sustaining School Health Services: School-based health services are a powerful, yet underused strategy to expand equitable healthcare to students at a time when there is heightened need for mental and behavioral health services. Learn from national experts about ways states and districts can leverage Medicaid as a sustainable federal funding stream to provide these much-needed services to students.
(Confirmed Speakers: Lena O’Rourke, Healthy Students, Promising Futures Learning Collaborative; Amy Edwards, Office of Student Services, Virginia Department of Education)
11:45 am to 12:00 pm – Break
12:00 pm to 1:15 pm – Lunch Session
Preparing to Navigate the Federal Landscape: Identify the key federal players in education policy, learn what issues are percolating in Congress, and pick up some strategies for influencing federal policy. (closed to press)
(Confirmed Speakers: Reg Leichty, Foresight Law + Policy)
1:15 pm to 1:45 pm – Networking Break
1:45 pm to 3:00 pm – General Session
Let’s Do the Math! Data-Informed Strategies for Math Achievement: Researchers, policymakers, and practitioners unpack trends in mathematics achievement data, discuss challenges to improving math instruction, and share a toolbox for state boards to lead the way towards better student outcomes in mathematics.
(Confirmed Speakers: Grady Wilburn, NCES; Stephan Pruitt, SREB; Donna Leak, Illinois State Board Member; Patty Norman, Deputy Superintendent of Student Achievement, Utah State Board of Education; Paolo DeMaria, NASBE President and CEO (as moderator) )
3:00 pm to 3:15 pm – Networking Break
3:15 pm to 4:30 pm – General Session
Strategies for Keeping Great Teachers in Schools: Retaining and sustaining a diverse, high-quality educator workforce is a leading issue on state board agendas. The 2022 National Teacher of the Year, Kurt Russell, and national experts examine the research, practitioner insights, and actionable strategies to support, retain, and empower educators with opportunities to thrive in the profession.
(Confirmed Speakers: Maria E. Hyler, Learning Policy Institute; Kurt Russell, 2022 National Teacher of the Year; Kira Orange Jones, Teach Plus and Louisiana State Board Member; Ronn Nozoe, National Association of Secondary School Principals; Lynn Jennings (as moderator))
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Registration All Day
7:30 am to 8:15 am – Breakfast
8:30 am to 10:30 am – Welcome and General Session(s)
Remarks from U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona: U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona addresses conference attendees followed by conversation with state board members.
The Future of High School: A panel of experts share high school redesign approaches that are engaging students in deep learning and positioning them for their next steps, and the panel explores the policy environment in which high school innovation can thrive.
(Confirmed Speakers: Jon Alfuth, KnowledgeWorks; Ziyu Zhou, All4Ed; Angelica Infante-Green, Rhode Island Commissioner of Education; and Robert Balfanz, Johns Hopkins University School of Education; Anne Hyslop, All4Ed (as moderator) )
10:30 am to 10:45 am – Networking Break
10:45 am to 11:45 am – General Session
Empowering Student Leaders on State Boards of Education: Hear from state board members about the power and success of engaging students in the policymaking process. Explore multiple strategies to integrate student voices into state education policymaking and hear from students about their hopes for education policymaking in 2023.
(Confirmed Speakers: China Jones-Burgess, DC Student Board Member; Ryan Hafener, Maine Student Board Member; Lu Young, Chair of Kentucky State Board of Education; Caroline Hendrie, education journalist (as moderator) )
12:00 pm to 4:30 pm – Members visit Capitol Hill to talk with their congressional delegations, and/or visit with senior staff at the U.S. Department of Education.
