SREE 2026 Conference
Education and Public Trust: Evidence and Accountability in a Changing Landscape
A Message from the Program Co-Chairs
Public trust in education—and in the research that informs educational policy and practice—is increasingly central to the future of the field, especially given the current climate. While trust has not disappeared, it is being tested by shifting governance structures, rapid advances in data science and artificial intelligence, and evolving accountability mechanisms and growing public concern about transparency. This year’s conference, Education and Public Trust: Evidence and Accountability in a Changing Landscape, invites the education research community to examine what it will take to emerge from this moment with public trust strengthened rather than diminished.
Public trust means confidence not only in individual findings, but in the integrity and stewardship of the education research enterprise. Trust is at risk when evidence is hard to interpret, difficult to replicate across settings, or unlikely to hold under real-world conditions. Trust is shaped by how evidence is generated, governed, communicated, protected, and used—across federal, state, local, and institutional contexts—and by whether research meaningfully serves the public interest, particularly during periods of rapid political, technological, and social change. This framing invites the field to move beyond defending credibility toward examining shared responsibility: how systems of accountability, data governance, methodological innovation, and community engagement must evolve to sustain and strengthen trust in education science.
Education research does not operate in isolation. Trust is created and maintained through the interactions of federal, state, and local governments; researchers and postsecondary institutions; practitioners and communities; philanthropic organizations; and policymakers across sectors such as health, labor, and workforce development. What roles and responsibilities do these actors hold in sustaining public confidence in education systems and evidence? How do we recognize when trust is present—and when it is at risk? What must change in how we generate, interpret, govern, and communicate evidence to ensure that education research remains credible, relevant, and responsive to public needs?
At this year’s meeting, we invite participants to engage in conversations about how public trust is built, maintained, and repaired across the education research ecosystem. We encourage reflection on how accountability systems are evolving, how data and methods must adapt to new realities, and how education research can better serve communities—particularly those historically marginalized—during periods of uncertainty and change.
In service of advancing understanding of public trust in education and education research, we encourage submissions that address the following:
Governance, Accountability, and Public Interest
How do governance structures, statutes, and oversight mechanisms at the federal, state, and local levels shape accountability, transparency, and public trust in education research and policy—particularly in a changing political and regulatory landscape?
Ecosystem Roles, Incentives, and Shared Responsibility
How is trust created and sustained across the education research ecosystem, considering the roles and incentives of researchers, post-secondary institutions, practitioners, policymakers, philanthropic organizations, and communities?
Methods, Transparency, and Credible Evidence
How can methodological rigor, transparency, and communication serve as foundations of trust—highlighting approaches that enhance credibility, address bias, validate data, and make evidence intelligible and meaningful to diverse audiences?
Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Emerging Risks
What are the implications of data science and artificial intelligence for education research, policy, and practice—with a focus on ethical use, human oversight, bias mitigation, and how new technologies affect public confidence in evidence?
Capacity-Building, Partnerships, and Community Engagement
How can the field prepare the next generation of researchers and strengthen trust through interdisciplinary collaboration, cross-sector partnerships, and meaningful engagement with communities and stakeholders?
As education systems and the structures that support them continue to evolve, so too must our approaches to evidence, accountability, and collaboration, as reflected in the rigorous work across methods (causal, measurement and data quality, implementation and systems, and community engagement) found at SREE conferences. We invite you to join us at the 2026 SREE annual meeting to examine how public trust in education research is challenged, reinforced, and renewed—and to help shape a future in which evidence serves the public with integrity, transparency, and shared responsibility.
Laura Stapleton & Peggy Carr, University of Maryland - College Park
SREE 2026 Conference Program Co-Chairs
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