CTE Teacher Conference 2026: Full Schedule

9:00am CDT

Opening Remarks

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:00am - 9:30am CDT

Welcome back to a brand-new school year! Join fellow CTE educators at the CTU Foundation for a kickoff session to start the day. You'll hear brief remarks from CPS Deputy Armando Rodriguez and CTU's Michael Moriarty as they celebrate your essential work, share updates on CTE priorities, and set a positive, collaborative tone for the school year ahead

Speakers

Armando Rodriguez

Deputy Chief: OCCS, Chicago Public Schools

Michael Moriarty

Career Pathways Coordinator, Chicago Teachers Union

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:00am - 9:30am CDT
Union Hall

Full Group

9:30am CDT

AI at CPS: The Essentials for Staff

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Union Hall

Beyond the hype, what does Artificial Intelligence actually mean for our staff, students, and schools? Hosted by the CPS AI Team, this session cuts through the noise to build shared language and understanding around the technology that is changing the world around us. We'll discuss core definitions, exciting and concerning use cases to pay attention to, key impact considerations, and ongoing CPS...
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Speakers

Lorne Rodriguez

Enterprise Generative AI Manager: ITS, Chicago Public Schools

Alex Fishman

Instrunctional Design & Generative AI: ITS, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Union Hall

Morning Concurrent Sessions 1

9:30am CDT

Aspen Training & Updates

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Classroom 125

This presentation highlights practical gradebook tips, new 2026 features, and AI support tools within the Chicago Public Schools Aspen Student Information System (SIS). Key takeaways include techniques for auditing extra credit and gradebook health, using seating charts for attendance, and syncing grades via the Google Classroom export. It also details new tools like "Save and Run" reports,...
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Speakers

James Klososky

Business Analyst: ITS, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Classroom 125

Morning Concurrent Sessions 1

9:30am CDT

Chicago Teachers Union: The Curriculum Workbench: Career Focused Lesson Planning

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Conf 130

The Curriculum Workbench professional development session introduces CTE teachers to career-aligned interdisciplinary academic lesson planning that prepare them for relevant on-the-job activities. In this session, educators will collaborate and learn around lesson planning to create an interdisciplinary, constructivist, experiential-based lesson plan that engages students to further develop their...
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Speakers

Michael Moriarty

Career Pathways Coordinator, Chicago Teachers Union

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Conf 130

Morning Concurrent Sessions 1

9:30am CDT

College Board: Every Pathway Has an On-Ramp: Strengthening CTE and Early College Programs with Advanced Coursework

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

TBD

Many students in CTE and early college programs are ready for advanced coursework, but they don't always raise their hands. This session offers a practical way to find them and a framework for deciding which AP courses strengthen the pathways they're already in. Participants will explore how different courses solve different program needs, whether that's access for students new to advanced...
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Speakers

Kevin Deal

Associate Director, K-12 State & District Partnerships, College Board

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
TBD

Morning Concurrent Sessions 1

9:30am CDT

ECCE: Breaking the Mold: A Liberatory Approach to Career and Technical Education Funding

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Exec Conf East

Traditional CTE funding often feels restrictive, but teachers can stretch classroom resources to directly serve all students. This session shows educators how to use grant money and liberatory thinking to create labs and experiences that expand the boundaries of CTE education. You'll learn practical, compliant ways to fund student certifications, accessible materials, and hands-on tools. Leave...
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Speakers

Morgan Chase

Education for Employment Manager: OCCS, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Exec Conf East

Morning Concurrent Sessions 1

9:30am CDT

ECCE: Transforming CTE Curriculum into ISBE-Aligned Team-Based Challenges (TBCs)

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Entry Space West

Join this hands-on workshop designed to help high school CTE teachers navigate the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) College and Career Pathway Endorsement (CCPE), with a focus on fulfilling the Team-Based Challenge (TBC) requirement. Following a quick overview of CCPE and ISBE’s official TBC criteria, you will audit one of your existing classroom projects and rework it into a fully...
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Speakers

Fermin Valle

Chicago Roadmap Program Specialist: ECCC, Chicago Public Schools

Nicole Sabatino

Chicago Roadmap Program Specialist: ECCC, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Entry Space West

Morning Concurrent Sessions 1

9:30am CDT

Junior Achievement: Empower students with the skills they need to thrive in today's workforce.

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

TBD

Join us to explore how Junior Achievement enhances CTE programs by combining career readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship with hands-on learning experiences. See how students benefit from industry connections, workplace skill development, career exploration opportunities, and team-based challenges that inspire future success.

Speakers

Maria Ramos

Senior Vice President of Education & Operations, Junior Achievement

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
TBD

Morning Concurrent Sessions 1

9:30am CDT

OMME: Meaningful Access in CTE: Practical Strategies for English Learners

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT

Classroom 126

How can we make rigorous CTE content accessible for English Learners without watering it down? In this session, educators will explore how to activate and build background knowledge using targeted, practical strategies. Participants will analyze real CTE lesson examples and walk away ready to apply these access strategies to their own upcoming lesson plans

Speakers

Bo Pierson

EL Instructional Development Specialist: OMME, Chicago Public Schools

Whitney Carson

EL Instructional Development Specialist: OMME, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am CDT
Classroom 126

Morning Concurrent Sessions 1

10:45am CDT

AI at CPS: The Essentials for Staff

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Union Hall

Speakers

Lorne Rodriguez

Enterprise Generative AI Manager: ITS, Chicago Public Schools

Alex Fishman

Instrunctional Design & Generative AI: ITS, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Union Hall

