2026 Great Ideas in Education Conference

The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) invites district and building leadership teams to the 2026 Great Ideas in Education Conference, a powerful three-day experience designed to strengthen coherence across Kansas’ school improvement efforts. Coherence—shared purpose, aligned action, and collective commitment—is essential for creating meaningful, lasting change for students. This year’s conference focuses on high-leverage, foundational practices that accelerate student learning, expand opportunity, and reduce barriers for every Kansas learner. The conference serves as a statewide back-to-school kickoff, providing a strategic opportunity for leadership teams to refine action plans and prepare for the new school year with clarity and momentum. Participants will benefit from pre-conference summit experiences, collaboration across districts and roles, breakout sessions, access to practical tools, direct engagement with education leaders and content experts, implementation strategies for results, and leadership strategies for guiding change.