The 2023 AESD Annual Conference, co-hosted by Capital Region ESD 113 and Puget Sound ESD, will be held on April 12–14, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Lake Washington. This year’s theme is Centering Students, Strengthening Systems, which will further the AESD’s efforts to center student voice within the education system to serve all students and schools statewide. We expect 130 educational leaders and policymakers from across the state to attend.

This conference is our first on-site, in-person AESD conference since we marked our 50th anniversary in 2019! We have grown and evolved through the pandemic, and we have much to celebrate. Join us as we welcome ESD board members, elected by their local school district boards across the state, as well as ESD executive staff. 

We are honored to feature Keynotes Shakti Butler, PhD, President and Founder of World Trust Educational Services, which produces films, curricula, workshops and programs that are catalysts for institutional, structural and cultural change, and Youth Equity Stewardship, a program rooted in arts-based methods that aim to bring the youth perspective, vision, creativity, and passion to the forefront of policy and progress for a 21st century school system.

Link to book a room at the Hyatt under the event group rate: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/SEARL/G-ESDR

2023 AESD Annual Conference, April 12 - 14, 2023

Centering Students, Strengthening Systems

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

12 - 1pm    Exec Board/Leadership Council Lunch

1:15 - 2:15    Welcome & Conference Kick-Off

        What is the AESD?

        AESA Welcome (Joan Wade)

2:00 - 2:30    OSPI Welcome (Chris Reykdal)

2:45 - 4:15     Keynote 1: “Leading Equity and Elevating Student Voice”, Youth Equity 

Stewardship Workshop (Project YES)

4:15 - 4:30    Closing

5:00        Opening Reception

Thursday, April 13, 2023, 8:30 - 4:00 w/ Reception & Dinner

8:30        Welcome & Framing

8:45        Keynote 2: Dr. Shakti Butler, World Trust 

9:45        Break / Transition

10:00 - 10:45    Concurrent Breakout Sessions

        1 - Spotlight on Building ESD Capacity through Region 16 and the UW Native Education Certificate Program

        2 - Keynote Breakout w/ Shakti Butler

11:00 - 11:45    Repeating Concurrent Breakout Sessions (same as above)

11:45 - 1:00    Lunch

1:15 - 2:30    Plenary Session: “Centering Students, Strengthening Systems: Student Voice Panel” PSESD Wisdom Council

2:45 - 3:30    Plenary Session: AESD Business Meeting Preview

3:30 - 4:00    AESD Recognitions & Awards

                     AESD Executive Board Award of Distinction

                     Other recognitions

5:00 - 6:00    Award/Recognition Reception

6:30         AESD Board and Staff Networking Dinner 

Friday, April 14 - 8:30 - 11:30am

7:30         Breakfast

8:30        Welcome Back

8:45        Centering Students in our ESDs - a deeper dive

               Hear how ESDs are considering and integrating students into ESD systems 

               Time for boards to reflect and consider their local contexts for engaging and centering students in their work

9:45 - 10:30    AESD Business Meeting

9:45 - 11:30    ESD Staff Job-Alike Meetings

                       Fiscal Officers

                       Assistant Supts

                      Communications

                      Executive Assistants

10:30 - 11:00    Closing Reflections & 2024 Conference Preview