State of the Art Conference

The State of the Art Conference (SOTA) provides opportunities for colleges, universities, researchers, program staff, parents and self-advocates to learn about the current state of research and practice in the field of inclusive postsecondary education, and to network with each other. Conference speakers include faculty and staff from postsecondary education initiatives, parents, self-advocates, and other experts—sharing effective practices and leading group discussions.

The parallel Student Leadership Conference brings current and prospective college students into the conversation with opportunities to learn useful tools for the transition to college life, expand their skills as student advocates and leaders, and meet peers from across the country.

2026 Conference Theme:

Changing Systems, Changing Lives

2026 Conference Information

2026 Registration Information

Early bird registration pricing ends September 1, 2026. For planning purposes please register no later than October 16, 2026.

ATTENTION PRESENTERS! Please use the SAME EMAIL TO REGISTER that you used to submit your proposal.

GENERAL SOTA AND SLC REGISTRATION

TPSID PROJECT DIRECTORS REGISTER HERE

SOTA General Attendee: $650 (early bird rate of $600 until Sept. 1)
SOTA Proposal Reviewer/IPSE Assn Member Discount Ticket: $600 (early bird rate $550 until Sept. 1)
Student Leadership Conference/Self Advocate Ticket: $125
SOTA Family Member: $450
SOTA Graduate Student Rate: $150
College Fair Exhibitor Ticket (Oct. 27): $100
TPSID Project Directors Meeting (Oct. 26) Ticket: $300

SELECTING THE RIGHT TICKET OPTION:

SOTA Attendee Ticket: For presenters, IPSE professionals (academics, researchers, program administrators).
SOTA Proposal Reviewer/IPSE Assn Member Discount Ticket: This is a discounted ticket for SOTA proposal reviewers and IPSE Association Members.
Student Leadership Conference/Self-Advocate Ticket: Current/future/past IPSE students or self-advocates attending SLC, OR Self-Advocates attending SOTA
SOTA Family Member Ticket: Typically for family members of current/future/past IPSE students, or self-advocates
Graduate Student Ticket: For current graduate students only.
College Fair Exhibitor Ticket: For Inclusive Higher Education programs from accredited colleges or universities that would like to table at the Inclusive College Fair. Those who plan to attend conference sessions should also select the SOTA Attendee ticket option.
TPSID Project Directors Meeting Ticket: The TPSID Project Directors meeting is a full-day program on Monday, October 26, 2026, for current TPSID grant holders. This ticket includes access to your choice of pre-conference session (options list below) and a $50 discount on the “SOTA Attendee Ticket.”

PRE-CONFERENCE SESSION TICKETS

This year, the IPSE Association is offering three pre-conference sessions on the morning of October 27, 2026 from 9:30am – 12:30pm. You will see these as ticket options when registering. Here are the session options and prices:

IPSE 101 for New Program Staff ($100)
IPSE 101 for Family Members ($25)
Hot Topics in the IPSE Field ($100)

SOTA AND SLC SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

The SOTA Conference and the Student Leadership Conference have limited scholarship funds to assist with registration costs and travel stipends (up to $500 per recipient) for as many people as these funds can serve. To apply, please complete and submit the form below during the noted application period. All applicants will be notified of their award status by mid-August. For questions on the process, please contact coordinator@sotaconference.com.

Scholarship Application Submission Period: April 6, 2026 – July 17, 2026

Scholarship Notification: Mid-August, 2026

Scholarship Application Form

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2026 CONFERENCE TIMELINE

Monday, October 26:
TPSID Project Director’s Meeting, 8am – 5pm
(For TPSID PD’s only, breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack provided.)

Tuesday, October 27:
ISPE Association Pre-Conference Sessions, 9:30am – 12:30pm
SOTA Conference Begins, 2pm – 5pm
Inclusive College Fair at UC Davis, 5:30 – 7:30pm

Wednesday, October 28:
Full day of sessions, 8:30am – 5:30, breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack provided
SOTA Reception at Cafeteria, (evening, exact times tbd)

Thursday, October 29:
Full day of sessions, 8:30am – 4pm, breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack provided

Executive Planning Committee

The members of our Executive Planning Committee oversee conference planning, agenda structure, keynote selection and leadership award application review.

Dr. L. Danielle “Danie” Roberts-Dahm, Program Director Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston
Dr. Katie Ducett, Assistant Professor, SUNY Cortland
Dr. Anna (Anya) Evmenova, Division of Special Education and disAbility Research, George Mason University
Elizabeth Foraker, Director, UC Davis Redwood SEED (Supported Education to Elevate Diversity) Scholars Program
Karly Grifasi, Associate Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives, Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education at Syracuse University
Morgan Jacobs, Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education
Linn Jorgenson, Director of Disability Services at George Mason University
Kenneth Kelty, Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Noah Miller, George Mason University
Dr. Beth Myers, Executive Director of the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education at Syracuse University
Dr. Clare Papay, Senior Research Associate/Project Manager at Think College at the Institute for Community Inclusion, UMass Boston
Dr. Misty Parsley, Executive Director of the Office of Accessibility and Learning Supports, Lipscomb University and President, IPSE Association
Denise Rozell, Director of Policy Innovation at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Kristin Sheehan, Conference Coordinator, Sheehan Communications
Stephanie Smith Lee, Past Chair of the Think College Accreditation Workgroup, Policy & Advocacy Co-Director, National Down Syndrome Congress
Rebekah Wallis, Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education
K. Ryan Wennerlind, University of North Carolina Wilmington