We are excited about this year's conference keynotes and session speakers, including:
Keynote Speakers:
- U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona
- 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell
- LeVar Burton, actor, director, educator, and executive producer of The Right to Read
- Jenny Mackenzie, Emmy-award winning director, The Right to Read
- Kareem Weaver, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Full and Complete Reading is a Universal Mandate (FULCRUM), producer and lead character The Right to Read
Session Speakers:
- Jason Adair, Southern Regional Education Board
- Jon Alfuth, KnowledgeWorks
- Robert Balfanz, Johns Hopkins University School of Education
- Christine Benson, Illinois State Board Member, Chair of NASBE Board of Directors
- Matt Blomstedt, former Nebraska Commissioner of Education, Foresight Law + Policy
- Lori Connors-Tadros, National Institute for Early Education Research
- Paolo DeMaria, NASBE President and CEO
- Amy Edwards, Office of Student Services, Virginia Department of Education
- Keven Ellis, Chair of Texas State Board of Education
- Ryan Hafener, Maine Student Board Member
- Caroline Hendrie, consultant and education journalist
- Maria E. Hyler, Learning Policy Institute
- Anne Hyslop, All4Ed
- Angelica Infante-Green, Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Lynn Jennings, The Education Trust
- Kira Orange Jones, Louisiana State Board Member and Teach Plus
- China Jones-Burgess, DC Student Board Member
- Donna Leak, Illinois State Board Member
- Reg Leichty, Foresight Law + Policy
- Patty Norman, Deputy Superintendent of Student Achievement, Utah State Board of Education
- Ronn Nozoe, National Association of Secondary School Principals
- Lena O’Rourke, Healthy Students, Promising Futures Learning Collaborative
- Kira Orange Jones, Teach Plus and Louisiana State Board Member
- Andrew Rotherham, Virginia State Board of Education Member and Bellwether
- Grady Wilburn, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
- Lu Young, Kentucky State Board Member
- Ziyu Zhou, All4Ed
- and many more!
We look forward to seeing you at NASBE's 2023 Legislative Conference! The conference will be held in-person only. Registration fees are as follows:
- State Board of Education: NASBE Member, $625
- State Board of Education: NASBE Non-Member, $825
- All other NASBE Legislative Conference Attendees, $825
- Daily Rate Monday, NASBE Member, $375; Non-Member and Other Attendees, $575
- Daily Rate Tuesday, NASBE Member, $325; Non-Member and Other Attendees, $525
- Sunday Night, Opening Dinner Guest: $175
On Sunday evening, March 19, from 5:00 –8:00 pm, all conference participants are invited to attend the Opening Dinner of Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). This joint event is included in your registration fee. If you wish to bring a guest, there is an additional fee of $175.
Online registration is now closed. Those who wish to attend the conference can register on-site at The Madison.
The 2023 conference will be held in-person only at the The Madison in Washington DC.
The Madison
1177 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
Attendees are responsible for making hotel reservations. The deadline for our special group rate of $329.00 per night plus applicable taxes has past. However, we encourage you to call the hotel directly at (202) 862-1600 to make a reservation. If rooms are available, know that our special rate may not be honored. Please still identify yourself as a NASBE conference attendee so that we can meet our financial obligations to the hotel.
Making a reservation in NASBE’s room block is important. Meeting our financial obligations to The Madison 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 annual conference costs manageable.
Attendees are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. 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.
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.
Legislative Conference 2023: Frequently Asked Questions
Look here to find answers t the most common questions about NASBE’s Legislative Conference!
How much is Conference Registration?
- State Board of Education: NASBE Member, $625
- State Board of Education: NASBE Non-Member, $825
- All other NASBE Legislative Conference Attendees, $825
- Daily Rate Monday, NASBE Member, $375; Non-Member and Other Attendees, $575
- Daily Rate Tuesday, NASBE Member, $325; Non-Member and Other Attendees, $525
- Sunday Night, Opening Dinner Guest: $175
I don’t want to attend the whole conference. Can I register for a single day?
Yes. If you want to attend only one day of the conference, please select “Daily Rates” in the Registration Fees section of the registration form. Choose the day you would like to register for.
Will there be a joint dinner with Council of Chief State School Officers this year?
