The New Jersey School Boards Association will chart a course for education excellence at Workshop 2026, taking place October 19-22 at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
Co-sponsored by the New Jersey Association of Administrators and the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials, Workshop is New Jersey’s largest professional development training conference for school officials. It will feature four full days of professional development, hundreds of exhibits, nationally-recognized speakers and numerous networking opportunities.
Join the Adventure
This year’s theme, “Charting the Path, Empowering Journeys,” reflects NJSBA’s commitment to providing state school officials with the roadmap and resources they need to lead with confidence in an evolving landscape. Throughout Workshop, attendees will be provided with the tools to begin forming their own roadmap. The training and best practices you’ll get at Workshop, will inspire you and your district team to think of new ways to support and champion the diverse needs of all students.
Keynote Speaker
NJSBA is pleased to welcome Timothy Shriver as its keynote speaker for Workshop 2026. Shriver is an educator, best-selling author, chairman of the Special Olympics, CEO of the Bigger Picture Media, and chairman of UNITE. More information about him can be found on page 14.
An Address from the Commissioner of Education
New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education, Dr. Lily Laux, will speak at the Workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 21. As the chief executive school officer for New Jersey, Dr. Laux will provide an overview of the current state of education in New Jersey and offer insight into its future.
Hear from Key Legislators During a Legislative Panel
Members of NJSBA’s Governmental Relations team will lead a panel discussion about various educational issues with representatives of the New Jersey State Legislature, offering insights into the latest developments concerning education law in the state.
New to Workshop 2026
This year’s conference will offer multiple new features on the exhibit floor for you and your district team to partake in.
Central Bark: We are paw-sitive this area will be one of the most exciting locations on the exhibit floor! Decompress from a day of training with comforting service dogs. Learn about resources available to school districts interested in using service animals while giving snuggles to some furry friends.
Expanded Lunch Options
Last year’s food truck court was incredibly popular. To keep up with the demand for delicious lunches, NJSBA has expanded its food truck court to accommodate more attendees and expanded the lunch hours. We will also have more dining options around the perimeter of the exhibit floor, as well as additional seating locations.
Achievement Arena
Located along the walkway to the Keynote Theater, this area will be the hub for popular awards programs such as the Unsung Superheroes in Education Awards and the finals for NJSBA’s elementary school and middle school STEAM Tank Challenge.
Postcard Port
This new AI photo area will put attendees at the center of all the action. Stop by to choose a destination and transport your photo into a larger-than-life adventure!
Passport to Adventure
Keep your eyes open on the exhibit floor when you participate in this all-new scavenger hunt! Hosted within the Workshop mobile app, this game will offer chances to complete challenges that award great prizes.
Recognition of New Jersey’s Unsung Superheroes
NJSBA will host its 4th Annual Unsung Superheroes in Education Awards at Workshop 2026 on Tuesday, Oct. 20. This award celebrates district staff who work tirelessly in New Jersey’s schools and often go without recognition or thanks, while bettering the lives of students and staff. Crossing guards, bus drivers, custodians, librarians, nurses and cafeteria staff are just some of the people who will be recognized on stage in front of thousands of school officials.
Student Talent on Full Display
Workshop will showcase the talents of New Jersey’s school students with performances from some of the finest student groups in the state on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and Wednesday, Oct. 21. Hear beautiful music echoing throughout the convention center and watch other artistic expressions on the exhibit floor.
This year’s expanded student art gallery will feature artwork recognized by prestigious art programs and competitions from around the state. Additionally, the student film showcase will screen the “Best of the Fest” student films from the annual Garden State Film Festival.
NJSBA STEAM Tank Finals
The STEAM Tank™️ Challenge encourages education in science, technology, engineering, arts and math for New Jersey’s innovative public school students. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, watch the exciting conclusion of this year’s competition as the elementary and middle school divisions face off in the finals held live at Workshop.
Mandated Training Opportunities
Workshop 2026 will provide Governance II – IV Mandated Training sessions, making it easy to fulfill your training requirements. Check the schedule and make sure your school business administrator registers you in advance.
Fall School Law Forum
The Fall School Law Forum will take place on Thursday, Oct. 22. Hear from the state’s leading experts in education law as they discuss timely, important topics in school law today.*Registration for the Fall School Law Forum is separate from that of Workshop 2026 and must be handled by your school district business administrator.
Earn Professional Development Credit
Workshop is a perfect opportunity for your entire district team to get training while earning credit. Workshop sessions will offer NJSBA Board Member Academy credits toward board member certifications, Qualified Purchasing Agent credits for school business administrators, and professional development credits for certified educational facilities managers and school transportation supervisors.
Send Your Entire Team and Save
To help extend training to as many members of your district as possible, NJSBA offers a special group registration rate of $2,400, which covers 25 team members. Districts may include their school board members, business administrator, superintendent, facilities managers, curriculum professionals, IT staff, principals, human resource professionals and other district staff in their group registration. Team members may stay for one day or all four days. The individual member rate is $550 per person.
Take advantage of the low group rate to split up and attend as many sessions as possible, gather ideas and bring them back to your district for further exploration.
When you register for Workshop, you will be joining thousands of school leaders and affirming your commitment to public education. Grab your ticket to big ideas and bright futures by registering for Workshop today. Visit workshop.njsba.org to learn more about this year’s conference.
Deryn Younger is the marketing specialist at NJSBA.
