ABOUT ISCRC

Since 2012, the International School Choice and Reform Conference has developed a community of scholars who studied various forms of school choice and systemic reform. This includes scholarship on how school choice is enacted, the mechanisms that structure school choice programs, and both the individual and systemic outcomes of school choice and reform. The goal is to connect scholars who engage in rigorous research about school choice in ways that illuminate current policy debates. The ISCRC is many things:

  • The ISCRC is small enough that most participants are able to form lasting collaborations and, in many cases, lasting friendships. Unlike, for instance, the American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual meeting with 15,000 attendees, the ISCRC annually attracts approximately 200 scholars and practitioners. The ambiance is intimate.
  • To the greatest extent possible, the ISCRC is a forum that includes multiple perspectives on every policy argument. At this annual conference, we particularly welcome presentations that are critical as well as supportive of school choice. Papers focusing on school choice and reform outside of the United States or those with an international comparative emphasis are highly encouraged. Participants are connected by the goal of using quality research to shed light on how school choice policies actually work.
  • The “I” in ISCRC is quite literal. Over the years, participation has come from many countries in Europe and in Asia and a number of our European colleagues are currently on the ISCRC Planning Committee. The issue of international comparisons is constantly emphasized. We hosted our 2019 Conference in Lisbon, Portugal; the 2022 Conference was held in Dublin, Ireland, and the 2024 Conference was hosted in Madrid, Spain; and we continue to focus on outreach to European and other international researchers.
  • The ISCRC is fun. Its home has been Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and it is historically held on Martin Luther King weekend in mid-January.
  • The conference is academically sound, with a rigorous peer-review process led this year by Dr. Eric Wearne of Kennesaw State University.
  • Registrants attending from overseas are eligible for travel grants (historically $1,000-$1,200). Conference fees are kept as low as possible through the generosity of Corporate Sponsors and the conference itself includes hearty breakfasts and fun evening receptions.

DREW CATT, Executive Director, EdChoice

TOMMASO AGASISTI, Politecnico di Milano

NINA BUCHANAN, University of Hawai’i

ANGELA DILLS, Western Carolina University

ANNA EGALITE, North Carolina State University

JAY P. GREENE, Heritage Foundation

HEIDI HOLMES, Brigham Young University

TRIIN LAURI, Tallinn University School of Governance

DAVID MARSHALL, Auburn University

RODRIGO MELO, Universidad Católica Portuguesa

BENJAMIN SCAFIDI, Kennesaw State University

M. DANISH SHAKEEL, University of Buckingham

DEANI VAN PELT, Edvance Christian Schools Association

ANGELA WATSON, Johns Hopkins University

ERIC WEARNE, Kennesaw State University

TIM WEEKES, Calsoyas Group

PATRICK WOLF, University of Arkansas

Please join us for the fourteenth annual meeting of the International School Choice and Reform Conference (ISCRC), a global academic conference that gathers scholars who study various forms of school choice, systemic reform, and educational innovation. This includes scholarship on how school choice is enacted, the mechanisms that structure school choice programs, and both the direct and systemic effects of school choice and reform programs and initiatives.

The ISCRC invites researchers with multiple perspectives on these issues to attend our 2026 meeting, which will take place in Rome, Italy, on January 8-11, 2026.

Some of the research presented and discussed at this conference might be supportive of various forms of school choice, while other research presented at the conference will have a more critical stance. Some participants favor one form of choice while opposing other forms of choice. Conference participants are connected by the goal of using high-quality research to shed light on how school choice and reform policies play out when implemented.

From the graduate student to the senior scholar level, the ISCRC offers a unique opportunity for school choice researchers to gather in small groups. We accomplish this by including in the registration fee multiple meal and reception opportunities for participants to spend time together.

The ISCRC has grown into an important forum for the examination of diverse forms of education, including alternatives and reforms to district-run, traditional public schools. Its primary goal is to act as a means whereby scholars and practitioners can come together in small groups to debate and discover unanswered questions about school choice and reform and to identify areas of possible collaboration.

We are looking forward to connecting with you in Italy!

The ISCRC is proud to partner with the Journal of School Choice to present this conference.

The aim of the Journal of School Choice: International Research and Reform is to publish the best scholarship on school choice and school reform from diverse disciplines and methodologies in a timely fashion. We will do this in part by employing rigorous and intellectually diverse reviewers, and by assuring prospective authors’ feedback in two months or less. We will further publicize our research through our website, conventional news media, our annual conference, and through our relationships with other organizations. School systems across the globe face reform. We aim to assure that scientific research informs the ongoing reform journey.

We seek scholarship from a range of disciplines using a range of methodologies. We typically prefer articles to be under 7,000 words and research notes to be under 2,500 words, though exceptions will occur at the editor’s discretion. In addition, we will occasionally publish essays and controversies regarding specific education policy issues.

Testimonials

All testimonials taken from post-conference participant survey.

Love this conference…

…the research it features, and the international connections it fosters.

FANTASTIC job to all involved.

This conference is the highlight of my professional year!

I learned so much.

I met so many talented researchers. It makes a ton of difference to meet and connect with people in person, so I am so grateful that the conference facilitated that. I also came away with many encouraging ideas about potential research and potential partnerships to carry it out. It really was the best conference I’ve attended since I fully waded into the school choice movement a decade ago.

Overall excellent!

So many great panels to choose from!

Great sessions…

…a good amount of time to connect with speakers, wonderful location/food, and the days flowed really well.

My favorite conference!

I always meet lots of interesting people, build networks and learn lots. I appreciated both book talks and discussions.

Everything was terrific!

Thank you for this wonderful event, very insightful and very resourceful.

The panels were excellent…

…the schedule ran smoothly, there was ample time for conversation, and the food was delicious.