2026 Arizona Adult Education Institute
The 2026 Arizona Adult Education Institute will be in-person only on:
- Thursday, September 17th (12:00 PM - 05:00 PM)
- Friday, September 18th (09:00 AM - 05:00 PM)
- Saturday, September 19th (09:00 AM - 05:00 PM)
Please review the schedule, when available, for serving time of breakfast, lunch and breaks.
The annual institute is designed for Arizona adult educators and program staff.
The following AZ Adult Education key personnel are REQUIRED to attend all 3 days of the Institute, so please plan accordingly.
- Title II: WIOA Program Administrators
- Full-time instructional leaders, teachers, and support staff
The following AZ Adult Education key personnel are REQUIRED to attend one day at the Institute. Please refer to the Institute schedule to plan accordingly.
- Part-time instructors and support staff
- College and Career Navigators
- Assessment Coordinators
Institute registration fees:
- Full 3-Day Registration: $540.00 per person (includes Friday evening networking event "Boots & Bling")
- Single-Day Registration:
- Thursday, September 17th OR Saturday, September 19th: $199.00 per person
- Friday, September 18th: $240.00 per person (includes evening networking event "Boots & Bling")
Registration Links:
Registration links will open on July 7th, 2026.
- AEI26 3-day Administrator ($540)
- 3-day Instructor or Support Staff ($540)
- Thursday, September 17th ONLY ($199)
- Friday, September 18th ONLY ($240)
- Saturday, September 19th ONLY ($199)
- Boots and Bling EXTRA TICKET ($50)
Additional Information:
- Registration for this event must be completed in the ADE Professional Learning and Development system (APLD). Participants must have an ACTIVE account to complete registration.
- Remember to keep your APLD account updated with your dietary restrictions and/or special accommodations. ADE will make every effort to accommodate your requests; however, there may be times when it is not possible. We encourage you to plan ahead for your personal dietary needs.
- Please use your work email address when registering for this event. Emails are used to communicate Institute information and to issue credits and certificates through the ADE Professional Learning and Development system (APLD). If you need assistance merging a personal APLD account with your work account, contact Kari Ann Patrick Albert.
- Professional Learning credit hours will be awarded to registered attendees based on the number of Institute days attended. For three-day attendance, a maximum of 18 PL hours will be awarded (4 PL hours on Thursday, September 17th; 7 PL hours on Friday, September 18th; and 7 PL hours on Saturday, September 19th).
Payment Information
- Acceptable methods of payment are purchase order (PO), check, or credit card. If paying with a PO or check, an electronic copy of the document is required during the registration process. If paying with a credit card, Visa and Mastercard are accepted. The AZ Department of Education does not accept American Express.
- Please note, supplying a purchase order to the Arizona Department of Education does not constitute a completed registration for this event.
- If you are bulk enrolling, each participant must have an APLD account.
Additional ADE Payment Terms and Conditions
- If you are paying with a credit card (Visa and Mastercard ONLY), you may register up to 3 days prior to the event start date. Credit card cancellations are allowed up to 3 days prior to the event start date.
- If you are paying via Purchase Order, you must register no later than September 3rd, 2026 (10 days prior to the event start date). Purchase Order cancellations are allowed up to 10 days prior to the event start date.
The 2026 AZ Adult Education Institute will be held at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.
For those who will need overnight lodging, please use the online reservations link or contact the hotel at 1-866-837-4213 to make your reservation by Wednesday, September 2nd, 2026. The Sheraton Central Reservations department will complete your booking at the group rate with the group block name (Adult Education Conference Sep2026) and the dates of your stay.
Arizona Department of Education has secured a room block for the nights of Thursday, September 17th and Friday, September 18th, 2026.
After that date, the hotel may not have rooms available at the contracted rate.
A credit card is required to reserve hotel rooms.
No Purchase Orders will be accepted prior to or at check-in.
Note: There is a limited number of rooms available at the discounted rate of $160+/night, and you must secure your lodging before September 2nd, 2026.
Hotel Booking Link
[https://book.passkey.com/e/51244942]
Overflow Hotel
Hampton Inn Downtown Phoenix 77 E Polk Street Phoenix, AZ 85004There is a courtesy block of room nights set aside for 2026 Arizona Adult Education Institute conference attendees at the rate of $160+ p/night. There are rooms available for the nights of:
- Wednesday, September 16, 2026 (30 rooms)
- Thursday, September 17, 2026 (30 rooms)
- Friday, September 18, 2026 (30 rooms)
- Saturday, September 19, 2026 (10 rooms)
All reservations must be guaranteed with a valid credit card at the time of booking and must be reserved no later than August 17, 2026.
Valet parking is available for $44 per night (inclusive of tax). Hampton Inn does not offer self-parking.
Reservations made individually must be canceled by the guest at least 48 hours prior to arrival to avoid 'no show' charges.
https://group.hamptoninn.com/kz2xi4
Cut-off date: August 17th, 2026 by 11:59 PM
Join your colleagues for an evening of networking and fun! Your evening will include a buffet dinner, live band, DJ, karaoke, and dancing. A no-host bar will also be available.
Wear your favorite boots, don some bling, and have all the fun!
- When?
- Friday, September 18th, 2026 from 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM
- Where?
- Sheraton Phoenix Downtown - Valley of the Sun Ballroom
- Who can attend?
- This event is included with the following registrations:
- Full 3-day Registration (Administrators, Instructors, and Support Staff)
- Friday, September 18th Single Day Registration
- Additional Guest Tickets are available for $50 each
- Note: Guest tickets are on a first come basis and may be purchased in the ADE event management system, APLD.
Vendor/Exhibitor pricing covers two full days of the Institute (Friday, September 18th and Saturday, September 19th) and, new this year, a Networking Reception on Thursday, September 17th, 05:30 PM - 06:30 PM. The Institute is pleased to host our Vendors/Exhibitors in the Valley of the Sun foyer with dedicated time during morning and afternoon refreshment service.
Vendor/Exhibitor Opportunities
Silver Tier - $400: one (1) 6-foot skirted table, electricity (if requested), wi-fi, logo on Institute website/app, opportunity to include information or giveaways in conference bags, and one (1) complimentary 3-day Institute registration with breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack included.
Gold Tier - $1,000: Includes everything in Silver Tier, plus a second complimentary Institute registration, and vendor organization is recognized during General Sessions.
Platinum Level - $2,000: Includes everything in Gold Tier plus sponsorship of special event or activity, and marketing of the selected sponsorship.
Venue Information
Vendor/Exhibitor is responsible for all additional charges accrued at the venue, which may include shipping costs of materials and hotel storage fees.
Location: Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, 340 N. First Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004
Vendor/Exhibitor materials may be shipped directly to the venue and must arrive no earlier than Monday, September 14th, 2026. The hotel does not have storage space for crates, pallets, or large shipments.
Please contact Kari Ann Patrick Albert for details on shipping your exhibit items to the conference hotel. There is a handling/storage fee of $25.00 per box/item or $25.00 per pound. The mandatory handling and storage fee is retained by the hotel and is not a tip, gratuity, or service charge for employees providing the service. Hotel will not be responsible for loss or damage to materials shipped to the hotel prior to the event start date.
For lodging information, please see the Lodging Information section above.
Venue hotel reservations information:
For Lodging Information, see the above section: "Lodging Information"
ADE/AES contacts are:
- Carolyn Urish at [email protected] / 602-542-0163
- Kari Ann Patrick Albert at [email protected] / 602-364-2626
- Janice Cruz at [email protected] / 602-364-2602
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
For questions about the 2026 Arizona Adult Education Institute, contact us: [email protected] | (602) 258-2410
