2026 Utah Rural Schools Conference: Full Schedule

Welcome to URSA 2026 at Southern Utah University! All sessions will be in buildings on the upper campus (east end). Here’s the Campus Map (PDF) if needed.

9:45am MDT

Facilitating Career and Technical Education Pathways for Students with Disabilities in Utah

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT

CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level)

Join us as we explore insights from Utah educators on facilitating Career and Technical Education (CTE) participation for students with disabilities. Dive into the results of a comprehensive research study analyzing interviews and data from educators and administrators in Utah schools. As part of an ongoing research-practice partnership with the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), the Utah Education Policy Center (UEPC) conducted a study of facilitators and barriers to the representation of students with disabilities in CTE. The study sought to understand how facilitators and barriers differed among Local Education Agencies (LEAs). The findings and recommendations complement the USBE’s 2024-2029 Strategic Plan for Utah’s Secondary Career and Technical Education, which outlines the goals of Awareness and Outreach, Industry Alignment, Postsecondary Alignment, and Durable Skills. In addition, this research supports an understanding of how LEAs are ensuring students with disabilities are aware of and have access to educational opportunities, including those that prepare them for employment or career preparation (USBE Special Education Rules, 2023).

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Any of these

Speakers

Crystal Emery

Post-secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities, USBE

Crystal Emery is a secondary transition professional with over 25 years of experience working with young children and adolescents. She is certified as an early intervention specialist, a Coach for Early Childhood Professionals, an Employment Specialist, and a Customized Employment... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 10:45am MDT
CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level Middle School / Jr. High - grades 6 - 8, High School - grades 9 - 12
Audience Teachers, Counselors or School-based Mental / Behavioral Health Professionals
Subject Area Career and Technical Education, Special Education

9:45am MDT

Printable Potential: Using 3D Printing in the Classroom

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 12:10pm MDT

GC 201 - General Classroom Building, Room 201

💻 Format Alert: This is an extended, 2-hour hands-on session—please bring your own laptop or tablet to fully participate!

This 2-hour session will focus on basic 3D modeling and how to incorporate 3D printing in the classroom. Attendees will walk away with curated lists of 3D prints that align to standards, plug-and-play Canvas modules developed by University of Utah students, and a brand new 3D printer!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Mac Laptop; Windows Laptop; Chromebook

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Becca Robison

Innovation Hub Manager, Utah STEM Action Center

Becca Robison is a dedicated educator and leader passionate about cultivating the next generation of innovators through high-quality, maker-focused STEM education. Becca currently serves as the Innovation Hub Manager a the Utah STEM Action Center developing best practices for maker... Read More →

Thursday July 16, 2026 9:45am - 12:10pm MDT
GC 201 - General Classroom Building, Room 201 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Educational Technology - including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 2 hour BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Hands-On-Activities
Grade Level All Grade Levels
Audience Teachers, Library Media Specialists
Subject Area STEM / STEAM, Career and Technical Education

11:10am MDT

Portrait of Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities: A Roadmap for Educators, Students, and Families

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level)

There are a myriad of resources identifying best practice in secondary transition for students with disabilities. It can be challenging for practitioners, students, and families to visualize and implement these resources in a meaningful way. Additional resources are needed to help stakeholders identify meaningful opportunities, experiences, services, and supports to implement the postsecondary transition planning process with compliance and high quality. Utah's Portrait of a Graduate defines 13 competency areas essential for success in adult life. Utah’s Statewide Collaborative on Improving Postsecondary Transition Outcomes for Students with Disabilities (STC) recognized that students with disabilities often need additional support and services to achieve these same competencies as their peers without disabilities. Over the past year and a half, the STC has gathered insights on best practices, identified necessary skills for postsecondary success, and learned from the experiences of youth with disabilities. The result? The Portrait of Secondary Transition (POST) as a companion to the Portrait of a Graduate. This has been a long-term, multi-agency, collaborative process designed to affect whole-system change in how we serve young people with disabilities as we help them prepare for life as adults.This session will share our journey, lessons learned and inspire you to build on this work in your own setting. Don't miss this opportunity to explore our multi-tiered model and discover practical strategies to support young people with disabilities as they prepare for life as adults. Let's make a difference together!

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: None

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: None

Speakers

Crystal Emery

Post-secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities, USBE

Thursday July 16, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
CC Yankee Meadows - R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center, Yankee Meadows Room (100 Level) 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.

Session Format 1 hour traditional lecture/audience participation
Grade Level Middle School / Jr. High - grades 6 - 8, High School - grades 9 - 12
Audience Teachers, Counselors or School-based Mental / Behavioral Health Professionals
Subject Area Special Education, Career and Technical Education

11:10am MDT

Partnership Power: Expanding Classroom Horizons with Division of Arts & Museums

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT

GC 109 - General Classroom Building, Room 109

The Utah Division of Arts & Museums is your state agency dedicated to advancing Utahns’ quality of life through arts and museum experiences and cultural opportunities.

We offer a wide array of programs and resources to support schools and educators across the state. We can help provide arts learning opportunities that align with learning objectives and standards, support multilingual learners, integrate with STEM subjects and other courses across the curriculum, and contribute to growth and professional development for learners of all ages with unique opportunities for educators and school administrators.

Join us to learn more about opportunities like our Living Folk Arts Education Series which can bring hands-on art experiences from working artists directly to your students at no cost. Or our Teaching Artist Rosters which can connect you with skilled artists from almost any discipline that can work with your school to design exciting learning opportunities. Our Teacher-Initiated Projects program offers one-on-one arts training directly to teachers who just want to learn a new skill. And that’s just to name a few.

We are here to introduce these programs and help you find ways to put them to work in schools and communities like yours.

Participants MUST HAVE one of the following platforms/devices in order to participate in this session: Not Applicable

Participants MAY FIND IT USEFUL to have one or more of the following platforms/devices during this session: Not Applicable

Speakers

Reilly Jensen

Arts Education Program Manager, Utah Division of Arts and Museums

Reilly is an arts educator, teaching artist, and archaeologist with a focus on community and heritage collaboration. She holds an M.F.A. in Community-Based Arts Education from the University of Utah, an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies, and a B.S. in Anthropology. Her research explores... Read More →

Justin Ivie

Arts Education Coordinator, Utah Division of Arts & Museums

Justin Ivie is an accomplished theatre artist and a familiar face on Utah stages with hundreds of acting credits at companies all around the state. He is also a director, stage manager and theatrical designer.

Justin has been with the Utah Division of Arts & Museums since 2022 whe... Read More →

Friday July 17, 2026 11:10am - 12:10pm MDT
GC 109 - General Classroom Building, Room 109 351 W. University Blvd., Cedar City, UT 84720

Other, Beginner - limited to no experience; no prerequisite skills required.