2023 OSEP Combined Leadership and Project Directors' Conference

Get ready! The 2023 Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) conference returns in person! OSEP will hold a combined Leadership and Project Directors’ Conference, July 24 – 26, 2023, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The conference will begin Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. ET and will end on Wednesday at 12:00 p.m. ET (times subject to change).

Conference registration closed July 10. All subsequent registrations will only be accepted in-person at the conference registration desk. Note: There is no registration fee. 

Date

Monday, July 24, 2023 – Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Location

Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel

1700 Richmond Highway 
Arlington, VA 22202 

Meeting Who

Audience

  • Part B State Directors and agency staff working across federal programs
  • Part C Coordinators/619 Coordinators and staff
  • Part B and Part C Data Managers
  • Data Center Project Directors
  • OSEP Doctoral Scholars
  • State Advisory Councils and State Interagency Coordinating Councils
  • Project Evaluators
  • OSEP and U.S. Department of Education staff
  • Part D Project Directors, including:
    • Personnel Development Project Directors
    • Technical Assistance and Dissemination Project Directors
    • Educational Technology, Media, and Materials Project Directors
    • Parent Center Project Directors
    • State Personnel Development Grant Project Directors

Enhance Your Conference Experience with the Conference App! 

The 2023 OSEP Leadership and Project Directors’ Conference features the Guidebook app as a companion mobile app for attendees to have all the conference information they need on the go!

The Conference App has several useful features including:

  • A full conference agenda and speaker list
  • Users can “add” sessions they want to attend to their profile to create a personalized agenda.
  • All sessions are first come, first serve. Adding a session to your schedule on the app or mobile site does not guarantee you a seat in the room. Plan your time accordingly!
  • Users can download presentations and handouts. 
  • Familiarize yourself with venue maps.
  • Access conference evaluations, dining options, and FAQs. 

The Conference App is best used on mobile devices and is available on IOS or Android. For more information on accessing the Guidebook App, please visit this Guidebook Support page.

Directions on how to download the conference app

Access the web version of the conference app


Preparing for an In-Person Conference

Engagement Guide

Use the 2023 Engagement Guide to make preparations for the conference before you travel, and as a guide to navigate the conference once you arrive.  We look forward to seeing you in person!

The latest guidance on COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health has been considered in planning this event and will be strictly adhered to. Marriott’s COVID-19 safety protocols in compliance with State and CDC guidelines are also available.

Questions?

Check the OSEP Combined Leadership and Project Directors’ Conference website for additional information and conference updates.

If you have additional questions, email the OSEP Conference Planning Team at osep-meeting@air.org.

Presenter Information

If you will be presenting at the 2023 OSEP Leadership and Project Directors’ Conference, please use the resources below in preparation for your session.

If you have not yet reserved a hotel room, please visit the Lodging, Dining, and Activities page.
 

Resources

Section 508 Accessibility Standards

Digital materials distributed at OSEP Conferences are required to meet the standards outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 508 was adopted in 1998). Section 508 requires that Federal agencies’ electronic and information technologies are accessible to people with disabilities. This includes electronic and information technologies developed by and for organizations that receive Federal funds.

General information can be found on the Section 508 website.

Presenter Requirements for Section 508 Compliance

To confirm that all materials (including PowerPoints, handouts, and any other electronic files) at OSEP Conferences meet Section 508 guidelines, presenters will be required to complete several steps to ensure content is compliant.

For information on making your Word or PowerPoint Presentation accessible, please refer to the following resources:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Section 508 Guidelines

What materials need to be Section 508 compliant at OSEP Conferences?

  • All digital materials that will be distributed at the conference must be Section 508 compliant. This includes all PowerPoints, handouts, and presentation content.

What is the easiest way to ensure Section 508 compliance?

  • In short - keep it simple! Images and complex tables, smart art graphics, fonts, and animations make the Section 508 process much more difficult. Adding in “alt text” that clearly describes the meaning of a visual is a good place to start to ensure content is compliant.

Help! I want to make a Section 508 compliant Portable Document Format (PDF) file, but they are very difficult to create.

  • Unfortunately, making an accessible PDF is much more difficult than making a Section 508 compliant Word document or PowerPoint presentation. To create an accessible PDF, it is easiest to first generate an accessible Word document or PowerPoint presentation. Presenters can submit their Section 508 compliant Word documents to the conference planning team who will then adapt them into a 508 compliant PDF

Implementation Showcase Session Presenters

About Implementation Showcase Sessions

Implementation Showcase sessions feature sites that are effectively implementing policies, practices, or programs that led to improved outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families. Typically, 3-5 presenters participate in an Implementation Showcase and at least 20 minutes is built in for audience discussion.

