ACTFL Convention & Expo FAQ

Commonly Asked Questions About Convention

The ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo is globally recognized as the most comprehensive professional development event for language educators in the United States, providing impactful learning opportunities for education professionals of all languages and at all levels of instruction. From live educational sessions and an interactive exhibit hall, to electronic posters, inspiring keynote addresses, networking opportunities, and more, the ACTFL Convention has the resources that educators and their leaners need to thrive!

Q: Where will ACTFL 2025 be held, and how can I register?

A: The 2025 ACTFL Convention will be held from Friday, November 21 through Sunday, November 23, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Prospective attendees can review registration details (including the cancellation policy, special needs support, and professional development units) on the ACTFL website, and register online or by calling (508) 743-8561.

Q: How does ACTFL use income from the ACTFL Convention & Expo?

A: As a non-profit organization, ACTFL reinvests the net income from dues, business activities, and events like the Convention directly into the association to provide ongoing support to teachers of all languages. ACTFL exists solely to serve our mission to provide vision, leadership and support for quality teaching and learning of languages.

Q: How does ACTFL determine registration rates for the Convention?

A: ACTFL prioritizes keeping Convention registration rates as low as possible for attendees and presenters so that worldclass professional development opportunities remain accessible to as many language educators as possible.

For this reason, registration rates have increased at a slower pace than the cost of hosting the event. While costs have continued to rise steeply to match inflation in the economy, we have found solutions to limit the direct impact of these costs on our attendees while providing the same high-quality event year over year. Because revenue generated by registration does not fully cover the Convention’s overall cost per attendee, the difference is supplemented by exhibitor revenue.

Q: How does the cost of the Convention compare to other comparable events?

A: Starting at only $370 for early-bird members, when compared to other national and international teachers’ conferences of similar size, the ACTFL Convention remains one of the most reasonably priced professional learning opportunities available.

Registration Rates of Comparable Conferences in 2025

American Educational Research Association (AREA) – $340
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) – $695
The Association of Two-Way & Dual Language Education (ATDLE) – $675
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) – $740
National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) – $745
NAFSA: Association of International Educators – $899
National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) – $435
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) – $379
National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) – $425
TESOL International Association – $395

Q: Why can’t presenters attend the Convention for free?

A: Presenters represent approximately 20 percent of all ACTFL Convention attendees, making complimentary presenter registration impossible without incurring a significant increase in the rates for non-presenters. In appreciation for those providing outstanding content to their peers, ACTFL offsets presenter costs by offering a special registration rate for those who have been accepted to present through the Call for Proposals process.

Q: Why can’t ACTFL move around to smaller, more affordable cities?

A: The options for Convention host cities are limited by several factors—including the presence of a facility with the capacity to serve 6,000 to 7,000 attendees and more than 250 exhibiting companies with adequate meeting rooms and expo space. We currently require more than 300,000 gross square feet of space for an exhibit hall, 40-50 meeting rooms, and a 4,000-seat ballroom for our general sessions. In addition, in solidarity with our members and their learners, ACTFL passed a resolution in 2020 to not hold the Convention in states with anti-transgender and homophobic legislation, removing many states from current consideration.

Q: What is ACTFL doing to make attending the Convention more accessible for members?

A: ACTFL and its charitable affiliate, the Language Connects Foundation (LCF), are proud to offer first-time attendee stipends to promote vital professional development for early-career educators. Since 2023, $50,000 has been earmarked annually to provide stipends of $500 each as well as a $253 per diem for travel allowance (total across the three days of Convention).

The Convention Committee also developed a robust list of other Funding Options to assist potential registrants and a letter template to support attendees’ outreach to their administrators.

Last revised March 17, 2025

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. View Cookie Policy
Back to top