This year, we are pleased to offer three pre-conference workshops. These deep dive learning sessions will occur on Monday, October 20, before the Annual Conference & Expo. Join colleagues and experts to discuss critical and timely topics in depth. View more details on each workshop.
Pre-conference workshops have an additional fee and are not included in the main Annual Conference registration.
*Please Note: Pre-conference workshops require a minimum number of participants. If a workshop does not meet minimum enrollment by August 21, it will be canceled. You will be notified and may choose to transfer to another available workshop or receive a full refund of the workshop registration fee.
A Better Formula for Forums: Engaging Your Community in School Finance Conversations
Date: Monday, October 20
Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Description: Do your town-hall-style meetings too often devolve into a litany of complaints from the public? Or worse, does the public mainly engage with your school district on finance topics when they vote against a bond or levy proposal? The community conversations model of public forums is an inclusive approach to public engagement, one that promotes greater understanding by helping audiences see more varied viewpoints in their community. In the first part of this workshop, learn how to plan and structure community conversations in support of the annual budget development process or a public vote on a school finance proposal. In the second part of this workshop, learn how to facilitate a conversation among community members of differing viewpoints. Tools and resources will be provided so that you can help other administrators in your school system become better facilitators during community conversations.
Fee:
- Member - $275
- Non-member - $325
AI Unleashed: A Hands-On Workshop for School Business Innovators
Date: Monday, October 20
Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Description: Discover how AI can enhance your day-to-day work as a school business official. This interactive experience will introduce practical tools to streamline operations, automate routine tasks, and elevate your communication and analysis. From building custom chatbots and creating podcasts to comparing budgets with AI-assisted financial reporting, you’ll explore real applications designed to save time and spark innovation. Bring your own documents—such as budgets, policy manuals, or board communications—to personalize your learning. You’ll apply what you learn in real time, using AI tools to tackle familiar challenges and walk away with ready-to-use solutions tailored to your district’s needs. Whether you're just starting with AI or looking to expand your capabilities, this session will equip you with strategies to lead your district forward.
Fee:
- Member - $325
- Non-member - $375
Future-Ready Budgeting: Navigating Financial Uncertainty with Strategic Vision & Agility
Date: Monday, October 20
Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Description: Districts face a moment of incredible uncertainty. A flurry of Federal actions and economic volatility has left leaders grappling with big questions about their financial futures. In the absence of any concrete answers, many financial leaders find themselves flying blind. Navigating this uncertainty will require district leaders to adopt a fundamentally different approach to budgeting for the 2026-27 school year – one that is laser focused on the district’s most important priorities and responsive to rapid change. This new approach calls on district leaders to plan backwards from multiple financial scenarios, rethink when and how budget decisions are made, and aggressively pursue cost reallocation and revenue opportunities.
During this pre-conference, ERS will share a set of agile budgeting tools and strategies that districts can put to immediate use as they develop their school year 2026-27 budget. Participants will have an opportunity to put these approaches to practice and collaborate on thorny budget issues with a group of peers from around the country.
Fee:
- Member - $275
- Non-member - $325