  • These sessions should be interactive and stimulating, address multiple perspectives, challenge current practices and expectations, and provoke thoughtful discussion. 
  • Implementation Showcase sessions will be 75 minutes in length. The number of presenters is limited (up to 5) to allow sufficient time for audience participation and discussion.

PLEASE NOTE: Implementation Showcase presenters will receive an email from the OSEP conference planning team with next steps for finalizing their session content and submitting their materials.

Implementation Showcase Presenter Guidelines and Templates

Talk Session Presenters

About Talk Sessions

Talk sessions are opportunities for participants to share innovative ideas, address persistent issues, and discuss effective practices in preparation, research, technical assistance (TA), technology, and policy for improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

  • These sessions should be interactive and stimulating, address multiple perspectives, challenge current practices and expectations, and provoke thoughtful discussion. 
  • Talk sessions will be 60 minutes in length. The number of presenters is limited (2-4) to allow sufficient time for audience participation and discussion. 
  • Presenters should plan to spend 30-40 minutes presenting and 20-30 minutes in discussion with attendees.

Talk Session Presenter Guidelines and Templates

Solo Session Presenters

About Solo Sessions

Solos are opportunities for participants to highlight new and emerging ideas or practices for improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

  • These sessions should be interactive and stimulating, address multiple perspectives, challenge current practices and expectations, and provoke thoughtful discussion. 
  • Solo sessions will be 30 minutes in length. The number of presenters is limited (1-2) to allow sufficient time for audience participation and discussion. 
  • Presenters should plan to spend 20 minutes presenting and at least 10 minutes in discussion with attendees.

Solo Session Presenter Guidelines and PowerPoint Template

 

Micro-Solo Session Presenters

About Micro-Solo Sessions

Micro-solos are short Solo presentations highlighting new and emerging scholarship, ideas, or practices for improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

  • Micro-solos sessions will be 10 minutes in length. The number of presenters is limited (1 presenter) to allow sufficient time for audience participation and discussion.  
  • Micro-solos will be grouped by the conference planning team into similarly themed sessions.  
  • Micro-solo presenters have the option of presenting with or without accompanying materials. All materials must use the conference templates below.

Micro-solo Presenter Guidelines and PowerPoint Template

 

Poster Session Presenters

About Poster Sessions

Poster sessions provide informal opportunities to discuss your project with a broader audience.  Posters should highlight innovative practices in your State, program, or individual grant that led to improved outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

  • Attendees will visit your poster and hear about your work during a 60-minute block.

Poster Presenter Guidelines

Technology Demonstration Presenters

About Technology Demonstrations

Technology Demonstrations offer opportunities to share new and innovative technologies available to practitioners, State and local education agencies, researchers, and technical assistance providers.

Technology Demonstration presenters will present technology in an interactive manner by:

  • Describing who the technology is intended to benefit,
  • Walking users through the technology, and
  • Highlighting key features relevant for audiences looking to implement these technologies in their local context.

Attendees will visit your Technology Demonstration and discuss your product during a 60-minute block.

Technology Demonstration Presenter Guidelines

 

Meetups and Workshops

About Meetups and Workshops

Meetups and Workshops are speaker-facilitated events and are NOT presentation-based session formats.

Meetups are 60-minute networking and brainstorming events that encourage communities to connect around similar topics, passions, roles, or interests.

  • Meetups will be scheduled during free periods throughout the conference; sessions may be hosted mornings, evenings, or during lunch breaks. 
  • Meetup leads will receive further information, including discussion guidance, from the conference planning team through email.

Workshops are 60-minute, in-depth instructional programs with hands-on learning activities and specific takeaways.

  • Audience participation should be incorporated throughout, not just reserved for questions at the end of the session.

Meetup and Workshop Presenter Guidelines and Templates

Contact Us

Questions?  Please contact osep-meeting@air.org 

Evaluations

Symposium Prework

Symposium Postwork

Special Needs

Mobile Website

Lodging, Dining, Activities

Crystal Gateway Marriott 
1700 Richmond Highway 
Arlington, VA 22202

Reserve Your Room at the Crystal Gateway Marriott

* Please use this Marriott's specific address when planning travel, as there are other Marriott hotels nearby.

Please note, the conference room block at the Crystal Gateway Marriott has filled and rooms are no longer available all nights of the conference (you may check the link above if you are interested in reserving a room on specific nights). Information about nearby hotels offering the same conference rate is posted below.

