Our Annual Conference

Pre-register now!

Pre-registration is now open for the

14th Annual Rowland Conference

October 30, 2025 at UVM

How to Citizen with keynote speaker Baratunde Thurston

Baratunde Thurston’s How to Citizen framework invites us to rethink what citizenship should be in our day and age. A prolific writer and comedian, Baratunde is the author of the New York Times bestseller How to Be Black and co-creator and host of the podcast Life with Machines, focused on the social impacts of AI. He previously wrote for The Daily Show and The Onion and hosted the PBS series America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston.

Receive a discount of $350 off each team of eight when you pre-register!

Schools do not pay or name team members until registration opens in September.  

Early bird rate available until May 30, 2025.

Like A Boss – Baratunde Thurston

Vermont’s Largest Education Conference

“Giving student voice a chance has never failed to reap benefits in one form or another.”

The Rowland Foundation hosts the largest one-day educational conference in Vermont each fall at the University of Vermont. The Annual Rowland Conference is intended for educators, students, and community members interested in improving the culture and climate of schools.

The Annual Rowland Conference keynote speakers are nationally recognized thought leaders whose remarks establish the conference theme for the day. The Rowland Conference workshop sessions are led by practitioners who build on the conference theme and offer concrete strategies for educators, students, and community members who want to make a difference in their schools.

The Annual Rowland Conference offers a discount for early-bird registration in the spring. Schools are encouraged to attend as eight-member school teams, which typically include the principal/head of school, teachers, curriculum leaders, counselors, school board members, and/or support staff. Once they have registered one or more teams of eight, schools are able to add up to three students (per team) for a nominal fee. The Superintendent can be added to any registered school team of eight free of charge.


Conference Pricing

The conference fee includes the keynote address, all workshops, lunch, and refreshments throughout the day. UVM processing and parking fees are additional charges not included here. Prior to the conference, UVM Event Services will contact attendees about parking availability and issue permits. 

School or District Team of 8: $1,850

With a Team of 8 registered, you may add:
Students (max 3): $50 each
Superintendent: Free

Individual Attendee: $275

Individual Attendee – Keynote Only: $75

Keynote Speakers Archive

Jill Lepore

Professor of American History at Harvard University

Ross Gay

Poet, Essayist, and Educator

Dr. Gholdy Muhammad

Author, Speaker, and Educator

Dr. Carla Shalaby

Author, Speaker, and Educator

Robin DiAngelo, PHD

Author, Lecturer, and Affiliate Professor of Education

Ruha Benjamin

Author, Lecturer, and Professor

Jonathan Kozol

Author

Dr. Yong Zhao

Author, Speaker, and Educator

Angela Duckworth

Associate Professor of Psychology

Denis Littky

Director, Author, and Educator

Sir Ken Robinson

Author, Lecturer, and Educator

Tony Wagner

Professor, and Educator


Our Past Conferences

2024        Democracy & School
Cultivating the Habits of a Democratic Culture
2023Growing Community
Making Space for Joy & Creativity in School
2022All Students Thriving
Rethinking School & Community
2021Teaching Love & Learning Freedom
Practicing Community in the Classroom
2019Seeing the Racial Water
Combating Institutional Racism in Schools
2018Beyond Buzzwords
How Do We Transform Equity Ideas into Effective Action
2017Schools as Laboratories for Social Change
Regenerating Empathy at the Heart of Education
2016Equity and Excellence
Closing the Achievement Gap in Vermont Schools
2014Developing Character
Student Achievement and Socio-Emotional Learning
2013Real Learning
Rigor, Relevance, Relationships
2012School Transformation
2011High School Transformation