63rd Annual AECA Conference

Start
10/08/2025
7:30 AM
End
10/10/2025
3:00 PM
Location
2 Riverfront Place, North Little Rock, AR
Spaces left
68

Registration

EXHIBITOR ONLY
For vendors who have paid their exhibitor fees but will not be attending any conference sessions
Member 1 Day Only - Early Bird – $105.00
From 3/17/25 through 6/15/25, members may register to attend one day of the conference for $105.
Member 1 Day Only - Late/Onsite – $145.00
After 8/31/25, members may register to attend one day of the conference for $145.
Member 1 Day Only - Regular – $120.00
From 6/16/25 through 8/31/25, members may register to attend one day of the conference for $120.
Member Full Conference - Early Bird – $180.00
From 3/17/25 through 6/15/25, members can register for the full conference for a special early bird rate of $180.
Member Full Conference - Late/Onsite – $210.00
After 8/31/25, members may register to attend the full conference for $210.
Member Full Conference - Regular – $195.00
From 6/16/25 through 8/31/25, members may register to attend the full conference for $195.
Mentor - Full Conference – $180.00
TEACH Mentors may register for the conference using this ticket if your organization is not covering registration.
Mentor - One Day – $100.00
TEACH Mentors may register for one day of the conference using this ticket if your organization is not covering registration.
Non-Member 1 Day Only - Early Bird – $145.00
From 3/17/25 through 6/15/25, non-members may register to attend one day of the conference for $145.

Only choose this option if you are *not* an AECA Member.
Non-Member 1 Day Only - Late/Onsite – $185.00
After 8/31/25, non-members may register to attend one day of the conference for $185.

Only choose this option if you are *not* a member of AECA.
Non-Member 1 Day Only - Regular – $160.00
From 6/16/25 through 8/31/25, non-members may register to attend one day of the conference for $160.

Only choose this option if you are *not* an AECA Member.
Non-Member Full Conference - Early Bird – $220.00
From 3/17/25 through 6/15/25, non-members may register to attend the full conference for a limited time special early bird price of $220.

Use this registration ONLY if you are *NOT* an AECA member.
Non-Member Full Conference - Late/Onsite – $250.00
After 8/31/25, non-members may register to attend the full conference for $250.

Only choose this option if you are *not* a member of AECA.
Non-Member Full Conference - Regular – $235.00
From 6/16/25-8/31/25, non-members may register to attend the full conference for $235.

Only choose this option if you are *not* an AECA Member.
PRESENTER ONLY (not attending sessions)
This is for presenters who are not attending any conference sessions.
Session Lead Presenter - Full Conference – $95.00
This is a special rate for lead presenters who have submitted accepted proposals.

**LEAD PRESENTERS ONLY**
Staff and Conference Committee
Student (non-TEACH) 1 Day Only - Early Bird – $80.00
From 3/17/25 through 6/15/25, student members may register to attend one day of the conference for $80.
Student (non-TEACH) 1 Day Only - Late/Onsite – $110.00
After 8/31/25, student members may register to attend one day of the conference for $110.
Student (non-TEACH) 1 Day Only - Regular – $95.00
From 6/16/25 through 8/31/25, student members may register to attend one day of the conference for $95.
Student (non-TEACH) Full Conference - Early Bird – $100.00
From 3/17/25-6/15/25, student members may register to attend the full conference for $100.
Student (non-TEACH) Full Conference - Late/Onsite – $120.00
After 8/31/25, student members may register to attend the full conference for $120.
Student (non-TEACH) Full Conference - Regular – $110.00
From 6/16/25-8/31/25, student members may register to attend the full conference for $110.
TEACH Director - Full Conference – $180.00
Directors of TEACH Scholars may register for the full conference until 8/31/25 and TEACH will discount the registration fee by 50%.
TEACH Director - One Day – $105.00
Until 8/31/25, directors of TEACH Scholars may register for one day of the conference and TEACH will discount the registration fee by 50%.
TEACH Scholar - Full Conference – $100.00
TEACH Scholars may register for the full conference and TEACH Early Childhood will cover the registration fee.
TEACH Scholar - One Day Only – $80.00
TEACH Scholars may register for the conference and TEACH Early Childhood will cover the registration fee.

