2026 Arizona Adult Education Institute

The 2026 Arizona Adult Education Institute is for Arizona adult educators and program staff. The institute will be in-person only on:

• Thursday, September 17^th (12:00 PM - 05:00 PM)
• Friday, September 18^th (09:00 AM - 05:00 PM)
• Saturday, September 19^th (09:00 AM - 05:00 PM)

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 at least one day of 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 and Bling")
• Single-Day Registration:
  • Thursday, September 17^th OR Saturday, September 19^th: $199.00 per person
  • Friday, September 18^th: $240.00 per person (includes evening networking event "Boots and 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 17^th ONLY ($199)
• Friday, September 18^th ONLY ($240)
• Saturday, September 19^th 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.
  • If you need to create a new APLD account, view the APLD Account Creation Instructions Document.
  • If you need assistance with bulk registrations, email us at [email protected].
• 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 [email protected].
• 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 17^th; 7 PL hours on Friday, September 18^th; and 7 PL hours on Saturday, September 19^th).

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 3^rd, 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 Arizona 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 2^nd, 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.

The Arizona Department of Education has secured a room block only for the nights of Thursday, September 17^th and Friday, September 18^th, 2026. There is no room availability for Wednesday, September 16^th. See the overflow hotel information below, should you need a reservation for 9/16.

After September 2^nd, the Sheraton may not have rooms available at the contracted rate.

Hotel Booking Link

[https://book.passkey.com/e/51244942]

A credit card is required to reserve hotel rooms.

No Purchase Orders will be accepted prior to or at check-in.

Please Note:

• There are a limited number of rooms available at the discounted rate of $160+/night, and you must secure your lodging before September 2nd, 2026.
• There is a self-parking fee of $15/day per vehicle at Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.

Overflow Hotel

https://group.hamptoninn.com/kz2xi4

A courtesy block of room nights is available for Institute attendees at the rate of $160+ p/night. All reservations must be made by August 17, 2026, with a credit card. 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)

Please Note:

• Hampton Inn does not offer self-parking. Valet parking is available for $44 per night (inclusive of tax).
• To avoid 'no show' charges, reservations must be canceled at least 48 hours prior to arrival.

General Schedule

Schedule At-A-Glance

• Thursday, September 17^th (Day 1)
• Friday, September 18^th (Day 2)
• Saturday, September 19^th (Day 3)

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 18^th, 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 18^th 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.

This award honors an AALL member who has one to three years of active service in the field of Adult Education. The nominee has shown leadership, professional excellence, and contributed to lifelong learning.

This award honors an AALL member who has four or more years of active service in the field of Adult Education, as either a full-time or part-time instructor. The nominee has shown leadership, professional excellence, and contributed to lifelong learning.

This award honors an employee who serves in any of the following capacities: clerical, classroom/lab aide, GED examiner, administrative assistant, support technician, student services. The nominee has contributed significantly to improving services for students. The nominee can be a full-time or part-time employee and does not have to be a member of AALL.

This award recognizes a volunteer who has contributed their time to serving a program in any of the following capacities: clerical, classroom/lab aide, advisory board, leader, or educator.

This award honors an ABE/HSE student. The nominee has been an active student during the current program year, demonstrated persistence and leadership, and contributed to adult education.

This award honors an ESOL or citizenship student. The nominee has been an active student during the past program year, demonstrated persistence and leadership, and contributed to adult education.

Additional information can be found on the AALL website.

Vendor/Exhibitor pricing covers two full days of the Institute (Friday, September 18^th and Saturday, September 19^th) and, new this year, a Networking Reception on Thursday, September 17^th, 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 14^th, 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. Handling and Storage fees can be found on the Shipping and Receiving Guidelines document. 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. The hotel will not be responsible for loss or damage to materials shipped to the hotel prior to the event start date.

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