Morning Concurrent Sessions 2

10:45am CDT

Aspen Training & Updates

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Classroom 125

Speakers

James Klososky

Business Analyst: ITS, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Classroom 125

Morning Concurrent Sessions 2

10:45am CDT

Chicago Teachers Union: The Curriculum Workbench: Career Focused Lesson Planning

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Conf 130

Speakers

Michael Moriarty

Career Pathways Coordinator, Chicago Teachers Union

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Conf 130

Morning Concurrent Sessions 2

10:45am CDT

College Board: Every Pathway Has an On-Ramp: Strengthening CTE and Early College Programs with Advanced Coursework

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

TBD

Speakers

Kevin Deal

Associate Director, K-12 State & District Partnerships, College Board

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
TBD

Morning Concurrent Sessions 2

10:45am CDT

ECCE: Breaking the Mold: A Liberatory Approach to Career and Technical Education Funding

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Exec Conf East

Speakers

Morgan Chase

Education for Employment Manager: OCCS, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Exec Conf East

Morning Concurrent Sessions 2

10:45am CDT

ECCE: Transforming CTE Curriculum into ISBE-Aligned Team-Based Challenges (TBCs)

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Entry Space West

Speakers

Fermin Valle

Chicago Roadmap Program Specialist: ECCC, Chicago Public Schools

Nicole Sabatino

Chicago Roadmap Program Specialist: ECCC, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Entry Space West

Morning Concurrent Sessions 2

10:45am CDT

Junior Achievement: Empower students with the skills they need to thrive in today's workforce.

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

TBD

Speakers

Maria Ramos

Senior Vice President of Education & Operations, Junior Achievement

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
TBD

Morning Concurrent Sessions 2

10:45am CDT

OMME: Meaningful Access in CTE: Practical Strategies for English Learners

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT

Classroom 126

Speakers

Bo Pierson

EL Instructional Development Specialist: OMME, Chicago Public Schools

Whitney Carson

EL Instructional Development Specialist: OMME, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am CDT
Classroom 126

Morning Concurrent Sessions 2

11:45am CDT

SchooLinks and Certifications

Thursday September 10, 2026 11:45am - 12:30pm CDT

Union Hall

Industry certifications play a crucial role in validating student skills, boosting resumes, and opening doors to high-wage careers after graduation. In this practical session, CTE educators will explore the overall value of industry credentials for students and programs, while walking step-by-step through how to accurately track and input them in SchooLinks. You will learn the process for entering...
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Speakers

Ibrahim Abed

NEXT Postsecondry Pathways Manager: ECCE, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 11:45am - 12:30pm CDT
Union Hall

Full Group

12:30pm CDT

Lunch Break

Thursday September 10, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

TBA

Take a well-deserved break to recharge and network with fellow CTE educators!

Thursday September 10, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT
TBA

Lunch

1:30pm CDT

Arts & Communications Breakout Sessions

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT

Classroom 126

Join fellow Arts and Communications educators for a collaborative deep dive into program enhancement and instructional strategy. This breakout session provides dedicated space to explore emerging industry trends, review pathway-specific resources, and share proven instructional methods. Participants will collaborate with peers across the district and leave with a refreshed set of tools to elevate...
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Speakers

Ben Stone

College and Career Pathway Specialist: ECCE, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT
Classroom 126

Afternoon Partner Sessions

1:30pm CDT

FBS | AFNR | Culinary Breakout Sessions

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT

Conf 131 / Classroom 125

Join fellow Business, Culinary, and Agriculture educators for a collaborative deep dive into program enhancement and instructional strategy. This breakout session provides dedicated space to explore emerging industry trends, review pathway-specific resources, and share proven instructional methods. Participants will collaborate with peers across the district and leave with a refreshed set of tools...
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Speakers

Lauren Zucchero

College and Career Pathway Specialist: ECCE, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT
Conf 131 / Classroom 125

Afternoon Partner Sessions

1:30pm CDT

Health Sciences and Human Services Breakout Sessions

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT

Exec Conf West

Join fellow Health and Human Services educators for a collaborative deep dive into program enhancement and instructional strategy. This breakout session provides dedicated space to explore emerging industry trends, review pathway-specific resources, and share proven instructional methods. Participants will collaborate with peers across the district and leave with a refreshed set of tools to...
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Speakers

Aaron Levine

College and Career Pathway Specialist: ECCE, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT
Exec Conf West

Afternoon Partner Sessions

1:30pm CDT

IT Breakout Sessions

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT

Exec Conf East

Join fellow IT educators for a collaborative deep dive into program enhancement and instructional strategy. This breakout session provides dedicated space to explore emerging industry trends, review pathway-specific resources, and share proven instructional methods. Participants will collaborate with peers across the district and leave with a refreshed set of tools to elevate student engagement...
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Speakers

Ben Stone

College and Career Pathway Specialist: ECCE, Chicago Public Schools

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT
Exec Conf East

Afternoon Partner Sessions

1:30pm CDT

METT Breakout Sessions

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:15pm CDT

Union Hall

Join fellow METT educators for a collaborative deep dive into program enhancement and instructional strategy. This breakout session provides dedicated space to explore emerging industry trends, review pathway-specific resources, and share proven instructional methods. Participants will collaborate with peers across the district and leave with a refreshed set of tools to elevate student engagement...
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Speakers