Resist, Reimagine, Rebuild: A Call to Action for Educational Equity and Justice 

At the 2025 NPEA Conference, education champions from across the country will unite with a focus on resisting the growing challenges to student equity and justice and radically reimagining the education landscape for students from historically marginalized and excluded communities. As we navigate an increasingly complex terrain where diversity and racial equity efforts are under threat, national and global tensions are heightened, and policy changes compromise our continued progress, our commitment to this work has never been more vital. Amidst these challenges, we will discuss innovative, solutions-oriented education strategies and practices that center and lift the voices of students. Together, we will address a wide range of topics that are front of mind for our field and provide space for critical conversations about how we can remain resilient and support each other and our communities. This is a time for recovery, restoration, and rebuilding. Join us in this call to action to embrace this period of change and realize a future where student empowerment, liberation, and transformation are at the core of our educational landscape.

BEFORE YOU START: REGISTRATION FAQS

Please allow approximately 15 minutes to complete your registration, and be prepared to complete your registration in one sitting. You will receive an automated confirmation email upon completion.

Who should attend?
The NPEA Conference is designed for U.S.- and Canada-based attendees who are committed to educational access, equity, and success for students from historically marginalized and excluded communities. Attendees represent CBOs, nonprofit programs, K-12 public and private schools, colleges and universities, and others in the education field.

Please feel free to download our Attendee Justification Letter here.

What if more than one individual from my organization/school wants to attend? 
If you are interested in registering multiple people from the same organization/school and wish to pay together, you can register together as a group in one transaction. You will have the option to pay by check or credit card. You'll see the option to "add a registrant" after entering information for the first registrant. If you wish to register members of your organization/school separately but pay together, we can provide you with an invoice for your full group to submit payment in one transaction.

Group Discounts:
NPEA Member organizations/schools with five or more people attending are eligible for a group discount of $25 off per person, and Non-Member groups of five or more are eligible for a discount of $10 off per person. (All registrants must be the same registration type and cannot include presenters.) To access the group discount:

  • When you register your whole group together in one transaction, the discount will be automatically applied through the registration system and you do not need a discount code.
  • If each individual in your group of 5+ members is planning to register separately, each registrant will need to enter and apply the discount code GROUP. 
  • If each individual in your group of 5+ NON-members is planning to register separately, each registrant will need to enter and apply the discount code GROUPNM.
  • Please email Kate Schoon at [email protected] with any questions.


What registration type should I select? 
You can view our member list here to see if your school/organization is listed as an NPEA member. If you're still unsure of what registration type to select, please contact Bianca Diaz, NPEA Member Services Associate, at [email protected]. Please be sure of your membership status before registering.

If I am an NPEA Member, how can I access my member discount? 
Select the appropriate NPEA Member registration type and your member discount is automatically included. You do not need to log in or enter a membership number or coupon code. Please note that we will be conducting weekly audits of our registration lists to ensure the accuracy of attendees who register as NPEA members. Please take a moment to verify if you are or are not a member before registering.

How do I join NPEA and access the member rate for the conference?
If you are interested in joining NPEA, you can do so here; for membership questions, please contact us. You will need to join NPEA first prior to receiving the member conference rates. PLEASE NOTE: Registration refunds will not be granted if you join NPEA after registering.

AGENDA

You will be able to create your own agenda through the event mobile app as we get closer to the conference. For now, you can view our agenda-at-a-glance below, or, view our detailed agenda with workshop descriptions by clicking here.
*Workshop descriptions current as of 12/16/24 and will be updated as details change.

REGISTRATION PRICING

If you have a coupon/group discount code, you will enter it in the payment section at the end of registration (very bottom of the page).

  • Registration fee for NPEA member attendees.

  • Registration fee for NPEA members who are presenting.

  • Registration fee for non-member attendees.

  • Registration fee for non-members who are presenting.

  • This category is reserved for Keynote Speakers, Young Visionary Leader Panelists, and Philadelphia Leaders in Education Panelists. You must be pre-approved by NPEA for access to this registration type.

  • This category is reserved for graduate and/or college students and student presenters only.

OPTIONAL PRE-CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3

New This Year! NPEA Coaching Corner

Elevate Your Professional Growth at the NPEA 2025 Conference!

NPEA is thrilled to announce a new initiative premiering at this year's conference — the NPEA Coaching Corner, a unique opportunity for personalized career and professional development. As leaders, advocates, and champions of educational equity, you work tirelessly to create change in your communities. This initiative is designed to support your growth and success, so you can continue making an even greater impact.

