Featured Events
Pre-Conference Workshops
Jumpstart your Spring CUE experience with focused, interactive workshops led by inspiring educators and thought leaders. These workshops are designed to spark ideas, build skills, and send you home with strategies you can use right away.
Leading with Intention to Foster Sustainable Change
When: March 18, 2026 · 2pm-5pm
Price: $150 (stand-alone; no conference pass required)
Presenter: Tom Murray
Practice replicable activities and evidence-based leadership moves that strengthen communication, trust, and culture—so you can lead purposeful, sustainable change.
Future Ready Librarian Summit: Mapping the Journey to Lead From the Library
When: March 18, 2026 · 2pm-5pm
Price: $150 (stand-alone; no conference pass required)
Presenters: Shannon McClintock Miller, Lia Dossin
Redefine the librarian’s leadership role, build cross-campus partnerships, and explore the tools and trends shaping future-ready libraries. Leave with practical strategies and resources you can use immediately.
Design for All: Exploring Universal Design for Learning
When: March 18, 2026 · 10am-3pm
Price: $250 (stand-alone; no conference pass required)
Presenter: TBD
This session provides an overview of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), a research-based framework that supports inclusive and flexible teaching practices. Participants will explore the foundational principles of UDL, examine the CAST UDL Guidelines, and apply them to real classroom examples by observing and analyzing teaching videos through a UDL lens. The workshop culminates in a hands-on activity where participants design or redesign a lesson using the UDL Lesson Designer, ensuring that learning experiences are accessible and engaging for all students. Administrators will deepen their understanding of the research of UDL and implementation practices, educators have the opportunity to reflect on their teaching and enhance lessons with UDL.
This interactive workshop provides a practical introduction to UDL and its impact on teaching and learning. Participants will:
- Explore the foundations of learner variability and UDL research
- Analyze real classroom examples through a UDL lens
- Design or redesign a lesson using CAST’s UDL Lesson Designer
Learn strategies to reduce barriers and increase engagement and access
Ideal for educators, instructional designers, coaches, specialists, and administrators, this session supports anyone who is beginning UDL implementation or looking to strengthen their practice.
Uncheatable Assessments: Designing Authentic Assessments in the Age of AI
When: March 18, 2026 · 2pm-5pm
Price: $150 (stand-alone; no conference pass required)
Presenter: Michael Hernandez
Low student engagement and advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have educators wondering about the future of school and how to foster academic integrity.
Join award-winning educator, speaker and author Michael Hernandez as he shares examples of classroom-tested, evidence-based strategies for designing rigorous, equitable, and meaningful assessments for every grade level and subject area.
You’ll learn how to use project-based assignments as a substitute for traditional assessments like worksheets, quizzes, tests, and essays. You’ll also get hands-on experience as you redesign an existing assignment as an uncheatable assessment, and then get feedback to integrate the assignment into your curriculum.
One Event. Two Communities. Infinite Possibilities.
Big news for California educators: Spring CUE 2026 returns March 19th–21st at the Palm Springs Convention Center—and this year, we’re proud to feature the California STEAM Symposium as a co-hosted experience within the event!
This unprecedented collaboration unites two vibrant education communities for a single, powerful gathering focused on equity, technology, engagement, and leadership across all grade levels and learning environments. With a maker-centered, hands on STEAM Zone and engaging learning sessions from emerging leaders in the field, this is the epicenter of all things STEAM.
We’ve heard from educators: attending multiple events is time-consuming and costly. That’s why CALIE and the CDE Foundation have teamed up to deliver a unified, high-impact event—crafted with educators, for educators.
Advancing Inclusive Innovation: CALIE x CAST | UDL Con at Spring CUE 2026
As CALIE begins a new chapter—transitioning from CUE to the California Association for Leading Innovation in Education, we’re deepening our focus on innovation that includes every learner.
That’s why we’re partnering with CAST, the pioneers of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, to launch UDL Con at Spring CUE 2026—a dedicated experience designed to help educators build classrooms where every student can thrive.
Through a pre-conference workshop, dynamic sessions, and interactive learning experiences throughout the event, CAST will bring UDL to life by sharing practical strategies and resources that make learning more inclusive, adaptable, and accessible to all.
Together, CALIE and CAST are shaping a future where innovation and equity go hand in hand.
Register Early & Save
Early bird registration is open now through December 1st, 2025. CALIE members receive exclusive discounts. Secure your spot at the intersection of innovation and inspiration.
About The STEAM SymposIum
The California STEAM Symposium is a signature initiative of the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation, proudly partnered with the California Department of Education and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls to support STEAM education statewide.
This partnership with CALIE brings new energy, expanded access, and integrated programming to Spring CUE 2026—redefining how STEAM and EdTech come together.