Conference FAQ

The registration link for the conference is available here. Registration must be completed online in advance of the conference. There will be no on-site registration.

You must be an active, paid AEFP member—student or regular—to register for the conference and to attend. If your membership has expired or you are not currently a paid member, you will be prompted to renew or join before completing your conference registration. If your membership is set to expire after you register but before the conference, you may renew your membership by clicking “Renew membership” on the first page of the registration form.

• Early bird registration deadline: January 20, 2026
• Regular rate registration deadline: February 20, 2026
• Late rate registration deadline: March 6, 2026

Registration fees can be found here.

Yes. An overview of available funding opportunities can be found here.

You can read the call for proposals here.

Submissions were accepted through Oxford Abstracts from Monday, August 18 through Monday, October 6 at 11:59 pm PT. A free Oxford Abstracts account was required to submit.

Submitters received notification of the program committee’s decisions on December 4, 2025. If you do not see a decision email, please log in to Oxford Abstracts or contact info@aefpweb.org.

You may edit your submission directly in the Oxford Abstracts system.

No. AEFP 2026 is a fully in-person conference.

Presenters should email their full paper to their session chair no later than Monday, March 9.

You may access the program in two ways:

1. Through the Oxford Abstracts conference portal
2. Via the AEFP 2026 mobile app (available in February)

Please note that the program is preliminary and subject to change.

The conference will take place March 19–21, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois.

A draft schedule is available here. The full program will be available in the Oxford Abstracts conference portal and the conference mobile app will be available in March.

The Program Committee is pleased to announce Arne Duncan and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach as the AEFP 2026 keynote.

The conference will take place at the Swissôtel Chicago (323 East Upper Wacker Drive). The AEFP room block for the Swissôtel can be accessed here.

AEFP has secured a room block at the Swissôtel. The special rate for a Classic Guest Room (single or double occupancy) is $209/night, plus taxes and fees. The room block is available here and will sell out quickly.

Sessions will take place in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors of the "Event Centre."

Thank you for your interest in volunteering. Please complete the AEFP Volunteer Survey by the end of August. If you missed the survey, please contact info@aefpweb.org.

The AEFP registration desk will be open at the following times:

• Wednesday, March 18: 5:00–7:00 pm
• Thursday, March 19: 7:00 am–4:00 pm
• Friday, March 20: 7:00 am–4:00 pm
• Saturday, March 21: 7:00 am–11:00 am

No. Poster presenters are responsible for printing and bringing their posters.

Poster boards are 4 x 6 feet. Posters must fit within these dimensions.

Each room will include a laptop, LCD projector and screen, and a USB drive for file transfer. Audio will not be provided.

Paper sessions are 90 minutes and typically follow this format:

• Introductions and welcome – 4 minutes
• Paper presentations (4 papers) – 13 minutes each plus 1 minute for transition to next paper
• Chair reflections – 3–5 minutes
• Q&A – approximately 25 minutes

• Poster session: An opportunity for individual authors to present their work on a poster and engage directly with attendees in a more informal setting.
• Paper sessions by track: Structured sessions grouped by thematic tracks (e.g., early childhood, educator preparation, educator labor markets) in which presenters share their research studies for peer discussion. Sessions typically include four paper presenters and a session chair to facilitate discussion at the end.
• Spotlight Policy Dialogues: High-visibility sessions that bring together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to engage in rich dialogue about timely, pressing issues in education policy and evidence use.
• Plenary session: A major gathering of all conference participants, featuring AEFP's President’s Remarks, the keynote, and awards presentation.
• Reception: Directly following the plenary session, this social event is a time for attendees to network, reconnect, and build community outside formal sessions.
• Conversation Groups session: New to AEFP 2026, this session will take place in a large room with small-group gatherings around shared interests. The goal is to foster informal discussion and networking. The conversation topics will be promoted ahead of the conference. All are welcome. We especially encourage students to join!
• Professional Development sessions: Sessions designed to build attendees’ skills and knowledge in research, policy, or practice—targeted at advancing their professional capacity.

In response to the AEFP Student Member Engagement Survey, the 2026 conference will include several sessions designed with graduate students and early career attendees in mind. Attendees can search for these sessions in the Oxford Abstracts program and conference app.

A full list of important dates and deadlines is available here. New dates will be added throughout the year.

Award nominations are now open. The deadline to submit a nomination has passed. Full details and nomination form links are available here.

Email info@aefpweb.org.