2025 SEF Issues Forum

 

Miles To Go:

The Road To Education Justice

 

Space is limited, register as soon as possible to confirm your participation.

Register to Attend

Miles To Go: The Road to Education Justice

Confronting the Past, Navigating the Present, and Shaping the Future of Education.

Registration is now open for the 2025 SEF Issues Forum, SEF’s signature convening on education justice in the South.

Join the Movement for Education Justice

The South has always been at the center of our nation’s struggle, and progress, toward educational opportunity. This fall, we invite you to join the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) and hundreds of education leaders, practitioners, policymakers, researchers, scholars and advocates in New Orleans for the 2025 Issues Forum: Miles to Go: The Road to Education Justice.

Together, we’ll reflect on our shared history, examine the systemic inequities still shaping schools today, and chart a bold, shared course for the future of public education.

Why Attend?

Whether you’re advancing education opportunity in a classroom, district office, statehouse, or research lab, the 2025 Issues Forum offers:

  • Powerful Keynotes from leading voices in education justice and civil rights.

  • Interactive Sessions that explore policy, practice, and place-based innovation.

  • Space for Strategy to collaborate across sectors and regions.

  • A Community of Change-makers working to expand opportunity and drive systems-level change.

This is more than a conference, it’s a call to action. And your voice belongs in the room.

What to Expect:

  • Inspiring keynotes and panels from change-makers across the field
  • Interactive sessions on policy, practice, and place
  • Opportunities for connection, strategy, and storytelling

Secure your spot today and join us in shaping the future of public education in the South and beyond.

Early bird rates available through September 1, 2025.

Register Today

Hotel + Travel Information Coming Soon

SEF will share hotel room block details, recommended accommodations, and travel guidance in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for updates to help you plan your trip to New Orleans with ease. If you have any immediate questions, feel free to contact us at development@southerneducation.org.

Submit a Proposal or Paper

SEF is still accepting session proposals and research papers aligned to the Forum’s theme. Submissions should explore issues of race, opportunity, and justice in education, particularly within Southern communities.

Submission Details

Submit proposals at forum@southerneducation.org.

Sneak Peak: Session Details 

Take a look at the sessions and the agenda for the forum. More session details and speakers will be announced at a later date.

View the Agenda

Who Should Attend?

  • K–12 and higher education leaders

  • Policy advocates and government officials

  • Civil rights and social justice organizations

  • Education researchers and faculty

  • Philanthropic leaders and funders

  • Community-based organizations

  • Anyone committed to the future of public education

Event Highlights

  • Location: The historic and vibrant city of New Orleans
  • Networking: Connect with peers, partners, and change-makers across the field
  • Access to Ideas: Learn strategies and models driving meaningful change across the South
  • Momentum: Join us as we build on the legacy of Brown and carry the work forward

Let’s confront the past, navigate the present, and shape a future where every student has access to a high-quality education. Join us.

Register Today

Stay Connected

Join our mailing list to receive event updates, speaker announcements, and more.

Contact: development@southerneducation.org