WA-ACTE 2026 Summer Conference

Join three Work-Based Learning Support Staff members as they share their unique perspectives on supporting high school CTE programs and Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs). While each serves in the same role, they support programs in different ways and bring their own experiences, strategies, and successes to the table.
In this session, you'll learn how they collaborate with teachers, students, industry partners, and CTSO advisors to strengthen programs, increase student engagement, and create meaningful opportunities for student growth. Hear firsthand why they are passionate about their work, how they help programs thrive behind the scenes, and the innovative approaches they use to expand student involvement and participation.

Join us as we share how the Renton School District streamlined and enhanced our General and Program Advisory process by combining our Fall and Spring advisory meetings into a single community-focused event. In this session, we will discuss key planning considerations, including selecting the right location, utilizing support staff as advisory scribes, partnering with our local Chamber of Commerce to increase community engagement, and developing a standardized PowerPoint template to create consistency across all program advisories. We will also reflect on lessons learned, successes, challenges, and improvements that will help make future advisory events even more effective and efficient

Join fellow support staff from districts across the state for an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and build your professional network. This support staff-only session is designed to provide a welcoming space to share ideas, discuss challenges, exchange best practices, and learn from one another's experiences. Whether you're new to your role or a seasoned professional, you'll leave with valuable connections, fresh perspectives, and practical strategies to support your work and your programs. Come ready to engage in meaningful conversations and strengthen the support staff community!

How do you connect the best students to work-based learning opportunities that actually align with their goals? In this live SchooLinks demo, Spokane Public School’s CTE coordinator shares how she uses SchooLinks reporting & filters, career assessment data, and eligibility criteria to intentionally match students to exploratory and preparatory opportunities inside of their district. Both SchooLinks core platform and the WBL suite will be showcased.

Over the course of five years, Issaquah School District transformed its college and career centers from a reactive, college-focused model into a forward-thinking system built on data and tiered student support. In this session, explore the data sources driving smarter decisions, how programming has evolved to honor all post-secondary pathways, and how High School and Beyond Plans are used to intentionally connect students to events, speakers, and activities aligned with their individual goals.