WQPT PBS, in collaboration with Western Illinois University–Quad Cities, The GradCenter, Group O, and The Early Childhood Coalition of the Quad City Area, will host the Multilingual Education Conference from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, April 18, at the WIU-QC campus, located at 3300 River Drive in Moline. The conference will bring together educators, parents, school leaders, students and community partners to explore best practices in multilingual and multicultural education.

The conference will feature Johanna Poncio Jordan, executive director of Bilingual and Multicultural Services for Rockford Public Schools District 205, as the keynote presenter. Her address will focus on advancing equitable educational opportunities for multilingual learners and strengthening school-community partnerships through culturally responsive practices.

Participants will engage in a full day of professional learning that includes a keynote presentation, breakout sessions, access to community resources and opportunities to earn professional development credits.

Registration for the conference is $50 and includes breakfast and lunch.

Participants will receive multilingual books to share with their students, thanks to the generosity of United Way Quad Cities Women United.

The Multilingual Education Conference is designed to support educators and institutions committed to inclusive, high-quality education for linguistically diverse students and families across the region.