Additional Lodging for Continuous Nights

You may book a continuous stay for all nights of the conference at the following nearby hotel for the same conference rate:

Hilton Arlington National Landing
2399 Richmond Highway
Arlington, VA 22202

Reserve Your Room at the Hilton Arlington National Landing
 

Additional Lodging for Specific Nights

(Continuous nights no longer available)

Westin Crystal City at Reagan National Airport
1800 Richmond Highway
Arlington, VA 22202

Reserve Your Room at the Westin Crystal City at Reagan National Airport

Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport
1999 Richmond Highway
Arlington, VA 22202

Reserve Your Room at the Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport

Please note, the conference room blocks above have filled and rooms are no longer available all nights of the conference (you may check the links above if you are interested in reserving a room on specific nights).

The links above may be used to reserve your room(s) at the conference rate until June 30, 2023.

If you still need to reserve your room(s) for a continuous stay at the conference rate, please email: osep-meeting@air.org.

The latest guidance on COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Virginia Department of Health is being considered in planning this event and will be strictly adhered to. Marriott’s COVID-19 safety protocols in compliance with CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines are also available.
 

Maps

 

Getting to the Conference

Nearby Airports:

  • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - DCA
    • Distance from hotel: 2 miles
    • Transportation:
      • Airport shuttle service, scheduled, complimentary
      • Shuttle Phone:703-920-3230
  • Washington Dulles International Airport - IAS
    • Distance from hotel: 27 miles
    • Transportation
      • The hotel does not provide shuttle service to/from IAD
  • Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport - BWI
    • Distance from hotel: 37 miles
    • Transportation 
    • The hotel does not provide shuttle service to/from BWI

Other Transportation

  • Taxi/Uber/Lyft
    • There are taxi stands available at all airports; and Uber/Lyft drivers are able to pick up and drop off passengers at all airports (surcharges may apply)
  • Metro/Subway Station:
    • Crystal City (Blue Line) - 0.1 miles
    • Crystal City is one stop from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport metro stop
  • Train Stations:

Dining Information 

Dining Options at the Hotel 

Dining Options within Walking Distance: 

  • Jefferson Café (.2 miles; coffee, sandwiches) 
  • Lily Bubble Tea & Smoothie (.5 mile; bubble tea, coffee, fruit drinks) 
  • Dunkin Donuts (.3 miles; breakfast, sweets, coffee) 
  • Starbucks Coffee (.4 miles; coffee, pastries) 
  • Amazon Fresh (.4 miles; groceries, prepared foods) 
  • Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery (.3 miles; coffee, pastries) 
  • WFM Coffee & Juice Bar (.4 miles; coffee, juice, pastries) 
  • Gallery Café (.4 miles; coffee, sandwiches, salads) 
  • Commonwealth Joe Coffee Roasters (.4 miles; coffee, pastries) 
  • Origin Coffee Lab & Kitchen (.8 miles; coffee, pastries) 

  • Paramount Café (.1 miles; sandwiches) 
  • Ribeye Philadelphia Steak (.2 miles; sandwiches) 
  • Sushi Garden (.2 miles; sushi) 
  • Subway (.2 miles; sandwiches) 
  • Gallery Café (.3 miles; sandwiches, wraps) 
  • Good Stuff Eatery (.3 miles; burgers, fries, and shakes) 
  • Chipotle (.3 miles; fast-food Mexican chain) 
  • Atia Kabob Place (.3 miles; casual Mediterranean) 
  • The Perfect Pita (.3 miles; casual Mediterranean) 
  • Tacombi (.3 miles; Mexican) 
  • Neramitra Thai Cuisine (.3 miles; Thai) 
  • Jimmy Johns (.5 miles; sandwiches) 
  • Sweetgreen (.5 miles; salads) 
  • RASA (.5 miles; Indian) 
  • Mezeh Mediterranean Grill (.7 miles; casual Mediterranean) 

