2026 MidSouth Education Policy Workshop Paper Submissions due August 21

The second MidSouth Education Policy Workshop will bring together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to present and discuss empirical research on education policy and the economics of education. This workshop is jointly organized by faculty at Miami University (OH), University of Kentucky, University of Tennessee, and Vanderbilt University. 

This workshop will be held in-person at the University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY) beginning the morning of Thursday, October 8th, and concluding in the afternoon on Friday, October 9th.  To facilitate engagement, the workshop will be held entirely in person, without an option for virtual participation. 

We are accepting submissions (abstracts) for two types of presentations:

1. Working papers to be presented in full-length sessions (e.g., 15-20 minutes for presentation and discussion) 
2. Works-in-progress to be presented in shorter flash talks (e.g., 10-15 minutes for presentation and discussion)

We hope to see submissions representing a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, methodologies, and topics related to education policy and the economics of education, broadly defined. This list includes (but is not limited to): 

• Early childhood education
• K-12 student experiences, outcomes, and school choice; Teachers and school administrators
• Postsecondary access, choice, persistence, completion, and outcomes
• Educational finance, governance, and accountability
• Career and technical education, work integrated learning, and career readiness
• The intersection of education and labor markets, health, housing, and other domains
• Research methods and data

The workshop will be an opportunity to receive feedback from an engaged and supportive audience. This webpage will be updated as information becomes available.