K-12 Research & Higher Education Conferences
The research and higher-ed conferences on this page bridge K-12 practice with the universities that prepare teachers, the researchers who study what works, and the community colleges and workforce programs that catch students on the other side of graduation. AERA is the anchor event — thousands of peer-reviewed studies presented across five days each spring.
- ABED International Congress on Distance Education — Apr 27–30, 2026, João Pessoa, Brazil
- AERA 2026 Annual Meeting — Apr 23–27, 2026, Denver, CO, USA · $200–$500
- ATE 2026 Annual Meeting — Feb 2026, Washington, DC, USA · $400–$700
- EduTech Asia — Nov 4–5, 2026, Singapore, Singapore
- InstructureCon — Jul 21–23, 2026, Louisville, KY, USA · Free for customers
- ICEPT 2026 — International Conference on Education, Pedagogy and Technology — Aug 23, 2026, Mexico City, Mexico
- NACE - National Association of Colleges & Employers Conference — Jun 9–11, 2026, Denver, CO, USA · $700–$1,200
- National Conference on Student Assessment — Jun 22–24, 2026, Austin, TX, USA · $400–$700
- National Forum to Advance Rural Education — Oct 19–21, 2026, San Antonio, TX, USA · $200–$400
- National Summit on Improvement in Education — Mar 30–Apr 1, 2026, San Diego, CA, USA · $300–$600
- NCTM Annual Meeting & Exposition — Oct 28–31, 2026, Denver, CO, USA · $350–$600
- SITE Conference — Mar 2026, Las Vegas, NV, USA · $350–$600
- Learning & the Brain: Teaching Motivated Minds — Nov 12–14, 2026, Austin, TX, USA
- USDLA conference — Jun 22–25, 2026, Cleveland, OH, USA · $400–$700
- CCA Spring Conference — Apr 24–26, 2026, Irvine, CA, USA
- RTM Higher Education CIO Congress Spring — Mar 29–31, 2026, San Diego, CA, USA · By invitation
- RTM Higher Education CIO Congress Summer — Aug 2–4, 2026, TBD, USA · By invitation
- RTM Higher Education CIO Congress Fall — Nov 8–10, 2026, TBD, USA · By invitation
- NAFSA Annual Conference 2026 — May 26–29, 2026, Orlando, FL, USA
- 13th Global Conference on Arts, Education, and Humanities (GCAEH) — Aug 14–16, 2026, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- TMU Learning & Teaching Conference (LTC 2026) — May 11–12, 2026, Toronto, ON, Canada
- CSSE Annual Conference 2026 — Jun 1–3, 2026, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- CASN Biennial Canadian Nursing Education Conference — Jun 1–2, 2026, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- 16th Canada International Conference on Education — Jul 20–22, 2026, Toronto, ON, Canada
- 51st Annual IAEA Conference — Sep 27–Oct 2, 2026, Toronto, ON, Canada
- CCA Fall Conference — Oct 9–11, 2026, San Francisco, CA, USA · Members only
- NCGE Annual Conference — Oct 16–18, 2026, Richmond, VA, USA
- Esri User Conference — Jul 13–17, 2026, San Diego, CA, USA
- CAEL Annual Conference — Nov 4–6, 2026, Pittsburgh, PA, USA · $300–$1,250
- CEC Convention & Expo — Mar 11–14, 2026, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- ILA Global Conference — Oct 28–31, 2026, Toronto, ON, Canada · $595–$1,295
- ISME World Conference — Jul 26–31, 2026, Montréal, Canada
- NAfME Biennial Music Research and Teacher Education Conference — Sep 30–Oct 3, 2026, Long Beach, CA, USA
- The Reading League Annual Conference — Sep 30–Oct 2, 2026, Chicago, IL, USA · From $799
- EDUCAUSE Annual Conference — Sep 29–Oct 2, 2026, Denver, CO, USA
- AECT International Convention 2026 — Nov 3–7, 2026, Chicago, IL, USA · $325–$850
- Teaching Motivated Minds — Nov 12–14, 2026, Austin, TX, USA
- NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo 2027 — Jun 1–4, 2027, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Learning & the Brain: Teaching Social Brains — Feb 12–14, 2027, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Learning & the Brain: Future-Proof Brains — Apr 15–17, 2027, New York, NY, USA
- CIACE - Congreso Internacional Anáhuac de Calidad Educativa — Mar 2–4, 2027, Mexico City, Mexico · MX$1,950–$2,780
- AERA Annual Meeting — Apr 14–18, 2027, Toronto, Canada · $200–$500
- NCTM Annual Meeting & Exposition — Oct 27–29, 2027, Orlando, FL, USA · $350–$600
- Teaching Social Brains — Feb 12–14, 2027, San Francisco, CA, USA
- National Summit on Improvement in Education 2027 — Mar 30–Apr 1, 2027, San Diego, CA, USA · $1,200–$1,500
- SITE Conference 2027 — Mar 15–19, 2027, Nashville, TN, USA · $350–$600
- CCA Winter Conference 2027 — Feb 26–28, 2027, Costa Mesa, CA, USA · Members only
- CCA Spring Conference 2027 — Apr 23–25, 2027, San Diego, CA, USA · Members only
- ABED International Congress on Distance Education — Apr 14–17, 2027, Manaus, Brazil
- NCTM Annual Meeting & Exposition — Sep 26–29, 2029, Boston, MA, USA · $350–$600
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest K-12 education research conference?
AERA (American Educational Research Association) Annual Meeting is by far the largest, drawing 10,000+ researchers. It moves cities each spring — Denver in April 2026.
Which conferences bridge K-12 and higher education?
AERA, ATE (Association of Teacher Educators), CIC (Council of Independent Colleges) events, and international education conferences like the Canada International Conference on Education routinely cover the K-16 continuum.
Are these conferences useful for district leaders, not just researchers?
Yes, especially for district research and evaluation directors, chief academic officers, and grant-funded program leads. Many districts send teams to AERA to translate research into practice and build university partnerships.
How do I present research at these events?
Most run open calls for proposals 6–9 months in advance. AERA's call opens in the summer for the following spring's meeting. ATE and international events follow similar timelines.
Are there international research conferences on this list?
Yes — Canada International Conference on Education, Global Conference on Arts, Education and Humanities, ABED (Brazil), and similar international meetings are all included.
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