Students First Summit
The Students First Summit will gather nonpublic school leaders in Des Moines to continue our collective effort to implement the Students First legislation passed in 2023. We are excited to go deeper into the implementation process, focusing on innovative ways to promote our schools and provide accessibility for families who desire to find a school that aligns with their values. There will also be a component that will focus on special education that you won’t want to miss!
Sponsored by CACE, Stand Together, EdChoice, Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education (Iowa ACE), Iowa Association of Christian Schools (IACS), Iowa Catholic Conference (ICC).
Registration & Schedule
The summit will begin on Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 5:30 in the evening with registration and our keynote speaker. The event will conclude on Friday, April 19, 2024 at 2:15 in the afternoon. A more detailed schedule of events will be made available closer to the time of the summit.
Registration is open till Monday, April 15, 2024 at 11:30 p.m.
Hotel & Venue
The summit will be hosted at the Iowa Event Center, in Des Moines, Iowa.
You may secure a group rate from the near by Hilton Des Moines Downtown at the link below. There is limited availability, and this rate will only be available until Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
Hilton – Students First Summit Group Rate
Event Organizers
Stand Together
Stand Together is a philanthropic community. We help America’s boldest change makers tackle the root causes of our country’s biggest problems. Stand Together’s vision is for a society where every person can realize their potential and live a life of meaning. That is the North Star that guides everything we do.
EdChoice
EdChoice is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to understanding and pursuing a K–12 education system that empowers every family to choose the schooling environment that fits their children’s needs best. The EdChoice mission is to advance educational freedom and choice for all as a pathway to successful lives and a stronger society.
Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education
Iowa Alliance for Choice in Education (Iowa ACE) is the voice for school choice in the state of Iowa. We are a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to expanding school choice options in Iowa for the benefit of Iowa’s children.
Iowa Association of Christian Schools
The Iowa Association of Christian Schools (IACS) is the public policy voice of Iowa’s Protestant, Christ-centered schools. Our mission: “Strengthening, Growing, and Advocating for Christian Schools in Iowa.”
Iowa Catholic Conference
The Iowa Catholic Conference (ICC) is the official public policy voice of the bishops of Iowa. At the state legislature we advocate for policies that respect the life and dignity of the human person, and apply the principles of Catholic social teaching to critical issues of the day.
CACE
The Center for the Advancement of Christian Education (CACE) is a vision of the Sid & Carol Verdoorn Foundation, Dordt University, and Christian school thought leaders from around the world. Our reason for being is to walk alongside Christian schools who are committed to teaching from a Biblical perspective. We exist for the sustainability, improvement, innovation, advocacy, and promotion of Christian education at all levels of learning.