2026 Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina

2026 ELA Annual Conference

October 21–24, 2026
Embassy Suites Raleigh Durham Research Triangle
Cary, North Carolina

2026 ELA Conference Proposal Notifications were sent on May 28th

Registration Rates
Professional Member: $525
Retired Member: $440
Student Member: $210
Non-Member: $815

Register Now

Book Your Room

Check out the Schedule of Sessions Here! (Note that this document is current as of September 1. For an up-to-date schedule, visit ELA2026.sched.com)

Why Attend

Nestled in the heart of North Carolina, the Raleigh–Durham–Chapel Hill area offers the perfect backdrop for the 2026 Education Law Association Conference. Known as the “Research Triangle,” the region features top-tier universities, a thriving law and policy community, vibrant arts and food scenes, and miles of greenways.

The Embassy Suites Research Triangle is centrally located—less than 20 minutes from downtown Raleigh and Durham, and under 10 minutes from RDU Airport with a complimentary shuttle.

New for 2026: Enhanced Conference Platform

We’re introducing a new platform to make your experience simpler, clearer, and more connected. This year, ELA will use SCHED as the central hub for proposals, scheduling, communication, and the live conference program.

ELA2026.Sched.com

What You’ll Be Able to Do

  • Submit proposals and receive acceptance notifications
  • View a continuously updated conference program
  • Access schedules on desktop, tablet, and mobile
  • Search sessions by topic, presenter, or time
  • Read session descriptions and presenter bios
  • Build your personal schedule
  • Connect with attendees and presenters
  • Receive real-time updates and notifications

Important Dates

  • Conference Registration Opens: Now Open
  • Hotel Booking: Now Open
  • Proposal Notifications Sent: May 28 
  • Presenter Conference Registration Deadline: September 7
  • Upload Deadline for Paper Session Presentations: October 5 (Upload them directly in your session in Sched)

Additional updates and reminders will be shared as key dates approach.

Important Reminder

There are two systems involved:

  • Conference Registration (ELA website)
  • Conference Platform (SCHED)

Email addresses MUST match across both systems.

  • The email used to submit proposals (including email addresses for co-presenters)
  • The email used to register for the conference (the email address associated with your ELA profile)

If you are the lead presenter submitting the proposal, ensure your email address matches the email address you use to register for the conference. If you are the lead presenter and are including co-presenters, you must make sure that the email addresses you are filling in for your co-presenters will match the addresses they will register with - so please double-check with them before submitting your proposal.

If emails do not match exactly, sessions, speaker profiles, and registrations may not link correctly. Fixing mismatches later is difficult and may not be possible.

Additionally, if someone registers on your behalf, they must use your name and email address.

Questions?

Email [email protected]

Conferece Registration Refund Policy


We understand that plans sometimes change, and ELA will make every effort to process eligible conference registration refunds as fairly and promptly as possible.

To request a cancellation, please provide written notice to the Education Law Association at [email protected]. Because ELA makes financial commitments in advance based on anticipated attendance, the amount of any refund is determined by the date we receive the cancellation request, according to the following schedule:
  • 30 days or fewer before the first conference activity (September 21, 2026, or later): No refund.
  • 31 to 45 days before first conference activity (September 6-20, 2026): 50% refund.
  • 46 days or more before the first conference activity (September 5, 2026, or earlier): 75% refund.
Refund percentages apply to eligible conference registration fees. Any administrative costs or third-party/vendor charges associated with the original transaction or refund (such as credit card processing, payment-processing, or transaction fees) will be excluded from the refundable amount.

Because conference planning and contractual commitments are tied to each individual registration, registration fees cannot be transferred or credited toward a future ELA event.

Similarly, fees for optional special events or activities that are not included in the general conference registration fee are not eligible for refund. These amounts may include excursions, separately purchased meals, ticketed events or experiences, and similar activities.

We appreciate your understanding and your support of ELA’s efforts to plan a high-quality conference experience for all attendees.

 


Become an ELA Member

Join ELA Today!

ELA welcomes attorneys, professors, administrators, teachers, students, public officials, and other education professionals and stakeholders who are interested in legal issues in education. Join and become part of the most vibrant and active association focused on education law in the world.