The 58th Biennial National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Conference will take place June 30–July 5, 2026, at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square in San Francisco, CA. The 11th National Deaf Education Conference (NDEC) is presented as part of the NAD Education Section’s work within the official NAD conference framework.  This effort reflects coordinated leadership between the NAD Board, the NAD Education Section, and the NAD Education Policy unit to ensure alignment with NAD’s mission, governance, and national priorities.

#NAD2026 brings together teachers of the deaf, early intervention providers, school administrators, teacher preparation faculty, researchers, and education policymakers in one national forum focused on strengthening language access and improving long-term outcomes for Deaf and hard of hearing students.

As the conference convenes in San Francisco, we especially invite members of CAL-ED and the broader California education community to participate. California educators and policy leaders play a vital role in advancing innovative models of Deaf education, and #NAD2026 provides a timely opportunity to connect state-level leadership and practice with national dialogue.

Attendees will engage directly with Deaf leaders, advocates, policymakers, and innovators shaping conversations across civil rights, technology, workforce development, and public policy. The conference includes a dedicated education strand addressing language acquisition, educational placement, bilingual instructional models, literacy development, civil rights enforcement, and systemic reform. Programming is designed to bridge classroom practice with policy — connecting daily instructional decisions to NAD’s broader advocacy in language rights, accountability, and educational equity.

The NAD is currently soliciting workshop proposals across 10 conference tracks, including dedicated education strands (deadline: March 15, 2026). Educators are strongly encouraged to submit proposals that elevate effective practices, research insights, and lessons from the field. This is an opportunity to contribute to a national dialogue shaping the future of Deaf education within the NAD framework.

#NAD2026 Registration Options

• Individual combo or a la carte ticket options are available.
• Access to workshops and exhibits is available at a flat a la carte rate of $100 for the duration of the conference.
• Note: conference registration requires individual NAD membership:
  • $40 regular membership
  • $25 senior membership (age 50+)
• Full details on registration, schedule, exhibits, hotel, and more are available at: www.nad.org/sf26

For general questions, please contact [email protected]. 

We look forward to welcoming educators to #NAD2026 in San Francisco — where the 58th Biennial NAD Conference incorporates the 11th National Deaf Education Conference as part of NAD’s unified national convening to advance the future of Deaf education.