Proposals / Submissions

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

International School Choice and Reform Conference 2027

SUBMISSION INFO

DUE DATE: All proposal submissions are due by 5 PM ET on Friday, July 31, 2026. Notification of proposal acceptance or rejection will be sent by Friday, September 18, 2026.

General Information

The fifteenth annual International School Choice and Reform Conference (ISCRC) will bring together researchers, policy specialists, practitioners, and organization leaders from around the world who are interested in school choice and education reform. The conference will be held January 7-10, 2027, in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

The focus of the conference is on how school choice practice and policy shapes education, including the roles of various stakeholders, such as parents and teachers. Of particular interest are the connections between choice, autonomy, and effective education. The conference encourages empirically based papers that use strong quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methodological approaches, as well as theoretical and philosophical analyses connected to choice. 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. To get a sense of sessions that occurred in 2026, the previous program is available here.

Session Categories

Conference submissions can take one of three forms: single paper submissions, research panels, and critical conversations and networking sessions, selected through this open call for submissions and a peer review process.

SINGLE PAPER SUBMISSIONS: The Program Committee will assemble single paper submissions into panels and appoint a moderator or discussant. Additionally, we are considering, based on submitters’ interests, the possibility of a poster session that would feature some of the single paper submissions. We encourage proposals that target cutting-edge topics under the general theme of school choice and reform in a city, state, region, or nation. Papers based upon empirical data with clear policy implications are preferred. This year, the conference will include a poster session as part of the single paper session submission process. When submitting for single paper sessions, please indicate if you are interested in presenting your paper as a poster only, as part of a paper session, or either format. Please note the poster session will run concurrently with the Welcome Reception on Thursday, January 7.

RESEARCH PANELS: These panels provide opportunities to examine a specific school choice topic from a variety of perspectives, methodologies, or geographic locales. Panel participants might include researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. The organizer of this 60-minute panel should propose the topic, identify participants, and describe the specific format to be used. Panels focusing on rigorous empirical or theoretical research are preferred. Consent of all participants should be obtained before advancing a research panel proposal. Please provide the contact information for all participants, including a chair and any discussants.

CRITICAL CONVERSATION SESSIONS: These 60-minute sessions should facilitate informal, lively discussions around a series of provocative questions or research in progress around school choice. Sessions may be structured to: 1) include a panel of participants who facilitate and guide the conversation; 2) engage the organizers and attendees in dialogue around an issue or series of related questions, or 3) provide scholars with common research interests dedicated time to meet, plan, discuss and consider developing collaborative projects, papers, and other scholarly pursuits that will be a continued focus beyond the conference.

For 2027, we will have three types of critical conversation sessions: research, policy, and practitioner.

  • Research Critical Conversation sessions will focus the conversation around a particular piece or stream of research or will discuss research around a particular topic related to school choice.
  • Policy Critical Conversation sessions will focus the conversation around specific policies or policy levers that can be pulled related to school choice.
  • Practitioner Critical Conversation sessions will focus the conversation around the experiences of the panelists or organizers.

We strongly encourage submission of proposals that take advantage of the diversity of conference participants, both internationally and by sector, and that stimulate broad rather than technical discussions. Examples might include:

  • Diverse approaches to school choice (e.g., magnet schools, tuition tax credits, charter schools, homeschooling, virtual learning).
  • Diverse perspectives on a single topic related to school choice (e.g., parent engagement, the role of government regulation).
  • International comparisons of the implementation or impact of school choice policies.
  • Understanding the implications of various school choice reforms for diverse populations and communities.
  • Productive exchanges among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Guidelines for Content and Submission of Proposals

To submit a proposal, please fill out the appropriate Google Form linked below:

If you have any questions, please contact us by email at schoolchoice.conference@gmail.com.

All submissions are due by 5 PM ET on Friday, July 31, 2026. Notification of proposal acceptance or rejection will be sent by Friday, September 18, 2026.

Questions about proposal submissions may be directed to the Program Committee:

DUE DATE: Proposals/Submissions are now closed.

Notification of proposal acceptance or rejection will be sent by Friday, September 19, 2025.

General Information

The fourteenth annual International School Choice and Reform Conference (ISCRC) will bring together researchers, policy specialists, practitioners, and organization leaders from around the world who are interested in school choice and education reform. The conference will be held January 8–11, 2026 in Rome, Italy.

The focus of the conference is on how school choice practice and policy shapes education, including the roles of various stakeholders, such as parents and teachers. Of particular interest are the connections between choice, autonomy, and effective education. The conference encourages empirically based papers that use strong quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methodological approaches, as well as theoretical and philosophical analyses connected to choice. 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.  To get a sense of sessions that occurred in 2025, the previous program is available here.

Session Categories

Conference submissions can take one of three forms: single paper submissions, research panels, and critical conversations and networking sessions, selected through this open call for submissions and a peer review process.

SINGLE PAPER SUBMISSIONS: The Program Committee will assemble single paper submissions into panels and appoint a moderator or discussant. Additionally, we are considering, based on submitters’ interests, the possibility of a poster session that would feature some of the single paper submissions. We encourage proposals that target cutting-edge topics under the general theme of school choice and reform in a city, state, region, or nation. Papers based upon empirical data with clear policy implications are preferred. 

RESEARCH PANELS: provide opportunities to examine a specific school choice topic from a variety of perspectives, methodologies, or geographic locales. Panel participants might include researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. The organizer of this 60-minute panel should propose the topic, identify participants, and describe the specific format to be used. Panels focusing on rigorous empirical or theoretical research are preferred. Consent of all participants should be obtained before advancing a research panel proposal. Please provide the contact information for all participants, including a chair and any discussants.

CRITICAL CONVERSATION SESSIONS: These 60-minute sessions should facilitate informal, lively discussions around a series of provocative questions or research in progress around school choice. Sessions may be structured to: 1) include a panel of participants who facilitate and guide the conversation; 2) engage the organizers and attendees in dialogue around an issue or series of related questions, or 3) provide scholars with common research interests dedicated time to meet, plan, discuss and consider developing collaborative projects, papers, and other scholarly pursuits that will be a continued focus beyond the conference.

For 2026, we will have three types of critical conversation sessions: research, policy, and practitioner.

  • Research Critical Conversation sessions will focus the conversation around a particular piece or stream of research or will discuss research around a particular topic related to school choice.
  • Policy Critical Conversation sessions will focus the conversation around specific policies or policy levers that can be pulled related to school choice.
  • Practitioner Critical Conversation sessions will focus the conversation around the experiences of the panelists or organizers.

We strongly encourage submission of proposals that take advantage of the diversity of conference participants, both internationally and by sector, and that stimulate broad rather than technical discussions. Examples might include:

  • Diverse approaches to school choice (e.g., magnet schools, tuition tax credits, charter schools, homeschooling, virtual learning).
  • Diverse perspectives on a single topic related to school choice (e.g., parent engagement, the role of government regulation).
  • International comparisons of the implementation or impact of school choice policies.
  • Understanding the implications of various school choice reforms for diverse populations and communities.
  • Productive exchanges among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Guidelines for Content and Submission of Proposals

To submit a proposal, please fill out the appropriate google form linked below:

  • Single Paper Submissions
  • Research Panel Proposals
  • Critical Conversation Session Proposals

If you have any questions, please contact us by email at schoolchoice.conference@gmail.com.

Proposals/Submissions are now closed.

Questions about proposal submissions may be directed to the Program Committee:

Additional details on conference announcement, registration, and hotel accommodations may be found on our website.