The CFT’s Early Childhood/TK-12 Council is sponsoring an Educational Issues Conference at the CFT Sacramento Office (1225 H Street Sacramento, CA 95814), February 20-21, 2026.

Meals

Lunch will be provided on Friday. Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Saturday. 

Schedule

Friday, February 20th

12 pm Conference begins and session concludes at 5 pm. 

Saturday, February 21st

8:30 am Session begins and adjourns at 3:30 pm.

Workshops

Ethnic Studies

Overview

This professional learning track is designed to support K-12 educators in building a strong, practical foundation in ethnic studies and applying it directly to their classrooms. The sessions will be interactive and workshop-based, with time for learning, exploration, discussion, and hands-on lesson design.

Participants will begin with an overview of the ethnic studies movement in California, including its historical roots, current landscape, and the legislation that has shaped its implementation in K-12 schools. The track will also introduce the California Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC), with attention to its purpose, guiding principles, and key content areas.

Throughout the track, facilitators will model lesson and unit design using the ESMC as a foundation and starting point, while also drawing on supplemental materials from ESResources.org and other resources that center learning around African American Studies, Asian American Pacific Islander Studies, Chicano & Latino Studies, Native American Studies, and Interethnic Bridge Building Studies. Teachers will examine how to adapt and extend the curricula and resources to reflect their students’ lived experiences, community contexts, and school demographics. 

By the end of the track, participants will:

• Gain a clearer understanding of teaching ethnic studies in a standalone ethnic studies course or integrating it across the curriculum and across grade levels.
• Increase their confidence using the ESMC, ESResources.org, and more.
• Learn about concrete tools and strategies for designing lessons that are engaging, inclusive, and responsive to diverse student populations and local community contexts
• Leave with at least one draft lesson or unit outline, along with resources and planning tools that can be immediately applied in your classroom.
• Develop connections with fellow teachers and continue the conversations and collaborations after the conference ends.

NOTE:  Having a laptop as an essential tool for this training

Literacy Strategies for Grades 6-12

Understanding Dyslexia: Strategies for Success in the Classroom

This session introduces educators to dyslexia, focusing on its symptoms and discussing effective strategies for teaching students with dyslexia. Participants will explore practical ways to identify and support these students, including learning modifications and multisensory approaches. Connections will be made to the classroom environment, highlighting how structured literacy and inclusive practices can benefit all learners. Walk away with a deeper understanding of dyslexia and actionable strategies to create a supportive, effective learning space for every student.

Text Detectives: Cracking the Comprehension Code

Reading comprehension instruction provides educators with a host of research-based strategies designed to empower the reader with a toolbox for cracking the comprehension code. This session is relevant for teachers in grades 3-12, as well as support staff and paraprofessionals who are in search of concrete best practices that bolster comprehension in both fiction and nonfiction text. Participants will collect a variety of research-based instructional strategies related to understanding the process of comprehension; examine ways to make connections in text through the use of vocabulary strategies, self-monitoring strategies and questioning techniques; and deepen their understanding of the patterns within text structures that ultimately empower the reader while attempting to access complex text. During this workshop, participants will also benefit from the use of the creative space provided for successful planning and collaboration with colleagues.

Content-Area Writing Instruction in the 6-12 Classroom

The ability to express thoughts, ideas and understanding through writing is a life skill and a critical component of writing within content-area standards. In all content areas, students are expected to learn to produce clear and coherent writing appropriate to purpose, task and audience. The writing standards address the expectations of content-area writing as students progress through the secondary grades. The research on effective writing instruction stresses the importance of the recursive nature of writing and the interdependence of writing to learn and learning to write.

Supporting English Learners: Planning for the Success of English Language Learners: An Introduction to ELL 101 (9-Hour Special Session) 

Target Audience:

• PK-12 teachers, paraprofessionals 
• Little or no experience, but seasoned veterans can also attend to take information back to colleagues who do not have this information or much experience 

Workshop Description: 

This interactive workshop is designed for educators with little to no experience working with English language learners (ELLs) to build foundational knowledge of ESL strategies and language development. Participants will explore how language proficiency impacts learning and discover research-based methods for helping ELLs meet grade-level standards. Through engaging activities, educators will experience practical strategies they can integrate into their lesson plans, tailored to varying language levels. The workshop will also cover language acquisition theory, cultural responsiveness, and the importance of fostering partnerships with families of ELLs. Participants will leave with new tools, enhanced instructional practices, and supportive connections to continue their learning journey. 

Questions?

If you have questions about the summit, please contact EC/TK-12 Council President Steve McDougall.