Call for Proposals

Provide a concise, descriptive title (no more than 20 words) that clearly conveys the focus of your session. Your title should be succinct yet engaging, giving reviewers and conference participants an immediate understanding of what the session will cover. Keep in mind that the Program Planning Committee or CCSSO Communications Team may edit session titles for clarity and marketing purposes.

All sessions will be 60 minutes in length, with flexible format options designed to encourage engagement, collaboration and meaningful discussion. Sessions should focus on a specific issue or theme, offering opportunities to explore a topic from multiple perspectives and draw from diverse experiences. CCSSO encourages proposals that include a variety of viewpoints, particularly those that incorporate perspectives from more than one state. Presenters must ensure sufficient time for introductions, presentations, audience interaction and closing remarks.

When crafting your proposal, please select the format that best supports your topic and goals.

Available Session Formats:

• Symposium — A series of short, related presentations on a shared theme, with a moderator or discussant facilitating connections and audience discussion.
• Panel Discussion — Multiple experts share perspectives on a topic in a moderated conversation with Q&A.
• Workshop — A short, skill-building session with hands-on practice or application.
• State Spotlight — A focused presentation highlighting innovative practices, policies or initiatives from a specific state. 
• Roundtable Discussion — Small-group conversations on a focused topic, guided by a moderator.

Presenter Limits:

To ensure balanced participation and allow adequate time for meaningful discussion, CCSSO suggests including no more than four participants total in each session, including presenters and a discussant and/or moderator (if applicable).

Your proposal must align with one primary key topic area from the list below. You may also select one secondary topic area (if applicable) to further define your focus. Secondary topic areas are designed to highlight a more specific aspect within your primary topic.

We encourage innovative and impactful submissions that address these areas:

• Innovative Assessment Approaches
  This strand features emerging tools and strategies designed to enhance assessment practices and student engagement. It highlights forward-thinking approaches that challenge traditional models. The strand emphasizes emerging trends in assessment and cutting-edge methods that integrate creativity, advanced technology and personalized learning to better meet the needs of diverse learners.
  Secondary topic areas: Artificial Intelligence, Performance Assessments, Early Grade Assessments, Other
• Balanced Assessment Systems
  This strand explores state and local strategies to build balanced assessment systems. It features best practices for designing systems that support meaningful instruction and learning opportunities for students, while enabling state and district leaders to monitor progress and inform instructional improvement. The strand emphasizes the value of coherence across assessments that reinforce learning opportunities, and it will also highlight policy and practice shifts state and local leaders can make to overcome obstacles.
• Assessment for Special Populations
  This strand addresses the unique needs of diverse learners, including students with disabilities and English learners. It features tailored assessment approaches, tools, and policies designed to ensure fair, accurate, and meaningful evaluations. The strand highlights inclusive practices that promote equity and accessibility in student assessment.
  Secondary topic areas: Students with Disabilities, Multilingual Learners, Other
• Data Interpretation and Use
  This strand focuses on effective methods for analyzing and applying assessment and accountability data to guide instruction and policy. It features innovative systems, tools and techniques that turn raw data into actionable insights, supporting decision-making at all levels. The strand emphasizes the critical role of data in driving student achievement and school improvement.
  Secondary topic areas: Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Analytics, Data Infrastructure and Interoperability, Data Reporting, Data Literacy, Other
• School Improvement
  This strand highlights strategies for using assessment and accountability data to improve school performance and student outcomes, along with evidence-based approaches to drive continuous improvement in leadership, instructional programs and data-driven decision-making. It emphasizes collaboration in creating sustainable, equitable and high-impact changes within education systems.
• Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
  This strand focuses on strategies for engaging diverse audiences, building trust and fostering collaboration with parents, educators and policymakers to support assessment initiatives. It highlights the role of clear, transparent communication in driving support for assessment and accountability policies.
• Accountability Systems
  This strand focuses on the innovative design and implementation of accountability systems that measure school and district performance. It highlights effective approaches for developing equitable, transparent and data-driven accountability models, emphasizing the balance between compliance and innovation to ensure these systems support student success.

Provide a 500-word abstract that clearly conveys the key knowledge, takeaways and benefits participants will gain from your session. Along with the Learning Objectives, the abstract will be one of the primary elements reviewers use to evaluate proposals, so it should offer a comprehensive overview of your session’s content and structure. Be sure to describe:

• How the session will be organized.
• The topics and concepts that will be covered.

The abstract should highlight the value and impact of the session, demonstrating why it is relevant and meaningful to the conference audience.

Provide two or three clear, measurable and achievable learning objectives for your session. Complete the sentence: “Upon completion, participants will be able to ….”  Each objective should begin with an action verb such as list, describe, define, demonstrate, conduct or apply.

Along with the Abstract, the Learning Objectives will be one of the primary elements reviewers use to evaluate proposals, so they should provide a clear picture of the session’s focus and intended outcomes.

When developing learning objectives, consider the following:

• Audience outcomes: What will participants be able to do after attending your session?
• Audience learning: What specific knowledge, skills or perspectives will participants gain?
• Session focus: Base objectives on the key points and intended takeaways of your session.
• Goals, not activities: Objectives describe the results or outcomes for participants, not the activities you will perform to teach them.

Provide a 100-word summary that succinctly captures the essence of your session and highlights its core elements. This summary will appear in the online conference program and mobile app, helping participants quickly understand what your session offers. Be sure the summary is clear, accurate and free of grammatical or spelling errors before submission. Please note that the Program Planning Committee or CCSSO Communications Team may edit program summaries for clarity and marketing purposes.

The following details are required for all individuals associated with your session, including presenters, moderators and discussants: first and last name, position, organization and email address. If your proposal is accepted, all session participants will be asked to upload a headshot and short bio. This information will be included in the online program and mobile app.

By submitting a proposal for the CCSSO 2026 NCSA, you (the submitter) agree to the following responsibilities on behalf of yourself and any co-presenters, moderators or discussants included in your session. It is your responsibility to ensure that all presenters are aware of and agree to these requirements:

• Participation Limits: To ensure broad participation and avoid overscheduling, NCSA policy limits individuals — regardless of their role — to presenting in no more than three conference sessions.
• Registration and Expenses: Honoraria, travel support and registration discounts are not provided to presenters. All accepted presenters, including discussants and moderators, must register and pay the applicable conference fees for NCSA. Presenters are responsible for covering all related expenses, including registration, travel, lodging and meals.
• Session Scheduling: Presenters must be available to present at any time during the conference. Concurrent breakout sessions will take place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CDT, Monday, June 22, and Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Due to the complexity of scheduling sessions, requests for specific dates or times cannot be accommodated.
• Use of Presenter Information: By accepting, presenters grant CCSSO permission to use session and presenter details for promotional purposes. Session titles and summaries may be edited by the Program Planning Committee or the CCSSO Communications Team for publication.
• Presentation and Handouts Requirements: Presenters are expected to provide electronic presentation materials and handouts for participants before the start of the conference. All presenters are also required to use the official CCSSO PowerPoint template, which will be provided in the Presenter Toolbox upon acceptance.