Join Us for The Nation’s Premier Rural Education Conference
The National Forum to Advance Rural Education isn’t just a conference—it’s a dynamic, high-energy experience where passion fuels innovation and ideas spark real change.
Get ready for three days packed with inspiring keynotes, engaging learning sessions, and powerful networking opportunities, all designed to spark new ideas and tackle the unique challenges and opportunities of rural education.
Whether you’re an educator, researcher, policymaker, or advocate, this is your chance to connect with visionary leaders, groundbreaking thinkers, and dedicated changemakers who are shaping the future of rural education.
This year’s theme is Deeply Rooted in Rural Education: Place, Partnerships, and Possibilities and will explore bold ideas, transformative solutions, and the latest research that will challenge perspectives, inspire action, and shape lasting impact in rural education.
If you share our passion and excitement, Salt Lake City is the place to be! Let’s learn, connect, and transform the future—together! See you October 13-15, 2025.
Present at the Nation’s Premier Rural Education Conference
We seek diverse and dynamic sessions that explore a wide range of topics relevant to rural education. Whether you are an educator with a proven strategy for improving student outcomes, a researcher with insights on policy impact, or a community leader creating new pathways for educational opportunities, we want to hear from you.
This is your chance to share the latest advancements, best practices, and groundbreaking research that are shaping the future of rural education.
Submit Learning Session Proposal Submit Research Session Proposal
Why Should You Submit a Proposal?
![]() $100 Registration Discount |
![]() Shape the Conversation |
![]() Broaden Your Impact |
![]() Network & Collaborate |
![]() Be a Leader in Rural Education |
We are seeking presentations of the following types:
45-MINUTE LEARNING SESSIONS
These sessions are intended to go into more depth around innovative or promising practices aligned with the event theme and guiding questions in a 45-minute format. The style of your session can range from an in-depth and interactive learning experience to a panel discussion, to an informal conversation where audience participation is the main component.
Submit Learning Session Proposal
45-MINUTE RESEARCH SESSIONS
These sessions showcase leading research on rural education issues. Proposals for research presentations should be blinded and provide a summary of the research that addresses the following: background and relevance to rural education and the conference, purpose and research questions, method, findings (preliminary for proposal or finalized/approved for presentation), discussion of implications for rural education, and references. Research proposals will be peer reviewed by members of the NREA research committee and selected based on reviewer scoring and recommendations. Authors of top-scoring research proposals will compete for the distinguished Howard A. Dawson Best Research Paper Award. Submitting authors of a small number of top scoring research proposals will be invited to send the full paper to be read and judged by the awards subcommittee.
Learn more about research symposium submission requirements.
Submit Research Session Proposal
Proposal Theme & Strands
Deeply Rooted in Rural Education: Place, Partnerships, and Possibilities
In rural communities, education is not just about classrooms and textbooks; it is deeply interwoven with the land and community, the people, and the traditions that define each unique place. Rural education is rooted in a strong sense of local identity, where schools often serve as hubs for community connection and cultural preservation.
Ultimately, rural education is a place of possibilities. With the right support, these communities can tap into their rich resources—both human and natural—and cultivate learning environments that nurture innovation, resilience, and a deep sense of belonging. Education in rural areas is not just about preparing students for the global economy; it’s about empowering them to understand and engage with the world around them, while also honoring the roots that have sustained their communities for generations.
This year’s theme is Deeply Rooted in Rural Education: Place, Partnerships, and Possibilities and we invite proposals that align with the following strands (hover over each to learn more):
![]() Place-Based Focus |
![]() Collaborative Partnerships |
![]() Innovative Solutions |
![]() Research & Best Practices |
![]() Empowerment & Possibilities |
![]() Engagement & Sustainability |
Important Dates
- March 28: Proposals Due
- Mid-April: Notifications for learning session proposals
- Late May: Notifications for research session proposals
- May 30: Presenter registration deadline
- October 13-15: Conference in Salt Lake City, UT
Questions?
Contact the event team at nfare@nrea.site.
- Rural district, building, and teacher leaders
- Business, civic, and community leaders
- State department of education leaders
- Local, state, and national boards of education leaders
- Established collaboratives/networks of education, business, and community organizations
- Economic development leaders and venture capitalists
- Rural and non-rural education associations
- Philanthropic organizations
- Leaders from institutes of higher education
- Others interested in strengthening rural education, economic/ workforce development, and civic/community engagement effort
The 2025 National Forum to Advance Rural Education is hosted by the National Rural Education Association and Rural Schools Collaborative.
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