Houston Nutt to headline 2026 Oklahoma Adult Education and Literacy Conference
Former University of Arkansas and University of Mississippi head football coach Houston Nutt will headline the 2026 Oklahoma Adult Education and Literacy Conference, bringing his message about attitude, gratitude and being a difference maker to educators who are changing lives in classrooms and literacy programs across Oklahoma.
The statewide conference will be Sept. 21-22 at Metro Technology Centers’ Springlake Campus in Oklahoma City. Registration is open for adult education teachers, literacy tutors, administrators and other professionals who work with adult learners.
Presented in partnership by the Oklahoma CareerTech adult education and family literacy division and the Oklahoma Literacy Coalition, the annual conference provides two days of professional development, practical resources and opportunities for educators from across the state to learn from one another.
This year’s theme, “Game Changers,” recognizes the teachers, tutors, administrators and other professionals whose work can change the direction of an adult learner’s life.
“Adult education is about so much more than earning a diploma or learning to read,” said Laura Taylor, OLC executive director. “It can change someone’s confidence, opportunities, career and future. This conference gives the people doing that work an opportunity to learn from one another, strengthen their skills and return to their programs with new ideas they can put into practice.”
Nutt’s keynote will draw on his experiences in coaching and leadership as well as his personal connection to education. His mother was a teacher for 33 years, and Nutt describes teachers as the ultimate difference makers because of the lasting influence they can have on the people they serve.
The conference will feature breakout sessions covering adult literacy instruction, high school equivalency preparation and testing, English language acquisition, classroom instruction and methodology, program administration and other topics affecting adult education programs and learners.
A dedicated adult learner track will also give students the opportunity to participate in sessions developed specifically for them.
The conference is open to educators from nonprofit literacy organizations, CareerTech programs, libraries, correctional facilities, community organizations and other adult education providers.
Conference information and registration are available at okliteracy.org/con26.
