ACSA’s Negotiators’ Symposium is back to help prepare negotiating teams for what to expect during bargaining.

After holding the Personnel & Negotiations Symposium for the last two years, ACSA has reinstated the Negotiators’ Symposium as a standalone conference based on feedback from attendees.

This year’s theme, “Building Bridges Through Negotiations: Shaping Tomorrow Together,” focuses entirely on negotiations. Attendees will explore the latest employment laws, policies, and emerging trends impacting school districts while gaining actionable insights on strategy, compliance, and collaboration. The symposium fosters a highly interactive environment where colleagues can share best practices, strengthen relationships, and develop effective approaches to labor relations.

Timed to coincide with the release of the governor’s January budget proposal, the Negotiators’ Symposium will have the latest info on COLAs and state funding that will impact bargaining. The conference will also give participants a snapshot of what is being discussed at the negotiations tables around the state, which assists in preparing districts for their own negotiations.

Heres just some of what you’ll find at this year’s conference.

Law and policy updates: In-depth briefings on federal and state employment statutes including ADA, FMLA, Title IX, and labor relations board rulings.

Focus on student success: Aligning negotiation outcomes with broader goals for school change, equity, and academic achievement.

Expert-led sessions: Insights from labor attorneys and HR consultants on recent court decisions, legislative updates, and common compliance pitfalls.

Networking forums: Structured roundtables and peer-to-peer discussions for exchanging district-tested approaches and innovative HR practices.

Strategic tools: Practical templates, checklists, and negotiation frameworks to implement immediately upon return to your district.

Interactive workshops: Hands-on exercises and role-play scenarios to sharpen collective bargaining and conflict-resolution skills.

Negotiators’ Symposium is particularly useful when multiple district representatives involved with negotiations attend, which can include board members, superintendents and administrators with expertise in HR, personnel, curriculum, finance and public relations.

Call for proposals ACSA is seeking presenters for breakout sessions. If you have insights, strategies, or success stories to share, we invite you to submit a proposal to present at the 2026 Negotiators’ Symposium. Sessions will take place January 15–16 and may cover topics such as interest-based bargaining, contract language, layoffs, or other relevant negotiation topics. Proposals are due Friday, Nov. 7. Visit bit.ly/NegotiatorsCFP26 to submit your proposal.

2026 Negotiator of the Year ACSA is accepting nominations for the 2026 Negotiator of the Year, which will be presented during the Symposium. This recognition is awarded by the ACSA Council of Human Resources Leaders to a person serving as chief negotiator for a school district or county office as a full-time employee of that district.

Nominees must be a member of ACSA. The nomination must be submitted by the superintendent, district negotiating team members, and/or current human resources council members.

For more information on selection criteria and to fill out the nomination form, visit www.acsa.org/negotiatoraward. Nominations are due by Oct. 31, 2025.