Home - CSTA 2026 Annual Conference

We’re intentionally making the CSTA 2026 Annual Conference a smaller, exclusive gathering to deliver a one-of-a-kind professional development experience rooted in the spirit of New Orleans. Together with 1,000 CS educators from across the globe, you’ll enjoy more engaging connections and focused learning in a city known for its celebration, hospitality, and sense of community. Don’t miss your chance to connect with fellow CS educators, allies, and our CSTA partners while soaking in the energy of the Big Easy.

Choose from countless sessions across multiple tracks to build a schedule that aligns with your goals and fuels your professional journey.

Specialized Tracks: Explore cutting-edge topics and practices, led by CSTA teacher leaders. Dive into sessions on AI with our Responsible AI Fellows, equitable teaching practices with our IMPACT Fellows, and the revised CSTA Standards.
New Teacher Support: We’re committed to supporting the next generation of CS educators. CSTA 2026 offers a comprehensive program for pre-service and beginning teachers, providing the tools, mentorship, and community connections they need to thrive. Are you a Louisiana teacher? We’re here to support you as you begin or continue your CS journey and prepare your students for their new graduation requirements.
Developing Teacher Leaders: We’ll have dedicated content for administrators, state supervisors, and CSTA volunteers, all designed to empower you to lead beyond your classroom.

With a more connected setting, you’ll have countless opportunities to build meaningful relationships with fellow educators, administrators, and advocates. Explore our vibrant exhibit hall, where you’ll discover innovative tools and resources to bring back home. Catch our soon-to-be-announced keynote speakers, who will inspire you with their powerful messages, and dive into hands-on sessions so you can leave with ready-to-implement lessons. When the day winds down, don’t miss the welcome reception, where you’ll feel truly celebrated as part of the CSTA community.

Two New Orleanians. Two very different roads into technology. One shared belief: that closing the digital divide starts in the classroom. In this paired keynote, a McDonogh 35 CS educator and the City of New Orleans' Chief Information Officer trace the line from historical legacy to modern civic impact — including the co-teaching partnership that connected a high school classroom to a city's entire technology infrastructure. Their fireside chat gets real about what it actually takes to build a more equitable digital future, one student and one system at a time.

As youth adoption of AI accelerates at a pace comparable to the rise of social media, AI-powered tools are becoming increasingly embedded in their daily life. These technologies offer powerful new capabilities and personalized experiences, but they also introduce challenges that require thoughtful and responsible use. Growing concerns include the impact of cognitive offloading on student learning and the tendency of AI-generated responses to create a false sense of expertise, potentially undermining students’ confidence in their own ideas and abilities. As students encounter AI both in school and in their personal lives, they need the knowledge and skills to use these tools effectively, ethically, and responsibly. Educators across all subject areas must become AI-literate—not only to enhance teaching and learning, but also to guide students in navigating an AI-driven world. Computer science teachers are seen as experts and valued resources for their students and colleagues.

In an era when artificial intelligence shapes nearly every aspect of our lives, it’s not enough for students to simply use AI — they must understand how it works. Responsible, informed engagement with AI requires a strong foundation in computer science. All students, in every community, deserve to be confident creators and informed citizens in a world powered by computing.

The newly revised CSTA PK–12 Computer Science Standards respond to this reality, redefining what every student should know and be able to do to thrive in a world increasingly powered by computing. Developed through an equity-centered, community-driven, and research-informed process, the standards integrate AI concepts across all grade levels, highlight human-centered design and ethics, and introduce new pillars and dispositions that reflect the skills and mindsets today’s learners need.

Join members of the writing team, advisory board, and partners as they unveil the vision, research, and priorities behind this landmark revision — and explore how it sets the course for the next generation of CS education.