We want to see you at the

63rd Annual AECA Conference

on October 8-10, 2025!

This year's conference will focus on the five areas of AECA's mission--develop, contribute, encourage, improve, and provide--and explore them through the lens of working together as we advocate for best practices with young children and positive opportunities and outcomes for early childhood professionals. We want to unite the field through common goals to provide the highest quality care for children, to support families, and to develop professionals. In other words, we want to put our passion into practice!

The 2025 conference will be held at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock, AR. Based on your feedback from last year, this year's conference is going to look a little different.

CLICK BELOW TO SEE A COPY OF THE PROGRAM:
AECA 2025 Program FINALReduced.pdf

There will be no Saturday sessions. Participants may check in and pick up their conference bags beginning at 2:30 pm on Tuesday, October 7. The Exhibit Hall and Silent Auction will officially open on Wednesday, October 8 at 9:30 and the first interest session will begin at 10:30. The last interest session will end on Friday at 2:45 pm. Full conference registration gives you access to the entire conference. Registration on or after September 1 does NOT include a T-shirt but you may purchase one at the conference.

Attendees will be able to choose from a variety of interest sessions and tracks. Our awesome exhibit hall will open on Wednesday with all your favorite vendors. Don't forget to pick up some amazing items at this year's silent auction. We are so excited about this year's keynote speakers.

On Thursday, we will welcome Derek Clark

to our conference.

Derek Clark is a motivational speaker, author, and musician who inspires others with his story of resilience. After spending 13 years in the California foster care system, enduring abuse and abandonment, Derek overcame significant challenges, including a misdiagnosis and violent tendencies. He now shares his message of hope, perseverance, and personal growth, helping others recognize their strength and overcome adversity. Through his books, keynotes, and music, Derek encourages people to take responsibility for their lives and never give up, regardless of their past.

Our General Session on Friday will feature Stan Tucker.

Tucker is known to students as the smiling, encouraging “Stan the Man” who they greet with high fives and hugs as he visits schools in metro Atlanta and elsewhere. He is writing his life story, one that involves helping children love reading and writing. It’s a story still being revised as he goes along. Tucker graduated from Kennesaw State in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the Bagwell College of Education. Tucker has long been inspired to be a mentor to children, just as relatives and community members stepped up to mentor him after his father died when he was just 8 years old. He saw teaching as the best way to achieve that goal. But by 2016, he revised his story when he turned an idea to visit schools and give away books into Leap for Literacy.

T-Shirts: If you registered before 9/1, your registration includes a free T-shirt. If you register on 9/1 or after, you will need to purchase a T-shirt separately at the conference for $15.

Hotel Reservations: The Wyndham Riverfront is currently full. Please check downtown hotels in the Little Rock area for alternate accommodations.

Session Tracks: This year's conference will feature several interest tracks. We look forward to sharing the details of those tracks soon.

Annual Business Meeting: AECA will hold its annual business meeting on Friday, Oct. 10 during the general session before the morning keynote.

AECA Memberships: If you need to join or renew your membership, you should do that BEFORE registering. (If your membership has expired or is unpaid for the current year, the system will not allow you to register for conference at the member rate.) Remember it is less expensive to join and attend the conference as a member than to register as a non-member. For $39, you will receive a year’s membership in AECA and the Southern Early Childhood Association. Join or renew then come back to this site to register.

Refunds: Refunds will be available for cancellations through August 31, 2025 minus a $25 processing fee. NO REFUNDS WILL BE ISSUED ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 1, 2025. AECA is not responsible for hotel or travel expenses should cancellation be necessary.