Save the date: Dec. 7-10, 2025

Learning Forward's Annual Conference

Bridging Professional Learning and Student Success

Boston, MA | #LearnFwd25

Proposal notifications can be accessed in the Conference Proposal System at https://lfp.learningforward.org

The 2025 Conference Preview has arrived!

Get your first look at Learning Forward’s 2025 Annual Conference

The conference preview for Learning Forward’s 2025 Annual Conference is now available, and it’s packed with everything you need to start planning your experience in Boston this December!

Download the preview to explore the full agenda, incredible keynote speakers and more than 270 sessions designed to elevate educator practice and student success. Whether you’re leading systemwide learning, coaching teachers, or designing curriculum-based professional learning, you’ll find actionable ideas and a community of peers who share your commitment to deep, meaningful growth.

Download the Preview and see why #LearnFwd25 is the conference for learning about professional learning. Then register by July 15 to save up to $720 with early bird pricing!

Hotel reservations open in Spring 2025, and the full session list will be released in May. Subscribe to be notified first before they fill up.

We know you are invested in the success of your educators and students, so we invite you to learn more about Learning Forward's Annual Conference -- the only conference focused exclusively on how to plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning that changes educator practice and improves results for all students.

Learning Forward brings together thought leaders, experts, researchers, and other practitioners to collaboratively share the latest learnings, knowledge, and techniques. Our conference models deep learning and best practices so you can take them back to lead learning in your schools, districts, or systems.

Read on to find out why we are known as THE conference for learning about professional learning.

Registration Information

A focus on deep learning that changes practice

At Learning Forward, we go beyond the usual lectures and anecdotes of typical professional development conferences with in-session engagement strategies that are focused on deep and meaningful learning that is evidence-supported and proven to change practice.

We set the bar high for our presenters. They know they Learning Forward is not the typical conference. They know they are presenting for the organization that wrote the Standards for Professional Learning. They know that our attendees lead professional learning back in their schools and systems, so they cannot waste time with sessions that are not evidence-backed solutions with proven strategies.

Keynotes

Cornelius Minor

Keeping the Focus on Kids in Uncertain Times
In a world where mandates and policy have us focused on everything else, how do we keep the focus on kids and learning, while preserving our own wellbeing? Join Cornelius Minor, a Brooklyn-based educator who works with teachers, school leaders, and leaders of community-based organizations to create spaces that are student-centered and empowering for all young people.

Shane Safir and Sawsan Jaber

Pedagogies of Voice: Street Data and the Path to Student Agency
In this dynamic keynote, Shane Safir and Sawsan Jaber will share a framework for instructional transformation from their book Pedagogies of Voice: Street Data and the Path to Student Agency. The framework expands on the bestselling book Street Data to help educators incorporate student voice and agency into powerful designs for learning.

Dyane Smokorowski and Rob Dickson

Making Learning Human in an AI World
Educators are reimagining professional learning to create meaningful, future-ready classrooms. By embracing AI as a thought partner, schools can elevate teaching through ethical use, digital citizenship, and intentional instructional design. Join Dyane Smokorowski and Rob Dickson, from Wichita Public Schools, to see how empowered educators spark innovation, build student agency, and create relevant learning experiences.

2025’s theme, Bridging Professional Learning and Student Success

This year’s conference theme, Bridging Professional Learning and Student Success, continues a path that started several years ago. The 2023 conference theme, Evidence into Action, spoke to the power of evidence-based practices and how Learning Forward bridges research and implementation to improve results for each student. We examined how we apply what we have learned to best practices in classrooms, teams, buildings, systems, and regions. In 2024, we continued this upward trajectory by taking reimagined possibilities and leveraging them with evidence-based practices to achieve our ultimate goal to Reach New Heights for Students. In 2025, we will again make that explicit connection between educator learning and student success. We know that as educators, we are learners first, and as we continue to grow in our practice, all students will experience great teaching and learning every day.

Who attends

Central office administrators
Superintendents
Policymakers and decision makers

Teacher leaders/Coaches
School-based teams

Principals/Assistant principals
Technical assistance providers

Learning Forward's conference is different

Aligned to the Standards for Professional Learning

The Standards for Professional Learning offer educators the latest knowledge and insights to design, implement, and sustain high-quality professional learning. Standards lead to environments in which all educators and students have access to powerful learning.

Sessions model best practices

Presenters use engaging learning and facilitation strategies that promote active participation and interaction among attendees.

All voices are heard and valued

This includes creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment where diverse perspectives are respected and considered.

Time for deep learning and constructive interruptions

Presenters build in time for deeper engagement that promotes active learning.

Evidence of impact

Sessions must have evidence of impact that leads to improved student outcomes.

Results for students, not trends and gizmos

Did you know that we do not have an exhibit hall? Our attendees made it clear that they would rather spend their time on deep learning. Instead, we offer a limited number of sponsorship opportunities so that you get more personal access with the top minds of the field.

Attendees are writing about their conference experience!

Yes, a conference can lead to sustained learning. Here’s how.

Curriculum director puts conference learning to work in her district

Make the most of conference learning

See what others are saying about our conference

"High-quality professional learning with engaging presenters. It was wonderful to hear about these topics rooted in research and with a national perspective, and then hear from practitioners in other states. It helped me see how these seemingly intractable issues are being addressed elsewhere and consider how I can provide professional learning locally."

- Mauree Donahue Revier, Director of Education and Innovation
The Dalles, Oregon

Can I use Title II-A funds to pay for the conference?

Are you a teacher, paraprofessional, school-based librarian, school counselor, or school administrator?
Can you show that the content you will gain aligns to or is part of a broader professional learning plan?
Can you show that you will either learn collaboratively while at the conference (because you are part of a team of attendees) or that you will share what you have learned with colleagues when you return to your school?

If you answered yes to these three questions, your district could approve the use of Title II-A funds to support attendance at the conference.

Tired of racing to your next session?

Learning Forward uses a ticketed system so you can reserve your seat in advance. This way, you are guaranteed a seat in the sessions you want to attend, no matter how far you have to walk! No more standing against a wall, sitting on the floor, or having to leave sessions early just to get your next seat, like at typical professional development conferences. Instead, you can take your time between sessions and focus on the learning.

"The Learning Forward conference offers top-tier professional development opportunities, providing attendees with valuable insights into the latest educational trends, research, and effective teaching strategies. It is a prime platform to connect with other educators, administrators, and experts in the field, fostering collaborations and the exchange of innovative ideas that can positively impact your educational community. The conference focuses on continuous improvement in education, equipping attendees with practical tools and resources to enhance teaching practices, curriculum development, and overall educational outcomes."

- Gigi Geimer, ESE Professional Learning Specialist
Port Charlotte, FL

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