AI Innovation Summit 2026
AI Summit 2026
Shaping the Future of K-12 Education
Two locations. One statewide learning experience.
Join colleagues from across Washington’s K-12 system to move AI from possibility to practice in ways that strengthen student learning, support educators, and help schools and districts work better.
Registration Opens September 28. Lunch included.
West Side Summit – Tuesday, December 8, 2026
Lynnwood Event Center, Lynnwood, Washington
Registration: 7:30 a.m. | Program: 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Educator Registration fee: $125
East Side Summit – Thursday, December 10, 2026
Spokane Convention Center, Spokane, Washington
Registration: 7:30 a.m. | Program: 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Educator Registration fee: $125
The Summit Experience
The AI Innovation Summit is the K-12 AI Collaborative’s signature statewide learning experience, bringing people across roles and levels of AI experience together to learn, connect, and turn ideas into action in their roles, schools, and districts.
These full-day events connect practical, role-relevant learning with statewide guidance, trusted resources, peer relationships, and support that continues after the Summit.
In 2026, the Summit comes to Lynnwood and Spokane, making it easier for individuals and teams across Washington to participate.
Who Should Attend?
AI touches every part of a school system. The Summit brings together people working across Washington’s K-12 education ecosystem, including:
- Classroom educators, instructional specialists, and paraeducators
- Principals and building leaders
- Superintendents and district leaders
- School board directors and governance teams
- Teaching and learning, special education, student support, inclusion, and MTSS professionals
- Technology, data, privacy, and cybersecurity professionals
- Communications, operations, and central-office teams
- Educational service districts and other regional support providers
Attend on your own or bring a cross-role school or district team. Wherever you are in your AI journey, the Summit will help you build understanding, explore possibilities, and find a practical way forward.
What You’ll Take With You
Participants will leave with:
- A clearer understanding of what AI means for their role and responsibilities
- Practical strategies, examples, and resources they can adapt and use
- Greater confidence evaluating AI opportunities, tools, and challenges
- New connections with peers and statewide support organizations
- A practical path forward for their classroom, school, district, or organization
- Access to continued learning, resources, and support beyond the Summit
Statewide Insight
Learn from Washington educators, leaders, and experts shaping how AI is understood and applied across K-12 education.
Learning That Fits Your Work
Explore the questions, decisions, and opportunities that matter in your role, with learning designed for different responsibilities and levels of AI experience.
Collaborative Exploration
Engage with practical strategies, real-world examples, and useful resources you can adapt for your classroom, school, district, or organization.
Momentum Beyond the Summit
Exchange ideas with colleagues from across the state and connect with resources, relationships, and support that can help you keep moving after the event.
Program
Because AI looks different in every role, the 2026 program will offer multiple ways to engage. Participants will explore the questions, opportunities, and challenges shaping teaching and learning, leadership, governance, technology, student support, and school system operations.
The program is being designed to include:
Keynotes and statewide conversations that establish shared context
Guided exploration
of useful strategies, tools, and frameworks
Sessions connected to different roles, interests, and levels of AI experience
Peer and cross-role conversations that broaden perspective
Examples and lessons from Washington schools and districts
Time to translate learning into action and identify what to try, change, or explore next
The full program and session details will be announced November 3.
Day 1: AI Insights: Tools, Techniques, & Transformations
Attendees will engage in hands-on learning sessions that meet them at their current state of AI use and understanding.
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
|---|---|
| 7:30am – 8:30am | Registration & Breakfast (included) |
| 8:30am – 11:15am | Keynote & Morning Session |
| 10:30am – 12:00pm | Breakout Sessions: What can AI DO for me? |
| 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Lunch (included) |
| 1:00pm – 3:30pm | Breakout Sessions: What can AI BE for me? |
| 3:45pm – 4:30pm | Team Time |
| 4:30pm – 6:00pm | Reception (Dinner on your own) |
Day 2: AI Integration: Aligning Roles Strategically
Participants will engage in job-alike groups to explore ways to engage AI in the unique aspects of their roles: Board & Governance; District Leadership; Building Leadership; Teachers; Student Supports; Teaching & Learning; Information Technology
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
|---|---|
| 7:30am – 8:30am | Breakfast (included) |
| 8:30am – 11:15am | Keynote & Morning Session |
| 10:30am – 12:00pm | Job-Alike Breakout Sessions: Optimizing Your Role with Strategic AI Innovations |
| 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Lunch (included) |
| 1:00pm – 3:30pm | Job-Alike Planning Breakout Sessions: From Guidelines to Implementation: Role-Based Implementation & Planning Frameworks for Success |
| 3:45pm – 4:30pm | Team Time and Partner Support Planning |
Day 3: Action Planning: From Insights to Implementation
Participants will bring together learnings from Days 1 & 2 to create a plan with concrete next steps for moving forward as individuals and teams.
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
|---|---|
| 7:30am – 8:30am | Breakfast (included) |
| 8:30am – 11:15am | Keynote & Morning Session |
| 10:30am – 11:30am | Team Networking & Planning |
| 11:30am – 12:00pm | Closing Remarks |
About the K-12 AI Collaborative
From a Summit to a Statewide Support System
In 2024, the Summit was the starting point. Washington’s statewide education organizations first came together to create a shared AI learning experience for K-12. Through that work, a larger need became clear: schools and districts need more than a single event. They need a connected way to find trusted guidance, build knowledge across roles, learn from one another, and carry ideas into practice.