What is the NPEA Coaching Corner? The NPEA Coaching Corner will connect 15-20 conference attendees with skilled, certified coaches for one-on-one coaching sessions, tailored to your personal and professional aspirations. Whether you’re seeking career guidance, leadership development, or strategies for personal growth, these sessions will be a valuable space to explore new perspectives, set goals, and map out a plan for your future.

When and where? Coaching sessions will take place as pre-conference activities on Wednesday, April 2, between 11:00am - 1:30pm, at the conference hotel. Each 40-minute session will focus on either career coaching or personal/professional growth.

How do I participate? All attendees who indicate interest through their conference registration prior to the Early Bird deadline (February 14) will be entered into a lottery for a coaching session; 15-20 attendees will then be randomly selected from the lottery pool and notified the week of February 17. Don't miss out on this opportunity to work with a certified professional coach at the NPEA Conference! 

Please indicate below if you are interested in this opportunity. 

PRE-CONFERENCES

  • Empowering the Journey: Advancing DEI and Anti-Racist Practices with Buffalo Prep

    Empowering the Journey: Advancing DEI and Anti-Racist Practices with Buffalo Prep

    Wednesday, April 2, 2025 - 11:00AM - 1:00PM

    Dr. Marcus Deveso, Assistant Director/CPO, Buffalo Prep
    David Johnson, Senior Director, Buffalo Prep
    Patti Stephen, President, Buffalo Prep

    Join Us for a Pre-Conference Session Designed to Deepen Your DEI and Anti-Racist Journey!

    Get the most out of your NPEA conference experience by participating in an interactive pre-conference session. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced in DEI work, this session will meet you where you are, offering a space for self-reflection, knowledge-sharing, and meaningful connection. Here's what you can expect:

    Gain insight into your own journey with an engaging self-assessment and reflection exercise. After completing a quick survey to gauge your comfort and experience level, you’ll join a small group of peers at a similar stage (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced). Together, you’ll dive into real-world challenges, share perspectives, and discuss how you might handle difficult conversations and deepen your learning and commitment.

    This session is designed to offer practical tools, new insights, and a supportive community to help you grow personally and professionally. Don’t miss this opportunity to prepare for a powerful conference experience and deepen your commitment to educational equity and justice.

    Price $90.00
  • Meeting Youth Needs through Effective Program Design and Sustainability Planning with The Learning Agenda

    Meeting Youth Needs through Effective Program Design and Sustainability Planning with The Learning Agenda

    Wednesday, April 2, 2025 - 11:00AM - 1:00PM

    Matt Eskin, Senior Consultant, The Learning Agenda
    Brenda McLaughlin, Founding Partner and Senior Advisor, The Learning Agenda

    A robust, thoughtful, and consistent planning process is key to effective program design and meeting the needs of young people. Whether you’re designing summer and/or school year academic programs, mentoring or tutoring initiatives, test prep or alumni support programs, early and inclusive planning is a must. Program leaders are challenged by the current mental health crises youth are facing, staff turnover, budgeting for sustainability, and more. This session will dive into research on effective program planning, offering tools, strategies, and tips for high quality programming, continuous improvement, and long term sustainability. From a twelve month planning calendar (modeled for summer programs but applicable to many types of programs), to a budgeting tool, to a framework for program sustainability, this workshop delivers hands-on tools that you can leverage to enhance your program. This workshop is best suited to program leaders, coordinators and other individuals that are responsible for program planning and management.

    Guiding Questions:
    Do you wonder what robust and research based tools are available to support your program planning and design? Do you have a strong program but worry about its sustainability? Does program planning change dramatically every time there is a new program leader? How can you implement a consistent planning process that leads to continuous quality improvement, program sustainability, and addresses whatever the “needs of the moment” are?

    Price $90.00

OPTIONAL FREE ACTIVITIES

All activities LISTED BELOW are included in your registration at no extra cost and are optional. However, your selections below will help us plan. Please read through the options outlined below and be sure to indicate any/all activities in which you might like to participate.

Networking Reception - Thursday, April 3: 5:00 - 6:30PM

Join us for networking and connections with colleagues and other attendees from across the country! Enjoy appetizers, reflect on the conference with others, and learn from exhibitors.

Thursday Dine-Arounds - Thursday, April 3 (*evening)

Join your fellow attendees for dinner at local restaurants for additional, offsite networking. PLEASE NOTE: The cost of dinner is not included in registration. If you choose to participate, you will be responsible for covering the cost of your meal as well as transportation to/from the restaurant.

MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES: Exhibit Tables, Banner Ads, & Amplify Ads

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

REGISTRANT INFORMATION

PLEASE NOTE: LinkedIn profiles must be provided as a full https:// link in order to be uploaded to your attendee profile in the conference app. E.g., https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrie-tate-38442320. We will not be able to upload your profile information in any other format.

Schedule & Meals:

Please note: Following pre-conference activities, the conference will officially begin on Wednesday, April 2 at 2:30pm with registration, coffee, and networking, immediately followed by our first block of concurrent workshop sessions and our opening general session. The conference will conclude with a closing keynote general session from 2:30-3:45pm on Friday, April 4.

Allergies, Restrictions, Dietary Requirements:

Please select all that apply from the list below. If you have a dietary allergy/restriction/requirement not listed below, please use the "other" field to specify, and we will do our best to accommodate.

Please note: We will not be serving red meat, pork, or nuts during any conference meals, breaks, or receptions, so these are not listed below.

SPECIAL MEALS - The below options may or may not be available for an additional fee, depending on availability through the conference hotel. Please indicate any special meal requests below and we will be in touch to coordinate logistics and payment as needed and as we are able.

Accessibility at the Conference:

We are committed to accessibility at the NPEA Conference. We choose conference hotel locations that follow ADA guidelines. All spaces are wheelchair accessible. Please do not hesitate to contact an NPEA staff member to discuss any particular accommodations you may need to ensure your full participation. For your planning purposes:

  • Workshops and keynotes WILL NOT be audio/video recorded.
  • Workshop rooms WILL NOT have amplified sound/speakers/microphones, unless otherwise specified. The general session ballroom WILL have amplified sound and microphones.
  • Flash photography may be used in the general session ballroom, workshop rooms, and registration/exhibitor areas throughout the conference.
  • We WILL NOT have a hard-copy, printed program this year; instead, attendees can view the full conference agenda via the mobile app. A hard-copy printed version of the PDF agenda can be made available to anyone upon request in advance of the conference.
  • Most workshop rooms will be set theatre-style to accommodate a maximum of 65 seated attendees, with an open aisle down the center; attendees may stand in the back if space allows.
  • All workshop rooms will be set with at least 2 chairs in the front of the room reserved for individuals requiring any special visual and/or hearing accommodations.

Please let us know about any special accommodations that would help ensure your full participation in the conference by emailing Kate Schoon.

Special Accommodations:

Attendee Recommended Reads & Listens:

What is a favorite podcast you've listened to, a TedTalk that influenced your work in educational equity, and/or an education book you've read that has informed your work or made you think differently? We will compile all of the attendee suggestions into a shareable resource list.

Demographics:

Why do we collect this information and how do we use it?
While this question is required, the information you share is entirely optional (you may select "I would prefer not to share."). Demographic data is helpful to us in the aggregate to understand more about who is participating in the conference and think about possible affinity group spaces to provide during the conference agenda. In addition, keynote speakers have on occasion requested details about the racial/ethnic breakdown of the conference audience as they are preparing their remarks. Our goal is for this list to be fully inclusive. With that said, if you notice any missing categories, have any questions, and/or would like to see us add any additional options to this list, please email Kate Schoon so we can make updates and/or corrections promptly.

*The following demographic categories were adapted from an event registration form via the National Equity Project.

Your Industry and Role:

NPEA Involvement

Past NPEA Conference Participation:

NPEA Membership & Committees

NPEA 2025 POLICIES & AGREEMENTS

IMPORTANT: All conference registrants must read and agree to the NPEA Conference Policies and Community/Participant Agreements here. Once you have read through the document, please click the button below to agree and proceed. You may contact Kate Schoon at any time with any questions or concerns.

Photo and Video Release Policy: 
NPEA will take photos and videos of attendees throughout the conference for NPEA use, and these photos may appear in the NPEA e-newsletter and digest, conference and membership communications, social media outlets (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn) on the NPEA website, and in NPEA promotional materials. Participants, exhibitors, and/or sponsors may also photograph and share photos of conference activities. By virtue of attending the NPEA Conference, you agree to usage of your likeness in conference-related photos.

Cancellation/Refund Policy:

All cancellations through Friday, February 28, 2025 will be charged a $75 cancellation fee, and all cancellations after Friday, February 28, 2025 will forfeit the full registration fee. **In the event that you can no longer participate, you may substitute a colleague to participate in your place at no additional cost.

PAYMENT

Discount/Group Codes

If you have a discount/group code, please enter and apply it below.

Balance Due:

The amount below reflects your total registration fee and any paid add-ons (e.g., pre-conference session, etc).

$0.00

YOUR BILLING INFORMATION

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Discover
RegFox Event Registration Software
Event Registration Software by RegFox