Legislative Advocacy Conference
Make your voice heard on Capitol Hill and learn about the latest federal policy issues that will impact your district
July 7-9, 2026 | Washington, D.C.
School system leaders and school business officials are critical leaders when it comes to federal education policy discussions. The Legislative Advocacy Conference, presented by AASA, ASBO International and NREA, is your opportunity to learn, share and represent your district.
Over the course of 3 days, you'll hear from education policy experts, key U.S. Department of Education staff, and meet with your Senators, Representatives, and their staff on Capitol Hill.
AASA, ASBO International, and NREA’s advocacy teams will be on-hand to brief you on key priorities and pending legislation, and to help you prepare for your Hill meetings.
Please Note: Because of America's 250th anniversary, both the House and Senate will be in recess during the week of the conference. As a result, meetings are likely to be with congressional staff rather than members of Congress.
Key Topics & Themes
The Legislative Advocacy Conference features sessions on essential topics for education leaders, including:
- Federal Education Policy Updates & Insights
- Compliance, Regulation, & Legal Issues
- Ed Tech, AI, & Cybersecurity
- Student Data & Privacy
- Federal Funding
and more!
Detailed Agenda
Tuesday, July 7
| 8:00am - 4:30pm | Registration Open |
| 12:30pm - 12:40pm | Opening Remarks David R. Schuler, Executive Director, AASA |
| 12:40pm - 1:00pm | Session Roosevelt Nivens, Superintendent, Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Texas) |
| 1:00pm - 1:40pm | Federal Education Policy: What Works, What’s Broken, What’s Next Roberto Rodriguez, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education and Deputy Assistant for Domestic Policy to President Barack Obama Lindsay Fryer, President and Founding Principal, Lodestone DC |
| 1:40pm - 2:20pm | Preparing Your District for What’s Next: Federal Compliance Challenges and Solutions Tiffany Kesslar, Partner, The Bruman Group |
| 2:20pm - 2:30pm | Break |
| 2:30pm - 3:45pm | What Do You Need To Know For Tomorrow? AASA & ASBO Federal Update Noelle Ellerson Ng, Chief Advocacy & Governance Officer, AASA Sasha Pudelski, Director of Advocacy, AASA Tara Thomas, Senior Government Affairs Manager, AASA Elleka Yost, Director of Advocacy and Research, ASBO International |
Wednesday, July 8
| 7:30am - 9:00am | Federal Policy Breakfast Invited members of Congress and the Administration will share comments on education and their priorities for the future. |
| 10:00am - 4:00pm | Capitol Hill Visits Plan ahead to meet with your Congressional delegation in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Make sure they are aware of your district’s needs and understand your priorities. |
Thursday, July 9
| 7:15am - 7:45am | Breakfast |
| 7:45am - 8:30am | Regulations & Courts: What's New, What Matters Maree Sneed, Education Lawyer |
| 8:30am - 9:15am | Everything Ed Tech: What You Need to Know About E-Rate, Student Data & Privacy, Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Screen Time and More! Joey Wender, Executive Director, SHLB Coalition Jon Bernstein, President & Founder, Bernstein Strategy Group Noelle Ellerson Ng, AASA |
| 9:15am - 10:00am | Segregation and School Funding: How States Reinforce Inequality and What to Do About It Bruce Baker, professor of Department of Educational Theory, Policy and Administration, Rutgers Graduate School of Education (N.J.) |
| 10:00am - 10:15am | Break |
| 10:15am - 11:00am | Education & the 2026 Elections |
Hosted by AASA, in Partnership with
Details
July 7 to 9, 2026
Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC
$169
Member Price
$169
Non-Member Price
Not a member? Join today.
RegisterContact
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Gabriela Iturri
Meetings Manager
AASA, The School Superintendents Association
