Canadian Assessment Conference
Spring 2026
Vancouver, BC | April 9-10, 2026
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Built by Canadians, for Canadians, leading the movement to transform assessment into the heart of teaching and learning.
Save Your Seat TodayWhy this Conference? Why Now?
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Assessment is the heartbeat of great teaching. Yet too often, outdated grading systems distort the truth, erode student confidence, and exhaust teachers.
And the stakes have never been higher. Political tensions, economic shifts, and global pressures remind us daily that our future cannot depend on others. If we cling to outdated systems imported from elsewhere, we risk undermining our students’ confidence and potential.
That’s why the Canadian Assessment Conference exists, to chart a different path. Together, we can build assessment practices that put clarity, accuracy, and student confidence first.
At this event, you will:
↳ Experience excellence in practice with research-aligned strategies that are relevant and actionable.
↳ Learn how to put student confidence first by adopting approaches that uplift, not diminish.
↳ Seek truth through accuracy by building systems that give a trustworthy picture of learning.
↳ Harness clarity as power to simplify assessment so every student and educator knows the path forward.
This is about more than grades. It’s about who we are as a nation, and who we choose to become.
Meet Your Speakers
Our lineup isn’t open-mic. Every speaker was hand-selected because they have receipts: real results leading assessment and grading transformation in classrooms, schools, and districts across Canada and beyond.
This isn’t a series of hobby talks or professorial lectures. It’s a carefully curated group of leaders who have proven, again and again, that modern assessment practices work in multiple contexts and they’re here to show you how.
Tom Schimmer
Keynote Speaker
Tom Schimmer is a global leader in assessment reform, partnering with schools in more than 25 countries to transform grading practices. Author of 11 books, including Grading from the Inside Out, Tom is known for turning complex research into practical strategies educators can use immediately.
Natalie Vardabasso
Keynote speaker
Natalie Vardabasso is the author of Rehumanizing Assessment and founder of the Empowerment Ecosystem, a community that helps leaders spark grassroots assessment revolutions. She’s also known as the voice behind Assess That and #EduCrush, where she amplifies educators driving real change.
Karley Alleyn
Karley Alleyn is a teacher and consultant whose research on assessment identity helps educators uncover the beliefs that shape their practice so that they can write a new narrative. She is the creator of the Assessment Accelerator, a mentorship program that drives identity-based change and support teachers in implementing competency-based assessment in their classrooms.
Josh Ogilvie
Josh Ogilvie is a dynamic educator, speaker, and assessment leader who specializes in transforming how Physical & Health Education (PHE) teachers think about assessment and grading. He serves as President of PHEinBC and has developed evidence-based resources and professional learning that uplift students through clarity and integrity in grading practices.
Danielle Paloposki
Danielle Paloposki is a veteran educator, former Director of Teaching & Learning, and current consultant who helps schools shift toward purpose-driven, student-centered assessment systems. She has been deeply involved in implementing proficiency scales and standards-based grading in high schools, aligning assessment philosophy with provincial policy to put learners at the center.
What to Expect:
Two days designed to move you from inspiration to implementation.
Day 1
7:30-8:30: Registration & Breakfast
8:30-8:45: Welcome & Opening Remarks
8:45-10:00: Opening Keynote
10:00-10:15:Â Transition Break
10:15-11:30: Breakout Session #1
11:30-1:00: Lunch (On Your Own)
1:00-1:45:Â Plenary Guided Network Activity
1:45-2:00:Â Transition Break
2:00-3:15: Breakout Session #2
Day 2
7:30-8:30: Registration & Breakfast
8:30-10:00:Â Breakout Session #3
10:00-10:15: Transition Break
10:15-11:30: Breakout Session #4
11:30-1:00: Lunch (On Your Own)
1:00-1:45:Â Plenary Guided Network Activity
1:45-2:00:Â Closing Remarks & Door Prizes
2:00-3:15: Breakout Session #2
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Rooted in Canada.
Built for Impact.Â
We’re proud to host the inaugural Canadian Assessment Conference in Vancouver, BC, a city that mirrors our values of innovation, beauty, and connection.
This isn’t just another conference. It’s a gathering of educators committed to making assessment foundational to learning, not an afterthought.
The event will take place at the Executive Hotel Vancouver Airport in Richmond, just minutes from YVR and a short skytrain ride into downtown Vancouver. The venue offers modern meeting spaces, on-site amenities, and easy access to dining, shopping, and the stunning West Coast.
We’ve secured a block of rooms for conference attendees at a preferred rate. Rooms are limited; book early to guarantee your stay.
Bring your colleagues and turn the conference into a shared learning retreat. Our group discount makes it easy for entire schools and districts to attend together.
Reserve Your Room NowInvest in Transformation
Your registration gives you more than access, it gives you momentum.
What’s Included:
✔︎ 2 full days of keynotes, workshops & networking
✔︎ Full breakfast, coffee and tea at breaks (extended lunch on your own offsite)
✔︎ Access to all conference materials & digital resources
✔︎ Connection with a growing network of Canadian assessment leaders
✔︎ Certificate of participation for PD records
The Impact of Modernized Assessment:
Kyle Webb (Regina Catholic)
"Not only was my own thinking challenged around assessment practices, but I was also given tools to engage in the difficult but necessary conversations needed to begin moving assessment practices forward in our school division. Our school division is finally having deeper conversations about assessment practices and starting the important work of realigning those practices in ways that best serve all learners."
Danelle Almaraz (Systems Coach & Consultant)
"This was a transformative experience for me. We were provided with a number of practical tools and strategies that we could use to change assessment practices in the education system. I left feeling empowered and confident in my ability to lead positive changes with the educators I work with."
Lynnette Earle (SD 33 - Chilliwack, BC)
"I never could have imagined the personal growth I have embodied, the people I have met, nor the opportunities that I can foresee in education. The most tangible result for me is the deep sense of transformation in myself as an educator, as a leader, as a change maker!"
Teacher (British Columbia)
"Fantastic with usable examples. One of the most useful PD opportunities I have attended.”
District Leader (British Columbia)
"We really appreciated the humour, confidence, and how you presented complex ideas in ways that are easy to grasp. Thank you! We’re hoping to do a series with you in the future!”
This is the unmistakable value of CAC’s approach; lasting change that energizes and equips educators.
Got Questions?
Who should attend?
Will sessions be recorded?
Will this be happening again?
Do you offer onsite PD?
Is this for teachers or leaders?
Join the Movement to Transform Assessment
Don’t just attend another PD event, become part of Canada’s growing community of educators who believe that assessment is the key to student success.
Register Now