Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo
California Department of Education
Official Letter
California Department of Education
Official Letter
November 17, 2025

Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

2026 California STEAM Symposium

The California Department of Education (CDE) is excited to announce that the annual California Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) Symposium will be featured at the Spring CUE Conference, powered by CALIE, from March 19–21, 2026, at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Whether you are in the classroom or leading systems change, the STEAM Symposium is where ideas come to life.

This collaboration between the STEAM Symposium and the California Association for Leading Innovation in Education (formerly CUE) brings together two dynamic education communities for three days of cutting-edge learning, networking, and inspiration. From AI that transforms learning to instructional design that inspires; from igniting student engagement to redefining wellness; from immersive STEAM experiences to bold new approaches in school leadership, this combined experience is where innovation, inspiration, and integration meet.

Breakout session themes include:

  • STEAM: Building Skill, Spark, and Confidence
  • AI in Real Life: Teaching, Learning, and Leading with Intelligence
  • Curriculum in Action: Innovating Instruction for Today’s Learners
  • Digital Decisions: Building Smarter Systems That Serve Learning
  • Mindful Tech: Wellness, Connection, and Digital Balance
  • Leading for Tomorrow: Transforming Schools, Systems, and Learning
Event Details
  • Dates: Thursday, March 19, through Saturday, March 21, 2026
  • Time: Starts at 9 a.m. on March 19 and ends at 1 p.m. on March 21
  • Location: Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs, CA 92262
  • Opening Keynote: Lisa Moe, 2026 Riverside County Teacher of the Year will speak on “Embracing Now: The Power of the Present in Education” (https://cdefoundation.org/cde_programs/steam/).
  • Registration Information: Early bird pricing ends December 1, 2025
  • Co-Hosts: The CDE, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation

Visit the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation’s STEAM Initiatives web page at https://cdefoundation.org/cde_programs/steam/ to learn more and to register.

Sincerely,

Tony Thurmond
State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Last Reviewed: Monday, November 17, 2025

Recently Posted in Letters

  • Approved List of Screening Instruments for TK (added 27-Mar-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding the approved list of screening instruments for Transitional Kindergarten Multilingual Learners.
  • Upcoming Observance of Farmworkers Day (added 26-Mar-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding the upcoming observance of Farmworkers Day on March 31, 2026.
  • 2026 Workplace Readiness Week (added 26-Mar-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding Workplace Readiness Week.
  • Supporting Student Mental Health (added 24-Mar-2026)
    Joint letter from the California Department of Education, the California Department of Health Care Services, and the California Health and Human Services Agency to colleagues regarding supporting student mental health.
  • Honoring the Farmworkers Movement (added 20-Mar-2026)
    Update Regarding Observance of March 31 State Holiday to Honor the Farmworkers Movement and Latino Civil Rights

  • 2027 California Teachers of the Year Program (added 16-Mar-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and School Principals regarding the 2027 California Teachers of the Year Program.
  • Raising Awareness of the Armenian Genocide (added 11-Mar-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals regarding essay and visual arts scholarships to raise awareness of the Armenian Genocide.
  • 2026 National Youth Science Camp (added 11-Mar-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents, Charter School Administrators, and High School Principals regarding the 2026 National Youth Science Camp.
  • Living Black History Webinar with Malia M. Cohen (added 17-Feb-2026)
    Living Black History webinar with California State Controller Malia M. Cohen on February 20, 2026.
  • Living Black History Webinar Series Starts (added 11-Feb-2026)
    Letter to County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators regarding the Living Black History webinar with California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber and former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown.