Call for Proposals
Have you led colleagues through change? Built trust on teams? Shaped culture in ways that strengthened practice? We want to hear from you.
Proposal Deadline: March 28, 2026
11:59 PM ET
Submit a Proposal
Overview
Leadership That Moves People
Instructional leaders are experts in teaching and learning. But most of our own professional development skips what's hardest: what to do when you hit resistance, when trust isn't there yet, or when the people you're leading are already overwhelmed.
The Instructional Leadership Forum is designed for PK–12 educators who guide colleagues, influence teams, and shape professional culture. Many do this work without formal authority, but with deep commitment to instructional excellence and adult learning.
This Forum centers leadership that moves people in thinking, in practice, and in purpose. Sessions explore how trust is cultivated, how culture is shaped, and how instructional practice is elevated through shared responsibility and professional respect.
What We're Looking For
Educators Who Lead from Experience
We invite proposals from educators who can speak thoughtfully and honestly about the real work of leading adults. If you have:
Led colleagues through trust, credibility, and professional respect
Supported adult learning and instructional growth in real school contexts
Coached or facilitated conversations that strengthened practice
Shaped professional culture in ways that sustained growth over time
Navigated tension or change with clarity and care
Translated instructional success into shared practice
Strengthened collaboration and collective responsibility
We want to learn from your experience.
Proposal Categories
Five Focus Areas
Proposals must connect to one or more of the following:
1
Influence Through Credibility and Relationship
How leaders build trust, earn credibility, and create conditions for honest professional dialogue.
2
Leading Adult Learning and Professional Growth
Approaches to coaching, facilitating, and supporting colleagues in developing their instructional practice.
3
Culture as the Foundation for Instructional Excellence
How norms, expectations, and shared beliefs are developed and sustained to support rigorous, equity-centered teaching.
4
Collective Responsibility and Shared Practice
Structures and leadership moves that strengthen collaboration, distributed expertise, and team ownership.
5
Staying Grounded: Leadership Under Pressure
Concrete strategies, protocols, or tools that help leaders navigate the complexity of supporting adults in high-stakes environments.
Types of Sessions We're Seeking
Session Approaches
Practical Leadership Workshops
Interactive sessions offering tools, protocols, or leadership moves participants can apply within their own teams or roles.
Leadership Stories & Case Studies
Authentic examples highlighting decisions, learning, challenges, and outcomes so others can adapt the work to their own contexts.
Peer Coaching & Facilitation
Approaches for guiding adult learning, facilitating professional dialogue, and supporting reflective practice.
Culture-Shaping Sessions
Explorations of how norms, trust, and shared expectations were developed and sustained.
Collaborative Dialogues
Facilitated conversations inviting participants to examine shared leadership challenges and learn alongside one another.
Who Should Submit
PK–12 Educators Who Lead Adults
We welcome proposals from educators who lead adults in any capacity, including:
Teacher Leaders
Instructional Coaches
Interventionists & Specialists
Department Chairs & Grade-Level Leaders
Assistant Principals & Principals
MTSS & Student Support Leaders
School-Based Leadership Teams
District Instructional Leaders
Formal titles are not required. If you influence adult practice, your voice is welcomed and valued.
Proposal Guidance
What Makes a Strong Proposal
Centers adult leadership and professional learning
Highlights leadership decisions and moves, not just instructional strategies
Describes a meaningful challenge and what was learned through it
Shares outcomes related to practice, culture, or collaboration
Offers concrete ideas participants can explore or apply
Aligns clearly with one or more proposal categories
Emphasizes experience and practice over theory alone
We are seeking sessions that illuminate how leadership shows up in practice and how adults are supported to do their best work together.
Submission Requirements
What to Include
Session title
Session format (Breakout or Pre-Conference Deep Dive)
Proposal category (select 1–2 from the five focus areas)
Session description that addresses:
The leadership challenge or context
What participants will explore or learn
Key takeaways or outcomes
300 words max for Breakout | 400 words max for Pre-Conference
Presenter name(s), role(s), and organization(s)
Brief presenter bio(s) (100 words per presenter)
Co-presentations are encouraged. Limit of two proposal submissions per presenter.
Important Dates
Timeline
March 28, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET
Submission Deadline
April 11, 2026
Notifications Sent
May 9, 2026
Presenter Materials Due
June 29, 2026
Pre-Conference at Columbia College
June 30, 2026
Main Conference at Columbia College
After You Submit
Review Process & Next Steps
Review Process
Proposals are reviewed by a panel of PK–12 instructional leaders and evaluated based on alignment with the Forum theme, relevance to practicing educators, and clarity of session outcomes.
If Your Proposal Is Accepted
You'll receive a notification by April 11, 2026 with:
Session assignment (time, format, room)
AV and technology details
Materials template and submission deadline
Presenter orientation information
Partnership
Columbia College & Renewed Harmony
The Instructional Leadership Forum is a partnership between Columbia College and Renewed Harmony, designed to strengthen the field of adult leadership in PK–12 schools and build sustainable professional learning communities that extend beyond the event.
