Save the date! Please join us in Anchorage, November 5-8, 2026, for AASB’s 73rd Annual Conference!
As the state’s largest gathering of education policymakers, this conference provides school board members with a valuable opportunity to learn from their peers, engage with education experts, and strengthen collaboration within their board-superintendent teams.
Sessions are designed to equip school boards with content knowledge, practical tips, and tools to energize them, inspire change, and advance student achievement.
We also have a Youth Leadership strand, an integral part of the conference. The Youth Leadership Institute brings high school students from throughout Alaska together to build leadership skills and use their voices to become change-makers in their schools and communities.
New Venue for 2026
This year, all conference sessions will be held at the William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center (555 W 5th Ave, Downtown Anchorage). This new location provides expanded meeting space and greater accessibility to fulfill our mission to serve Alaska’s students and communities.
This Year’s Theme: Coming Together for Alaska’s Students
This year’s theme, “Coming Together for Students,” reflects our collective commitment to collaboration, connection, and student success. School board members, superintendents, and education advocates from across the state will gather to share ideas, learn from one another, and strengthen the governance that supports public education in Alaska. Now more than ever, we need to come together.
Stay tuned for registration details, lodging information, keynote announcements, and a detailed agenda. We look forward to coming together with you for students in Anchorage!
Have questions? Contact us at aasb@aasb.org.
Call for Presenters
The call for proposals is now open! We invite school districts and partners to submit session proposals and share your expertise with school board members and district leaders.
This year’s theme, “Coming Together for Alaska’s Students,” highlights the power of collaboration and shared learning. We are seeking proposals that provide Alaska’s school boards with meaningful content, practical strategies, and actionable tools that inspire innovation, strengthen leadership, and support improved student outcomes
Our conference is made possible by the active participation of school boards, districts, and partners across the state—this is your opportunity to be part of it.
Sign-ups opening soon! Proposal deadline: Friday, September 5 at 5:00 PM
Become a Sponsor
Shine at Alaska’s largest gathering of education leaders with an Annual Conference Sponsorship, or go further with the PLUS Add-On for year-round visibility at all of AASB’s statewide events. Reach out to comms@aasb.org for more information. Sign-ups opening soon!
Keynote Speakers
Friday Keynote Speaker:
Rebecca Winthrop
Brookings Institution, Georgetown University
We are thrilled to have Rebecca Winthrop, a globally recognized leader in education and a Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, joining us for this year’s conference! Her work focuses on ensuring all young people—especially the most marginalized—develop the skills they need to thrive in work, life, and as engaged citizens. She leads innovative research on transforming education systems, including the role of families, communities, and emerging technologies in accelerating student agency, engagement, and learning.
Winthrop currently leads the Brookings Global Task Force on AI in Education and has co-authored a book on student engagement, The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better. A trusted adviser to governments, schools, parent networks, international institutions, foundations, and companies, her expertise has informed efforts at the United Nations, the White House, State, and school district leaders, and Fortune 500 firms. Prior to Brookings, she spent 15 years working on education for displaced and conflict-affected communities, including as head of education for the International Rescue Committee.
Winthrop holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University Teachers College.
Saturday Keynote Speaker:
Information coming soon!
Pre-Conference Sessions on Thursday, November 5
Experienced Board Member Academy:
Partnering with Families to Help Students Learn, Feel, & Live Better
This year’s Experienced Board Member Academy will focus on student engagement and strengthening family–school partnerships. Rebecca Winthrop, professor and author at the Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution, will lead a conversation about how to help students meaningfully connect with learning. Participants will explore the different modes of learning, how families and schools can work together to support students, and policies that help put kids into “explorer” mode.
Ready, Set, Govern! For New School Board Members:
Ready Set Govern, designed for new school board members or those looking to brush up on their skills, is structured to help them better understand and feel more comfortable in their role, as well as connect with school board members from around the state.
Resolutions Committee
The Resolutions Committee meets on Thursday, November 5 to review, amend, or recommend new or existing resolutions. Each member district is asked to have at least one representative present. The committee’s work is forwarded to the Delegate Assembly, which meets on Sunday, November 8, to vote on resolutions that set AASB’s legislative direction for the coming year.
Stay tuned for registration details, lodging information, keynote announcements, and a detailed agenda. We look forward to coming together with you for students in Anchorage!
Have questions? Contact us at aasb@aasb.org
