Travel Logistics

Please plan to arrive in Portland, OR, on July 8 as the Smarter Balanced 2024 State Network of Educators (SNE) Workshop will begin the following morning, July 9.

Hotel Information

Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown
319 SW Pine St.
Portland, OR 97204

Check In: 4:00 PM PDT
Check Out: 11:00 AM PDT

Smarter Balanced will reserve your room and cover the cost for room and tax for three (3) nights through the registration platform, and we ask that you please do not book your hotel room directly with the hotel. All individuals will need to present a credit card upon check-in for incidentals charges, and if applicable, any additional nights, if not approved by Smarter Balanced.

Should you wish to arrive early or extend your stay, at your own expense, we are able to extend our group rate at $175 per night plus tax. Please reach out to JR Global Events at events@jrglobalevents.com for any additional dates. Do not call the hotel directly.

If you did not receive the confirmation email, or if you have any questions about your hotel booking, please email events@jrglobalevents.com.

Ground Transportation

Participants are responsible for arranging their own ground transportation to and from Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown.

The nearest major airport is Portland International Airport, 11 miles away and approximately a 20- to 30-minute drive to Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown.

You will be reimbursed for ground transportation including taxi, Uber, Lyft, or SuperShuttle to and from the Portland Airport and Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown.

Uber/Lyft are readily available from the airport, and the average rideshare cost is $50-65 each way. Fares and travel time may vary based on the time of day.

Air Travel

FLIGHT BOOKING:

Once you have registered, you will receive an event confirmation email from JR Global Events. In a separate email, you will receive a link to book your flights directly with AllFly, our travel partner.

As stated above, please plan to arrive in Portland by Monday, July 8, and depart after 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 11. The conference ends at 12 p.m. Please plan accordingly.

All flights will be paid for by Smarter Balanced within the company's travel guidelines.

Please note the following booking guidelines:

Flight itineraries should not exceed $600 for the roundtrip. Any itinerary more than $600 will be subject to approval by Smarter Balanced.
Roundtrip standard coach seating and one checked piece of luggage is included.

All changes and/or cancellations to air travel must be approved in advance by Smarter Balanced. Please email events@jrglobalevents.com.

If you have any questions regarding your registration or air travel, please contact JR Global Events at events@jrglobalevents.com.

Driving

If you are driving into Portland or live locally, please note that the IRS mileage reimbursement rate for expenses for travel by car is 65.5 cents per mile. Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown has valet parking available for $59.00 per night with in/out privileges. This cost will be covered by Smarter Balanced directly for the nights of July 8, 9, 10. You will be required to pay the hotel directly upon check-in for any additional nights.

All attendees wishing to drive to the event will need pre-approval from Smarter Balanced to receive reimbursement for both hotel parking and mileage per UC policy.

Travel Reimbursements

All on-site expenses (hotel, breakfast, and lunch) are covered for all participants.

Travel Reimbursements must be submitted to JR Global Events at events@jrglobalevents.com by July 25, 2024. Reimbursements received after this date will not be disbursed within 30 days.

Please see our SNE Event Reimbursement Guide form and policy, which details the reimbursement process.

Attire

We encourage business casual attire each day of the SNE Workshop, and recommend you dress in layers as the temperature in the meeting rooms can vary.

The second day is an optional “Affinity Day:” Attendees are encouraged to wear clothing that represents their school/district, hobby/sports team—something they are passionate about.

Meals

Breakfast, lunch, and light refreshments will be provided each day of the SNE Workshop. Please note that dinner will not be provided.

For meals that are not provided, there is a $35 limit on reimbursements, and please note that alcoholic beverages will not be reimbursed. Up to $79/day for Meals & Incidental Expenses will be reimbursed during your travel for the SNE Workshop within the Continental United States. If you purchase a meal with other workshop attendees, please pay separately and have each attendee submit their itemized receipt for reimbursement.

Weather

The forecast in Portland, OR in July has a high of 80 degrees and a low of 57 degrees. Please bring layers, as temperatures in conference rooms may vary.

What's Nearby

Many cafes, restaurants, and bars are within a 10-minute walk from the hotel. A complete listing of restaurants will be available at the hotel and the Smarter Balanced registration desk.

Smarter Balanced's
2024 State Network of Educators (SNE) Workshop

July 9-11, 2024

Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Downtown