AACTE Now Accepting 2026 Award Nominations – Submit By July 7 Submit
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Annual Meeting

 

AACTE’s Annual Meeting remains the premier gathering of educator preparation and education professionals to advance the field and profession through research, professional practice, advocacy, and collaboration. The 2026 theme, CONNECTED to Lead: Innovation and Impact,” reflects the collective strength of visionaries and innovators in creating meaningful impact on education and education preparation.

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Be the First to Know – Preregister for the AACTE 2026 Annual Meeting

Join your peers and education partners at the premier event for advancing research, policy, and practice in educator preparation. Connect with changemakers — deans, faculty, the PK–12 community, and education advocates — committed to leading innovation in the field and profession.

Preregister today and stay one step ahead. By preregistering, you’ll receive:

  • Early access to hotel reservations and travel planning resources
  • First notification when discounted early bird registration opens
  • Exclusive event updates including keynotes,  session previews, and preconference announcements

Preregister Now 

Call for Proposals Portal – Submit by July 17

AACTE invites members of the educator preparation community to share their expertise through innovative proposals that will shape the future of our field. This is an opportunity for everyone — thought leaders, students, and community changemakers — to come together, share their unique perspectives, and contribute ideas that drive impactful change. Please review the Submission Guidelines carefully before constructing your proposal.

Submit Now

This year’s Annual Meeting theme, “CONNECTED to Lead: Innovation and Impact,” focuses on collaboration to develop solutions and ideas that create meaningful impact on educator preparation. Content should address one of the Annual Meeting’s four strands:

  • Strand I: Advancing Innovation and Impact
  • Strand II: Education Policy and Advocacy
  • Strand III: Deepening the Impact of Education Research
  • Strand IV: Prioritizing Opportunity for All

As the leading voice on educator preparation, AACTE welcomes thought leaders from higher education and PK-12 communities to submit a proposal for consideration in the Annual Meeting 2026 program. Additionally, AACTE strongly encourages doctoral students pursuing an Ed.D. or Ph.D. to share their perspective on addressing current issues and provide innovative approaches that have yet to be considered in educator preparation. Individuals from all educational fields are invited to bring their research and practice to the Annual Meeting. AACTE recognizes and values diverse voices to foster innovation and advance the profession.

The following schedule indicates key milestones for the call cycle. Please note that the dates are subject to change.

  • Apr 30 – Jun 20 Call for Reviewers Site Open+
  • Jun 23 – Jul 17 Call for Proposals Portal Open+*
  • Jun 23 – 26 Reviewers Selected and Notified
  • Jun 30 – Jul 11 Reviewer Training (Required)
  • Jul 14 – Aug 1 Peer Review Period
  • Aug 11 – Oct 10 Selection Period
  • Nov 7  Notification Period
  • Nov 18 Slotting Date/Time Announced

Annual Meeting 2026: Call for Reviewers

Enjoy the many benefits of reviewing proposals for AACTE’s 2026 Annual Meeting:

  • Give back to your professional community.
  • Learn about new and emerging research and practices in the field.
  • Enhance the quality of your teaching and research.
  • Acquire service to enhance your assessment for tenure and promotion.
  •  Gain visibility for yourself and your institution and be acknowledged with a certificate of appreciation.

Reviewers should meet the following criteria:

  1. Associated with an institution that is a current AACTE member.
  2. Knowledge, experience, and scholarly productivity in educator preparation and related fields.
  3. Commitment to high-quality, evidence-based research.
  4. Read and evaluate a minimum of 10 proposals in the areas of self-identified expertise.
  5. Be available throughout the review process occurring July 14 – August

*All reviewers must complete a required training session by July 11.

Exhibitors and Sponsors 

To become an exhibitor, complete the 2026 Exhibitor Request form.

Are you interested in learning about 2026 Annual Meeting sponsorship opportunities? Please contact Jeanette Brown.

AACTE Code of Conduct