Our Boston Host Committee shares insider tips on the best things to see, do, and experience while you’re in town for #LearnFwd25!
From historic landmarks to local favorites, discover why Boston is the perfect backdrop for transformative professional learning this December 7-10, 2025.
Join us in Boston for THE conference for learning about professional learning
✓ 270+ evidence-based sessions aligned to the Standards for Professional Learning
✓ Keynotes from Cornelius Minor, Shane Safir & Sawsan Jaber, and Dyane Smokorowski & Rob Dickson
✓ 19 intensive preconference sessions with field-leading experts
✓ Guaranteed session seats with our ticketed system
Register now and save up to $640 with early bird pricing through November 4!
|
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.
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.
Read Cornelius Minor’s Q & A in our August 2025 issue of The Learning Professional.
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.
Read Shane Safir and Sawsan Jaber’s Q & A in our October, 2025 issue of The Learning Professional.
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.
Read Dyane Smokorowski and Rob Dickson’s Q & A in our October, 2025 issue of The Learning Professional.
The Boston Host Committee received a lot of love for their “Wicked Learnah!” shirts, so they’ll be sellin’ ‘em right at the hospitality booth. Grab one if you wanna souveniah that screams Bah-ston, or wear it to your next professional learnin’ to show you’re a true wicked smahtie. From tees to hoodies, these threads will make you the talk of Beantown.
Order now so you'll have them in time for cahn-frence!
(Note: We are hearing that sizes run a little small, so consider ordering larger sizes.)
https://threetwinsproductions.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Code: LEARN
The printed program for Learning Forward’s 2025 Annual Conference is now available. Use it as a roadmap for transforming your professional practice as it guides you through more than 270 sessions designed specifically for educators who are ready to bridge the gap between professional learning and student success. Whether you’re an instructional coach seeking immediately applicable strategies, an administrator looking to build effective professional learning systems, or a building leader wanting to measure your impact, our conference program contains the research-based solutions you’ve been searching for.
Inside, you’ll discover sessions led by award-winning practitioners who have achieved documented success in their schools and systems, researchers, and trusted experts. From AI-powered strategies to effective adult learning design, from peer coaching systems to principal burnout prevention, every session is aligned to the Standards for Professional Learning and promises tools you can implement immediately. The program also details keynote speakers who will challenge your thinking and inspire breakthrough approaches to professional growth that directly impact student learning.
This program is essential reading because it allows you to strategically plan your conference experience and secure seats in the sessions most critical to your current challenges. With our session reservation system, reviewing this program allows you to plan ahead for the sessions that can transform your practice. Early registration discounts end November 4, so download the program today to make informed decisions about which days to attend, whether to add in-depth preconference sessions, and how to maximize your professional development investment—potentially saving up to $640 when you register with early discounts.
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.
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.
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!
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.
