Annual Meeting Site Selection Procedures

AACTE considers many factors in determining its future locations for the Annual Meeting, which brings together over 2,000 individuals in the educator preparation field each year. These factors include but are not limited to geographic and cultural diversity, attendee cost, available meeting space, and social justice considerations.

The following priorities guide Annual Meeting site selection:

Location

1. Selection of a site 4-5 years in advance.
2. Rotation among U.S. regions, with at least one western region destination every five years.
3. Urban destination with accessible airlift, affordable airfare, and local travel infrastructure.
4. Available dates that coincide with AACTE’s preferred time frame of late February or early March.
5. Favorable antidiscrimination and accessibility policies, including those related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, physical ability, health conditions, socioeconomic status, and marital, domestic, or parental status.
6. Presence of AACTE members in the vicinity of the destination.

Facilities/Space

1. Adequate amount of meeting rooms, exhibit areas, and other space to meet the Annual Meeting’s needs.
2. Accessibility of facilities/space.
3. Compact Annual Meeting footprint.
4. Proximity of hotel partners.
5. Transportation logistics and cost.
6. Sizeable block of rooms available at primary hotels.

Cost/Affordability

1. Guest room rates.
2. Complimentary facilities or services provided.
3. Rental rates for facilities.
4. Food and beverage expenditure requirements.
5. Labor expenses.
6. Audio/visual rental costs.
7. Incentives offered by either the destination or its subsidiary partners.