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Student Focused Teacher Led Conference

The SFTL conference, held annually in early fall, is a professional learning opportunity for any educator, regardless of education role or educational environment. Our engaging keynote speakers and variety of breakout sessions, led by current and former teachers, will provide practical, usable knowledge and strategies to put students at the center of your work, whether in the classroom, support services, building administration, central office, or anything in between.

We welcome all public, private and nontraditional educators, including from homeschool or microschool.

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SFTL 2026

Oct. 9, 2026,

Winthrop Rockefeller Institute*
1 Rockefeller Dr, Morrilton, AR

*Overnight accommodations available on site for conference guests only in the President's Lodge for $159/night. To reserve, please contact the Institute front desk at (501) 727-5435.

$40 per person before Sept. 1, $50 after

Pre-service aspiring educators can attend for free

Breakfast and lunch included with registration

Register Today!

Sponsors

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The REFORM ALLIANCE logo features a green apple combined with a lightbulb and the text THE REFORM ALLIANCE and thereformalliance.org on a light background.
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Conference Details

"I would encourage you, if you work somewhere in the realm of children or students, check it out because you’re going to find something new and interesting."

- Elise Stine-Dolinar, 2023

Agenda

7:30 AM

Registration and Breakfast

8:30 AM - 8:40 AM

Opening Remarks

8:40 AM - 9:40 AM

General #1

9:45 AM - 10:45 AM

Breakout Block #1

10:50 AM - 11:50 AM

Breakout Block #2

11:55 AM -12:30 PM

Lunch Served

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Lunch Keynote

1:40 PM - 2:40 PM

Breakout Block #3

2:40 PM - 2:50 PM

Networking Break

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Closing Celebration

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Featured Speakers

 

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Breakout Sessions

 

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Full Schedule

 

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Attend SFTL 2026

What Attendees Say

"The reason why I continue to come is that I think it’s the only conference of its kind that is really focused around how we are supporting students and putting students at the center of our work."

- Kanesha Adams, repeat attendee

"It just gives all of us an opportunity to collaborate, learn, and come together, and I wouldn’t have missed it for anything!"

- Rebecca Newby, 2024

Each year we ask participants how we did. Last year, their responses included:

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92%

Overall Satisfaction

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96%

Approval of Presentations

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100%

Found Sessions Immediately Useful

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100%

Will Consider Returning

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Breakout Sessions

We invite current and former classroom teachers to present breakout sessions, so that our conference is, as the name states, led by teachers. These educators share strategies on a variety of topics, always with students at the center. We always provide a wide range of topics to meet the wide range of educators in attendance.

2026 Sessions

AI Literacy for Education: Ethics, Teaching Strategies, and Practical Use

Jason Blake and Elijah Skinner, EAST Initiative

Creating Truly Inclusive Learning Environments: Understanding Neurodiversity Through Compassionate, Evidence-Based Education

Miranda Cavaness, Arrows Academy

De-Escalation

Andrea Fortner, Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.

Motivational Interviewing: Working with Difficult People

Andrea Fortner, Arkansas A.W.A.R.E.

The Data Speaks...Are We Listening?

Erica Keen, Academic Specialists AR

Turning Student Data Into Growth

Lauren Parish, Lonoke Schools

From PD to Impact: Designing Professional Learning that Sticks

Jeremy Stinson, Cognia

Beyond the Letter Grade: What Value-Added Growth Reveals About Student Learning

Sarah McKenzie, University of Arkansas Office for Education Policy

Arkansas EFAs: Inside the First Universal Year

Josh McGee, Univeristy of Arkansas Office for Education Policy

Full Schedule

Start End Show Barn Hall Presenter Governor's Conference Room Presenter Legacy Theater Presenter
Registration and Breakfast 7:30 Breakfast
Opening Remarks 8:30 8:40 Emmy Henley
General Session #1 8:40 9:40 Morning Session Leslie Rob
Breakout Block #1 9:45 10:45 AI Literacy for Educators Blake-Skinner De-escalation Fortner From PD to Impact Stinson
Breakout Block #2 10:55 11:55 School Letter Grades and Value-added Growth McKenzie Motivational Interviewing Fortner Creating Inclusive Neurodiverse Environments Cavaness
Lunch Served 11:55 12:30 Lunch
Lunch Speaker 12:30 1:30 Lunch Keynote Darrell Smith
Breakout Block #3 1:40 2:40 The EFA Annual Report McGee Turning Data into Growth Parish The Data Speak - Dyslexia Keen
Networking Break 2:40 2:50
General Session #2 3:00 4:00 Closing Celebration Emmy

Watch More Highlights

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