We are thrilled to announce that professional registration is now open for Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference: Stronger Systems, Better Outcomes—for Every Student. This year’s conference will take place August 18–20, 2026, with preconference sessions on August 17, at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort.

Arizona's 2026 IDEA Conference Waitlist 

Thank you for your interest in Arizona's 2026 IDEA Conference. Due to overwhelming demand, conference registration has reached capacity, and we are now accepting requests for our general registration waitlist. 

Please carefully review the information below before submitting your request. 

Important Information 

Only one (1) attendee request may be submitted per form. If you are requesting seats for multiple individuals, a separate waitlist form must be completed and submitted for each person. 

Registration Waitlist Disclaimer 

Submission of a waitlist request does not guarantee conference registration or a reserved seat at the conference. All waitlist requests will be reviewed by the IDEA Conference Committee and considered based on available capacity and established conference policies and procedures. 

Individuals selected from the waitlist will be notified and provided instructions for completing registration. Approved attendees must submit payment through the Arizona Professional Learning and Development System (APLD) no later than August 7, 2026, to secure their registration. Failure to complete payment by the stated deadline may result in forfeiture of the registration opportunity. 

Registration Process 

Registration is a multi-step process: 

1. Submit a seat request through this waitlist form for review by the IDEA Conference Committee. 

2. If approved, you will receive instructions to submit payment through the Arizona Professional Learning and Development System (APLD). Payments submitted without an approved seat request will be canceled. 

Conference Registration Fee: $425 

APLD Learner ID Requirement 

New this year: Every seat request must include an active APLD Learner ID. This ID is required to verify the APLD account associated with payment and conference registration. 

Need an APLD Account? 

If you do not have an APLD account, you must first create an ADE Connect account: 

• School (District/LEA/PEA) employees: Add a new user through ADE Connect. 

• Non-school employees or those unable to use the method above: Register for an ADE Connect account through the ADE Connect self-registration process. 

Already Have an APLD Account? 

If you need assistance accessing your account, please visit the APLD FAQs page or use the password reset option available through ADE Connect. 

Finding Your APLD Learner ID 

Instructions for locating your APLD Learner ID are available through the IDEA Conference APLD Learner ID guide. 

Questions? 

If you have any questions regarding the waitlist process or conference registration, please contact the IDEA Conference Inbox. 

Event Disclaimer – Photography & Media Notice 

By attending this Arizona Department of Education (ADE) event, participants acknowledge that photographs and/or video may be taken throughout the program for use in ADE-related publications and communications. These may include, but are not limited to, brochures, newsletters, digital media, websites, and other informational or promotional materials.

Participation in the event constitutes an understanding that images or recordings captured during the event may be used by ADE in print or electronic formats. ADE may also share these materials with external partners for educational or informational purposes.

Attendees understand that ADE is not required to provide advance notice, seek additional approval, or offer compensation for the use of event photos or videos. ADE strives to use all media responsibly and respectfully.

If at any time an attendee prefers not to be photographed or recorded, they may notify event staff, who will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the request.

APLD Resources

Create your APLD account

Check the APLD FAQs

Request your APLD account password 

APLD Learner ID - Learn how to retrieve your APLD Learner ID (opens in a new window).

IDEA Registration Support

Have a question? 

Please do not hesitate to email the IDEA Conference inbox or join the IDEA Conference Planning Committee during an upcoming office hour to ask questions about Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference Registration. Please register in advance during an available Virtual Office Hour timeslot. 

Lodging

We are excited to welcome you to our upcoming Conference, which will take place over two and a half days: Tuesday, August 18, Wednesday, August 19, and Thursday, August 20.  View our general daily agenda  for each day’s events and start and end times. A more detailed schedule will be announced in August.

In addition, we will be hosting a Pre-Conference session on Monday, August 17, exclusively for invite-only groups. More details about the Pre-Conference will be shared soon.

Hotel Accommodations at the Grand Hyatt Resort in Scottsdale, AZ

Room Block Availability

A room block has been reserved for conference participants at the Grand Hyatt. Rooms are available for:

• Check-in: Monday, August 17 (after 4:00 PM)

• Check-out: Thursday, August 20 (by 11:00 AM)

This means participants may reserve accommodation for the nights of Monday, August 17; Tuesday, August 18; and Wednesday, August 19. Please note, guests booking outside the room block dates will be solely responsible for parking fees, service charges, and any other expenses incurred during their stay. 

Conference Room Block Rate: $199 per night (excluding taxes) 

Reservations must be made through the ADE/ESS IDEA Conference Grand Hyatt Scottsdale booking site to receive the $199 rate. 

Last Date to Book at Conference Rate: July 27, 2026 

Important Lodging Notice 

The conference room block rate for Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference is $199/night (not including taxes), which exceeds the state rate of $113/night. This price may mean that your organization will not reimburse the full amount of your lodging expenses unless you request an exception prior to the conference. Participants are encouraged to clarify any lodging reimbursement policies with their respective employer. 

Typically, when rooms at a conference hotel are contracted at a higher rate than the State allowable nightly rate, supplemental documentation may be necessary to request an exception. Please use this document to support an exception. 

Revised 4.9.26 LM