.avif)
NAEA Annual Conference
2026 Conference live!
Harboring Hope. anchoring possibility.
October 5-7, 2026
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront
700 Aliceanna st.
Baltimore, MD
21202
Registration for attendees and vendors
open now!
Experience the 2026 NAEA Conference in Baltimore, MD from October 5-7. Engage with fellow educators and explore innovative practices in alternative education.
Keynote Speakers
Learn from leading voices in alternative education and gain valuable insights.
Breakout Sessions
Our breakout sessions are designed to meet the diverse needs of educators, leaders, and advocates in alternative education. Each strand offers targeted learning, practical strategies, and opportunities to connect with peers doing similar work.
- Alternative Education Programming (funding, attendance, processes, etc. )
-Trauma Informed/SEL& Restorative Practices
- CTE
- Adult Ed/Justice Impacted Youth
- Advocacy
Network Events
Meet like minded educators at our hosted evening receptions. Additional details coming soon!
Conference FAQs
Questions?
See our FAQs.
Join us at the 2026 NAEA Annual Conference in Baltimore!
Registration
The 2025 NAEA Conference, themed 'Roots & Rhythms,' will take place from October 5-7 in Baltimore, MD.
Cost: $650 for the full conference.
Accommodations
Rooms at the conference venue are available at a discounted group rate for conference attendees. We encourage you to reserve early, as rooms at the group rate are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Pre-Conference Activities
Kick off your conference experience on Sunday, October 4 with a variety of exciting pre-conference activities designed to help you explore and connect in Baltimore!
Join a guided walking tour through some of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods, hop on a chartered bus tour celebrating Baltimore’s legacy as the “City of Champions,” or enjoy a scenic ride on a water taxi to Fort McHenry—the historic birthplace of the national anthem.
2026 Conference Proposals Now Open!
The NAEA Annual Conference is a space dedicated to advance the field of alternative education by sharing wisdom, knowledge and expertise with other like-minded educators and leaders. Come share with us!
Vendors & Sponsors
Join us as a vendor at the NAEA Conference! Showcase your products and services to a dedicated audience of alternative educators.
Vendor Pricing
Booth pricing starts at $800, including access to sessions.
Enhance your visibility with a session for an additional fee.
Session Options
Conference Highlights: Roots & Rhythms | October, 2025
2025 Conference Gallery
Special thanks to our partners at JCI Creatives
The NAEA holds its national conference in locations in various states throughout the United States in hopes of making it conducive for its membership to attend and enjoy a professional learning environment that is collaborative and inclusive to all. The location of the conference in no way indicates support or agreement with any specific state policies/laws that would violate the NAEA Mission and Vision or that would deny any individual the right to an inclusive, free and appropriate education and equitable opportunities to learn.
Conference Schedule
For our 2025 event, we are aligning content for each available breakout session with at least one of our Exemplary Practices.
With over 80+ breakout sessions offered and over 20 hours of CEU credits available, each session is intentionally crafted by alternative educators FOR alternative educators. Our goal each year is to provide space to network, collaborate, and participate in professional learning specific to research and best practices in alternative/non-traditional education.
A detailed schedule of events can be found below. Specific breakout session titles, descriptions and instructions for schedule building will be accessible (upon completion of registration) two weeks prior to the event's start date.
Instructions will be sent to the email provided at registration and sessions will be accessed through our conference app, ExpoPass.