  • Morton's The Steakhouse (.2 miles; steakhouse) 
  • San Antonio Bar & Grill (.2 miles; Mexican-American, bar) 
  • McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks (.3 miles; steak and seafood) 
  • Ruth's Chris Steak House (.3 miles; steakhouse) 
  • Los Tios (.4 miles; .4 miles, Mexican and Salvadorian food) 
  • Potomac Social Tavern (.3 miles; American, pub fare) 
  • Highline RxR Bar & Restaurant (.5 miles; American, pub fare) 
  • Epic Smokehouse (.5 miles; steakhouse and barbeque) 
  • Extreme Pizza (.5 miles; pizza) 
  • We, The Pizza (.5 min; pizza) 
  • Crystal City Sports Pub (.5 miles; pub fare) 
  • Urban Thai (.5 miles; Thai) 
  • Enjera (.5 miles; Ethiopian and Eritrean) 
  • Portofino (.5 miles; Italian) 
  • Nighthawk Brewery & Pizza (.7 miles; pizza, bar) 
  • Lebanese Taverna (.8 miles; Middle Eastern) 

  • Bob and Edith’s Diner (.4 miles; classic diner food) 
  • The Freshman (.4 miles; American bistro) 
  • Kabob Palace (.4 miles; Middle Eastern food) 

More dining options are available in the Crystal City Shops, linked directly to the hotel via an underground tunnel. Visit their website to view about these dining options. 

Activities 

Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia is located just outside of Washington, D.C. You’re just minutes away from the buzz of the city or the quaint vibe of Old Town Alexandria. Explore these sites to learn more about activities, events, and places to see in the D.C./Northern Virginia area: 

Nearby Attractions: 

Washington DC Metro Area Activities 

Call for Proposals

The information below will help you prepare for your conference experience. This page contains: agendas at-a-glance and descriptions of the various session types. An engagement guide with tips to ensure you get the most out of this year’s in-person conference will be coming soon!

Poster and Tech Demo Agenda

Visual Agenda At-A-Glance

Click “more details” for any session in the calendar below to display the full visual agenda-at-a-glance. If you are a participant with a visual impairment who cannot access content via color-coding, we suggest using the text-based, daily agenda at-a-glance below to support your conference planning.

 

Monday Conference Agenda

7:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. ET (1 hour 45 minutes)
  Registration and Materials Pick-up

8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. ET (1 hour)
  Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:45 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. ET (45 minutes)
  Keynote Presentation

10:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. ET (30 minutes)
  Break and Solo Presentations

11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. ET (1 hour 15 minutes)
  Implementation Showcase

12:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. ET (2 hours 30 minutes)
  Lunch and Live Poster Session Setup

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  State Team Meetings A

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Program Area Meetings A

2:45 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Poster Sessions and Solos

3:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET (15 minutes)
  Break and Micro-Solo Presentations

4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Talk Sessions

5:00 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Break and Micro-Solo Presentations

5:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Meetups and Workshops

Tuesday Conference Agenda

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. ET (1 hour)
  Early Bird Sessions

9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. ET (15 minutes)
  Break and Micro-Solo Sessions

9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. ET (1 hour)
  Talk Sessions

10:15 a.m. - 10:30 am ET (15 minutes)
  Break

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ET (1 hour)
  Talk Sessions

11:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. ET (2 hours 45 minutes)
  Lunch

11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  State Team Meetings B

12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Program Area Meetings B

2:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. ET (1 hour 15 minutes)
  Implementation Showcase

3:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. ET (30 minutes)
  Break and Solo Presentations

3:45 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Impact Panel

4:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. ET (30 minutes)
  Break and Solo Presentations

5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Meetups and Workshops

Wednesday Conference Agenda

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. ET (1 hour)
  Talk Sessions

9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. ET (15 minutes)
  Break and Micro-Solos

9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. ET (1 hour)
  Talk Sessions

10:45 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. ET (30 minutes)
  Break and Solo Presentations

11:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. ET (30 minutes)
  OSEP Closing Remarks

11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. ET (1 hour)
  Policy Panel

Session Type Information

Implementation Showcase Sessions

  • Implementation Showcase sessions feature sites that are effectively implementing policies, practices, or programs that led to improved outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families. Typically, 3-5 presenters participate in an Implementation Showcase and at least 20 minutes is built in for audience discussion.

Meetups and Workshops

  • Meet Ups and Workshops are speaker-facilitated events and are NOT presentation-based session formats.

Micro-Solo Sessions and Solo Sessions

  • Micro-solos are short Solo presentations highlighting new and emerging scholarship, ideas, or practices for improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.
  • Solos are opportunities for participants to highlight new and emerging ideas or practices for improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

Poster Sessions

  • Poster sessions provide informal opportunities to discuss your project with a broader audience.  Posters should highlight innovative practices in your State, program, or individual grant that led to improved outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.

Talk Sessions

  • Talk sessions are opportunities for participants to share innovative ideas, address persistent issues, and discuss effective practices in preparation, research, technical assistance (TA), technology, and policy for improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.