AERA Division A Newsletter: Spring 2026
Spring 2025 AERA Div A Newsletter
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The Division A Pre-AERA Issue has been released. Please visit for important updates and information.
AERA Division A seeks four scholars to serve on the Division A, Equity, Inclusion, and Action Committee (EIA). Committee Membership is a two-year term beginning in Fall of 2026 and ending in Spring of 2028. Committee members collaborate on equity-oriented work and actions including:
In addition, the EIA committee is relationship-oriented, centered on building community building, and highly collaborative. The work of the committee requires consistent and dedicated participation. Committee members meet twice monthly for 1.5 hours as working meetings. We meet to get work done!
Applying
Applicants must have demonstrated knowledge and experiences actualizing equity, inclusion, and social justice (e.g. evidence of scholarship, teaching, service, outreach, etc.). We encourage applicants to learn more about the Division A, EIA current members and the committee’s current work via our blog.
Early career scholars and scholars from underrepresented communities in the academy are encouraged to apply. Past applicants interested in reapplying will need to submit new applications.
Complete application by April 20, 2026 at 5 pm EST.
You are invited to participate in the Division A Literature in Action series hosted by the Equity in Action committee. This Spring, we are featuring Dr. Chandler Patton Miranda's Book, Sanctuary School: Innovating to Empower Immigrant Youth. The first 25 registered participants can receive a free digital copy of the book!
Our Literature in Action series brings together educators, leaders, researchers, and community advocates for an engaging book talk workshop. The author will lead us through key sections of the book to transform our reading into action. Sessions will feature guest speakers as expert practitioners innovating for immigrant youth empowerment. Each session will provide time for participants to talk in small groups, share best practices and effective policies, discuss key parts of the book, and learn key strategies necessary for empowering immigrant youth in today's socio-political contexts. Our intention is to create a safe professional environment to talk openly and directly about how best to advance this work at this time. The meeting will not be recorded, only registered participants will be permitted in the Zoom room, and the chat will be actively monitored.
Sessions will be held over three Wednesday afternoons: April 22, May 6, and May 20, 2026 at 3-4:30 pm EST / 12-1:30 pm PST.
Applications for Just Education Policy 2026 are now open! Applications are due June 1; click here for more information and to apply. Just Education Policy (JEP) 2026 will be held September 28 - October 1, 2026 in Washington, DC. JEP helps developing scholars learn how, as a community, to conduct research that advances racial justice in education policy. Content will cover four large areas of focus:
All eligible students and recent graduates are encouraged to apply, especially those who do not have access to this type of content in their home programs. Applications will be accepted from those who (A) will be active doctoral students as of September 2026 and have completed at least two years of coursework OR are recent graduates (who graduated in Spring 2026 or later) in postdoctoral positions, and (B) have demonstrated a commitment to conducting research in racial equity and justice in education policy. We will be particularly targeting admissions towards applicants who demonstrate a commitment to working on education policy. The researchers who contribute to education policy are diverse, including those in traditional education policy programs and those in other fields (e.g., history, economics, law, political science, social policy).
If you have any questions about the application process, email Charlotte O'Keefe Stralka at charlotte.okeefe@berkeley.edu.
Education Sciences invites submissions for a special issue on Broadening Horizons for Educational Data Use: Learning and Leading from Classroom to Community,” guest edited by Jo Beth Jimerson (Texas Christian University), Kara Lasater (University of Arkansas), Ellen Mandinach (WestEd), and Kathleen Kyzar (Texas Christian University). This issue will provide a platform for scholarship related to innovative approaches to or expanded conceptions of leading and learning through DDDM that are grounded in human-centered approaches, flourishing and relationships in PK-12 contexts.
To submit to this special issue, please start by sending a proposal (article title, abstract, keywords, authorship and affiliations) through the journal’s submission platform. Proposals that are appropriate to the scope and topic of the Special Issue will receive further instructions, and full manuscripts can then be submitted before the deadline of November 1, 2026.
For more information, or potential topics, see the attached flyer or read the full call for submissions at the special issue’s journal page here.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: LSI SIG Graduate Student Representatives The AERA Leadership for School Improvement (LSI) SIG is seeking two Graduate Student Representatives — one for a one-year appointment (2026–2027) and one for a two-year appointment (2026–2028). This is a unique opportunity to work closely with SIG faculty and graduate student members, as well as a broader network of RDP faculty mentors and graduate student mentees. Responsibilities include: • Attending monthly executive committee meetings • Developing and promoting SIG graduate student engagement initiatives • Facilitating programs at AERA or UCEA conferences • Coordinating the Researcher Development Program (RDP) in partnership with the UCEA GSC Eligibility: Applicants must be a member of the LSI SIG and currently enrolled as part- or full-time graduate students in an educational administration/leadership doctoral program. To Apply: Submit a curriculum vitae and a statement of interest (750-word maximum) by April 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. EST via the Google Form. Questions? Please reach out to Yubin Jang at ybjang@udel.edu.
The Division L GSC made a great Canva template for highlighting your sessions via social media - tag Division A and Division A GSC on Instagram, Bluesky, or LinkedIn, and we’ll repost for visibility.
This year’s Digital Guidebook has been curated my multiple graduate student officers across AERA, providing both practical guidance and location-specific information for this year.
View the Spring 2026 Edition of the GSC Newsletter.
We are excited to host this year’s Division A Fireside Chat on Wednesday, April 8, from 11:45am PT - 1:15pm PT in the Los Angeles Convention Center, Level Two, Room 402A. This year’s fireside chat convenes leaders and scholars in examining changing federal and political priorities on PK-12 schools, including challenges to public school funding, shifts in immigration policy and enforcement, and policy uncertainty that disrupts district planning.
Panelists include Michelle D. Young (Dean, School of Education, University of California, Berkeley), Scott M. Schmerelson (President, Board of Education, Los Angeles Unified School District), Clemen Avalos (Representative, United Teachers Los Angeles), and Marisa Saunders (Associate Director, Research, Center for Community Schooling, University of California, Los Angeles). We look forward to an engaging conversation and hope to see you there!
Our writing group meets weekly on Mondays from 11am-1pm ET. If you’re interested in attending, join using the link below! Feel free to join for any portion of the writing time - use this space to support progress in your work.
The AERA Division A Newsletter team is seeking applications for two Co-Associate Editors. Co-Associate Editors serve a total of two years on the Newsletter team, beginning their first year under the guidance of the current Co-Editors and then taking on the Co-Editor role in their second year. This two-year term begins April 2026 and ends July 2028. Responsibilities include gathering and authoring content, interfacing with other Division A and Executive Committee members, and meeting monthly during the academic year as an editorial team. This is an excellent opportunity for early career and tenure-track academics to build their networks and understandings of AERA governance. Interested applicants should complete the following application by March 8, 2026. For any questions, please contact the current Co-Editors, Alison Wilson (aswilso6@central.uh.edu) and Meagan Richard (meagan.richard@umb.edu).
We are thrilled to announce the return of the NCME Artificial Intelligence in Measurement and Education Conference (AIME–Con)! Following last year’s sold-out success, AIME-Con 2026 will in Pittsburgh, October 5–7, at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown. This year’s conference theme, “Measurement Science in AI-Integrated Assessment and Pedagogy,” explores the vital intersection of AI innovation and psychometric rigor, ensuring that the next generation of educational tools is anchored in validity, reliability, and fairness. The call for proposals will open by April 1. The submission deadline is June 14. Notifications of acceptances will be sent by August. AIME-Con brings together an interdisciplinary group of leading experts in AI, psychometrics, education, NLP, and learning analytics to bridge gaps between these fields.