By Charles Sosnik
Kudos to the team behind FETC. Over the years I’ve attended nearly one hundred education conferences across the country — from Boston and Chicago to Philadelphia, Dallas and Miami — and few match the quality and purpose of the Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC). I have returned to FETC almost a dozen times, and even as I scale back travel, this event remains on my calendar because it consistently delivers high-quality professional development, strong networking, and timely conversations about EdTech and student learning.
FETC has evolved considerably since its beginnings as the Florida Education Technology Conference. After LRP acquired and rebranded it as the Future of Education Technology Conference, the organizers invested heavily in programming, marketing, and partnerships. That shift — supported by PR efforts from MindRocket Media Group to amplify presenters and attract press — helped the conference reach a broader national and international audience. Today FETC draws district leaders, superintendents, technology directors, and educators from around the world who are focused on how technology can support classroom learning and long-term student success.
The rebrand changed more than the name. The event used to rely heavily on local Florida attendance, including many teachers who came primarily to see the expo and pick up free materials. Now the conference features more targeted sessions, research-aligned programming, and strategic vendor participation. With FETC’s relocation from Orlando to Miami this year and plans to visit cities like New Orleans in the future, the conference remains anchored in warm-weather locations each January — a practical choice that helps maintain strong attendance.
One of the reasons FETC works so well is that it’s considered a major event in the education calendar at the start of each year. Districts find it easy to justify in professional development budgets, and many of the same decision-makers return annually. For those of us who mainly work by phone or video, the conference is a dependable chance to reconnect with colleagues, strengthen partnerships, and form new relationships that influence district initiatives for years to come.
At this year’s gathering I met a number of innovators and leaders worth watching. Cal Brunell, co-founder of Everyday Speech, shared how his company uses high-quality video modeling to support social-emotional learning across Pre-K through 12th grade. Everyday Speech, founded in 2012 with clinical content led by Brittany Brunell, aims to provide practical, classroom-ready materials that boost social skills and communication — an important complement to academic instruction and student support services.
Troxell-CDI is another organization making significant moves in education technology. Since its merger with CDI, the company has expanded beyond traditional hardware and support to become a major player in school Esports. Raigan Irwin-McCabe and her team are helping schools build Esports programs with the technology and infrastructure needed to support competitive gaming, student engagement, and new pathways for student involvement. Esports has become one of the fastest-growing participatory activities in schools, and companies like Troxell-CDI are helping districts plan and implement sustainable programs.
I also connected with Justin Reilly, CEO of Impero, whose team focuses on student safety and wellbeing through classroom management and safeguarding software. Justin brings international experience, including work with eLearning solutions in Africa, and he’s applying that perspective to help districts manage digital learning environments responsibly and protect students online.
These conversations illustrate the real value of attending an event like FETC. Beyond flashy products and expo giveaways, the conference is about people — educators, technology leaders, vendors, and advocates who bring passion and practical ideas to the table. EdTech’s true impact depends on those relationships: district leaders who are willing to experiment, vendors who design for real classroom needs, and educators who apply promising tools thoughtfully.
If you’re considering where to invest your professional development time, FETC remains a productive choice. It combines timely content, influential attendees, and a marketplace of solutions, all focused on improving student outcomes. Get to know the people behind the technology, explore possibilities for your district, and look for ways to turn conference ideas into scalable, evidence-informed practices that benefit students now and in the future.
About the Author
Charles Sosnik is an education journalist and editor who draws on deep connections across the education community to bring context to the conversation. He writes regularly for influential education publications and contributes columns on EdTech, leadership, and policy. Charles is unabashedly Southern and describes himself as an editor by trade and Southern by the grace of God.
This article originally appeared on edCircuit.