Yes! We know NASBE members and state education chiefs always look forward to this special gathering, so we're thrilled to resume our joint dinner event with CCSSO this year! The event will be held at the the Capital Hilton, located at 1001 16th St NW, Washington, DC, just around the corner from The Madison.
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 the 2023 Legislative Conference. We will implement health and safety protocols in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the District of Columbia and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Attendees will be required to follow the rules and regulations of the venues and Washington, DC as well as CDC guidelines.
Attending the conference does come with risk of illness. NASBE is working with the The Madison Hotel to optimize the safety of our attendees. Every effort will be made to adhere to physical distancing guidelines, cleaning and hygiene, minimizing food and beverage risks.
NASBE continues to ask that our meeting participants be fully vaccinated or test negative for COVID-19 48 hours prior to their arrival at the Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. However, proof of either will not be required to attend. Face coverings are recommended. We will continue to implement social distancing in meeting spaces as much as possible and ask that attendees respect others' masking preferences and personal space.
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. By registering for the 2023 NASBE Legislative Conference you assume, and release NASBE and all of its affiliates from all risks, claims, damages, losses, costs and expenses resulting from or arising in connection with your participation at the Legislative Conference, all risks of harm, damage or illness.
Does NASBE make my hotel reservation?
Please call the hotel directly at (202) 862-1600 to make your room reservation. To guarantee this special group rate of $329.00 per night plus applicable taxes, you must make your reservation no later than Friday, March 3, 2023. After that time, 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 The Madison Hotel 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 annual conference costs manageable.
*Update 3/3/23: The deadline for our room block has past. However, we encourage you to call the hotel directly to make a reservation. If rooms are available, know that our special rate may not be honored. Please still identify yourself as a NASBE conference attendee so that we can meet our financial obligations to the hotel.
How far away is the hotel from the airport? Are there airport shuttles available?
The hotel does not provide an airport shuttle. However, taxis and Uber/Lyft serve each airport. Reagan National Airport: The hotel is 5 miles from the airport, and accessible via Metro or taxi. The closest metro stop is McPherson Square (blue, orange, silver line trains), located about 5 blocks from the hotel. Dulles International Airport: The hotel is 27 miles from the airport and accessible via taxi or Metrobus connecting to Metrorail (blue, orange, and silver line trains). BWI Marshall Airport: The hotel is approximately 35 miles from the airport, and accessible by MARC train, Metro, or taxi.
How do I access “PDA” funds for NASBE’s Legislative 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 2023 Legislative Conference! If your state has set up a PDA with NASBE, please contact Paolo DeMaria for a withdrawal request form.
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, February 24, 2023. All cancellations must be submitted in writing and emailed to nasbeconference@thebalcomgroup.com. After this date, if cancellations are COVID-19 related, please write to nasbeconference@thebalcomgroup.com and they will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Registration substitutions are accepted and refunds will be issued after the conference.
NASBE offers multiple ways to partner at NASBE's Legislative Conference. For more information on conference sponsorship, or for general sponsorship of NASBE, please contact NASBE President and CEO Paolo DeMaria.
Thank you to our current funding partners and conference sponsors!
Programmatic Funders:
- Child Trends
- NWEA
- Kaiser Permanente
- Foundation for Child Development
- 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
- Lexia Learning
- Zearn
Attending the conference? We're pleased to offer the official NASBE Annual Conference App! We're using a mobile app to reduce our paper-use during the conference and share important program details with attendees. Also, we know our members love the app for networking and sharing ideas! Download the conference app, or visit the web conference portal (registration code may be required) to:
- View the event agenda and plan your personal schedule.
- Find who else is attending the conference, reach out to people ahead of time, and engage in our community chat groups.
- Learn about our conference speakers and post questions for their sessions in advance.
- Plan some social activities, such as taking an early morning walk or grabbing coffee or dinner with your fellow attendees.
- Receive updates about the conference or calls to action from the NASBE Team.