The 2026 ATE Conference kicks off on Wednesday, October 21, with a morning of interactive Workshops, Learning Labs, and Community Action Sessions. These sessions offer opportunities to build skills, explore emerging topics, exchange ideas, and connect with colleagues from across the ATE community.
Attendees are strongly encouraged to plan their travel to arrive in time to participate on Wednesday morning and engage with the ATE community from the very start of the conference. For a preliminary conference schedule, click here.
Learning Labs and Community Action Sessions are open to all attendees and do not require advance registration. The two Workshops listed below require advance registration. New Grantees should plan to attend the Getting Started Workshop.
Workshop A: Getting Started for New Grantees*
Wednesday, October 21
8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Registration Fee: Complimentary; but advance registration required. Breakfast is provided.
*New ATE grantees are strongly encouraged to sign-up to attend this workshop to gain insight into managing their ATE awards.
This workshop is recommended for all principal investigators, co-principal investigators, and other team members involved in newly awarded projects and centers in FY25. Others who may find the workshop useful include new awardees in FY26 and other project personnel from prior years who have recently become involved in ATE projects and centers. The goal of this workshop is to make new grantees aware of the reporting and financial requirements of their ATE grant and to connect them with other ATE projects and centers that can help them successfully manage, evaluate, and report on their projects. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from individuals representing Mentor-Connect, ATE Central, EvaluATE, and the National Science Foundation and to learn about the various resources they provide through this workshop. Participants will be provided access to a resource packet and are encouraged to bring questions about the management of their projects for discussion.
Workshop B: Accessible by Design – Evaluation Reporting Practices for ATE Projects
Wednesday, October 21
8:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Registration Fee: $50. Advance registration is required.
Evaluation reports are only useful if the people who need them can actually read and understand them. This hands-on workshop is designed for ATE evaluators and project teams who want to move beyond the basics and build practical skills for producing accessible evaluation reports. Designing evaluation reports with accessibility in mind from the start is a professional responsibility and a growing legal requirement. The session addresses considerations unique to evaluators and project teams producing data-heavy reports, including structuring evaluation matrices for assistive technology, making logic models screen-reader-compatible, and designing data visualizations for everyone. Through guided practice, participants will work directly with their own reporting materials and leave with concrete strategies to make their evaluation reports more accessible. Whether you are new to accessibility or looking to strengthen existing practices, this workshop offers actionable guidance grounded in the real reporting demands of ATE evaluation work. Join us to make sure your project’s evaluation work reaches everyone it is meant to serve. Note: Participants must bring a laptop or personal device that can access Microsoft Word or Google Docs.