Join us for the 2026 Multilingual IL/ESSA Statewide Conference!
The 2026 Conference will take place December 8th – 10th at the Tinley Park Convention Center.
We hope you will join us for this in-person informative week of connection, collaboration, learning and growth supporting multilingual learners.
Registration is now open for the 2026 Multilingual IL/ESSA Conference.
This year, we are pleased to welcome a dynamic lineup of keynote speakers:
Tuesday, 12/8/26 — Jimmy Casas, award-winning educator, best-selling author and founder of the ConnectEDD publishing platform
Wednesday, 12/9/26 — Meg Bates, director of the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC) at the University of Illinois
Thursday, 12/10/26 — Olivia Mulcahy, IRC Specialist, author of Learning In-between Languages and Cultures: Claiming space for bilingual identities and experiences (forthcoming)
More than 120 concurrent sessions will be offered across the three days of the conference.
Cost (includes lunch):
Single-day Rate: $210
Hotel rooms:
A block of hotel rooms is available beginning Dec 7th through Dec 10th, 2026 at the rate of $169/night (this does not include state and local taxes and fees). The deadline for reservations is Friday, November 27th, 2026.
The reservation link and contact info are in the confirmation email you’ll receive immediately upon completing this conference registration.
Payment options:
Visa and Mastercard accepted.
Note: Visa/Mastercard payment will appear on your card statement as The Center and may show the location as Tysons Corner, VA.
If paying by Purchase Order, the vendor name is The Center. Please send your PO to ircregistration@cntrmail.org as soon as possible, or no later than December 4th, 2026.
Refund Policy: No refunds for cancellations/changes after Nov 20th, 2026.
Showcase Your Business or Organization at Multilingual IL/ESSA 2026!
Connect with thousands of educators from across Illinois and the Midwest! The Multilingual Illinois Conference/ESSA provides an essential convening space for districts seeking resources and partnerships to advance their classroom learning.
We want to showcase your brand and help you make the marketing choice that best fits your needs. We look forward to connecting with you at the 2026 Multilingual Illinois/ESSA Conference!
Please contact Yvonne Baginski at ybaginski@cntrmail.org to secure your sponsorship or if you have any questions.
Now Accepting Proposals for the 2026 Multilingual IL/ESSA Statewide Conference
Share your knowledge with educators across the state! The IRC is excited to announce that we are now accepting one-hour presentation proposals for the 2026 Multilingual Illinois/ESSA Statewide Conference.
Our speakers are instrumental in making this conference one of the most productive and energizing educational convenings in Illinois and beyond. In addition to presentations related to multilingual learners, this conference will feature opportunities to present on critical topics such as dual language education, special education, technology and AI use, and school improvement, along with attention to different populations, such as secondary students, newcomers and our state’s youngest learners.
Presentation proposals must be submitted by Monday, September 28th, 2026, to be considered. If your proposal is accepted, you will be notified in October 2026. Please note that presenters must pay for registration to attend the conference; in most cases, school districts will pay for this expense.
If you have any questions, please contact Louisa Finnberg at lfinnberg@cntrmail.org. We look forward to reading your ideas!
| At the center of three days of dynamic programming and opportunities to grow and connect with experts in the field of multilingual education are our three engaging keynote speakers. Let’s meet them! |
Jimmy Casas – Tuesday, December 8th
Jimmy Casas has been an educator for over 30 years, serving twenty-two years as a school leader.
Under his leadership, his school was named one of the Best High Schools in the country three times by Newsweek & US News & World Report. Jimmy was named the 2012 Iowa Secondary Principal of the Year and was selected as runner-up NASSP 2013 National Secondary Principal of the Year. In 2014, Jimmy was invited to the White House to speak on the Future Ready Schools pledge.
Jimmy is also the author of eleven books, including the Washington Post’s best- selling book CULTURIZE: Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes, which has sold over 350,000 copies to date. His latest release, The Drip Effect: Breaking Free From Hustle Culture, is available now on Amazon.
Meg Bates – Wednesday, December 9th
Dr. Meg Bates is the Director of the Illinois Workforce and Education Research Collaborative (IWERC) at University of Illinois.
IWERC is a research-practice partnership with the State of Illinois that focuses on emergent education issues of interest to policymakers and practitioners. Since joining IWERC in September 2020, Bates has cultivated close relationships with state government, overseen the production of over 60 research reports, and raised over $7.5 million in grants, contracts, and gifts.
By training, Bates is an educational psychologist with expertise in STEM education (Ph.D. 2009, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign).
Olivia Mulcahy – Thursday, December 10th
Olivia Mulcahy has been an educator for over 25 years. As a member of the IRC team, she loves collaborating with fellow teachers and leaders to deepen awareness, capacity, and confidence in serving multilingual communities. Her workshops invite participants to explore, experience, connect, question, reflect, and build—mirroring approaches that help our students thrive.
Favorite topics include: inclusive learning environments, culturally and linguistically sustaining curriculum, multilingual ecologies, translanguaging, biliteracy development, and arts integration.
Before joining the IRC, Olivia led districtwide efforts to grow and sustain strong dual language bilingual education and other multilingual learner programming at Chicago Public Schools. Olivia’s practice is informed by her Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, M.Ed in Instructional Leadership and Elementary Education, and B.A. in Sociology and Spanish, and is ever-grounded by her years in the classroom teaching humanities to middle schoolers in Chicago’s La Villita neighborhood.