The K-12 AI Collaborative grows that partnership into an ongoing statewide effort. It brings Washington’s statewide education organizations together to help schools and districts navigate and implement artificial intelligence responsibly, practically, and equitably.
With student learning and human relationships at the center, the Collaborative connects expertise, guidance, resources, and support to strengthen AI literacy and implementation capacity across the K-12 ecosystem.
Rather than creating another layer of disconnected programming, the Collaborative connects and extends the work already happening across its partner organizations. Together, they can help schools and districts:
- Find trusted, role-relevant guidance, learning, and support more easily
- Connect decisions across governance, leadership, instruction, operations, and technology
- Learn from the experiences of educators and districts across Washington
- Build lasting local knowledge and capacity
- Continue learning and implementation beyond a single event
Where the Summit Fits
The AI Innovation Summit is a central part of this larger vision. It brings Washington’s K-12 community together to build shared understanding, explore real problems of practice, exchange ideas, and create momentum for what comes next.
The Collaborative is working to help that momentum continue through connected learning opportunities, strategic guidance, shared resources, and ongoing implementation support.
Looking Ahead
The Collaborative is building toward a coordinated statewide support system that includes a learning and implementation cycle, an AI strategy and advisory network, and a Statewide AI Resource Hub.
The goal is simple: make it easier for people across Washington’s K-12 system to find the right support at the right time.
K-12 AI Collaborative Partners
Register Now
Registration Opens September 28. Lunch included.
West Side Summit – Tuesday, December 8, 2026
Location: Lynnwood Event Center, Lynnwood, Washington
Registration: 7:30 a.m.
Program: 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Educator Registration fee: $125
East Side Summit – Thursday, December 10, 2026
Spokane Convention Center, Spokane, Washington
Registration: 7:30 a.m. | Program: 8:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Educator Registration fee: $125
Sponsor Participation
The AI Innovation Summit welcomes a limited number of representatives from companies and organizations that develop, provide, or support technology and services for K-12 education.
Participation Options
All representatives attend as learners and contributors. The Summit offers a different model, designed so everyone can participate fully, learn together, and build relationships without the demands of staffing booths, delivering demonstrations, making sales presentations, or distributing swag.
You may participate in one of two ways:
- Purchase a Registration Only
- Select a Sponsorship, which helps support educator participation and includes recognition and other benefits based on the sponsorship level
Vendor Registration Only
- Admission for one vendor representative. (No logo placement, advertising, sponsor recognition, or participant list.)
Mt. Badger Sponsor
Supports 2 educators- Sponsor thank-you on social media and logo recognition in the Summit program. Vendor registration may be purchased separately, subject to availability.
Mt. Spokane Sponsor
Supports 5 educators- Social media recognition, logo in the Summit program, and one complimentary vendor registration.
Mt. St. Helens Sponsor
Supports 10 educators- Social media recognition, logo in the Summit program, two complimentary vendor registrations, quarter-page program advertisement, and an opt-in participant contact list.
Mt. Baker Sponsor
Supports 20 educators- Social media recognition, logo in the Summit program, two complimentary vendor registrations, half-page program advertisement, and an opt-in participant contact list.
Mt. Adams Sponsor
Supports 30 educators- Social media recognition, logo in the Summit program, two complimentary vendor registrations, half-page program advertisement, an opt-in participant contact list, and sponsor recognition associated with one additional K-12 AI Collaborative event.
Mt. Rainier Sponsor
Customized impact- Contact our team to discuss a customized sponsorship opportunity.
The Summit is not designed as a lead-generation or sales event.
Its value comes from joining the conversation, listening carefully, contributing appropriately, and building trust over time.
The Value of Participating
Vendor participation offers a different kind of value than a traditional exhibit hall. Representatives learn alongside educators and school system leaders from across Washington, gaining firsthand insight into the priorities, constraints, and implementation challenges shaping AI in K-12 education.
This experience can help vendors:
- Better understand the needs and decision-making contexts of different K-12 roles.
- Hear how schools and districts are approaching AI governance, instruction, privacy, security, procurement, and implementation.
- Test assumptions and identify where products, services, and support could better align with real-world needs.
- Build credibility and relationships through thoughtful participation and useful contributions.
- Bring a more informed understanding of Washington’s education environment back to their organizations.
How Vendors Participate
By participating fully, vendors can build credibility, strengthen relationships, and gain firsthand insight into the needs of Washington’s K-12 community. To make the most of the experience:
- Join sessions and conversations that connect with your organization’s work and expertise.
- Listen for the priorities, challenges, and emerging needs shaping AI implementation in Washington schools.
- Share relevant knowledge, examples, and perspectives that add value to the discussionдеп.
- Build authentic relationships with educators, leaders, and fellow participants.
- Explore how your organization’s products, services, and support can better align with real-world K-12 needs.
- Gain new insights and connections that you can bring back to your organization.
