About Learning Forward

Learning Forward is the only association devoted to improving student results through advocacy and support for high-quality professional learning. Our readers and website visitors are education leaders – superintendents, central office leaders, principals, instructional coaches, and state and regional leaders.

More than 70,000 readers come to our publications and website to find the answers they need to solve learning challenges for both staff and students.

We know these leaders. They’re our members.

You need to connect with leaders at the state, district, and school level who make decisions about school improvement and professional learning.

The Learning Professional is THE publication for those who make their institutions’ professional development buying decisions and is an important part of their decision-making process.

Learning Forward’s flagship publication, The Learning Professional, is the authority on professional learning for educators, and includes the most trusted and current information available on high-quality professional learning. The Learning Professional reaches more than 16,000 principals, superintendents, teachers, coaches, curriculum and instruction administrators, human resource professionals, and state and regional leaders in school improvement planning.

The Learning Professional, Connect, and our annual conference program aren’t just publications. They are tools that Learning Forward members actively use to make decisions. Our vision is Equity and excellence in teaching and learning. Let our readers know that you share this vision.

99%

of our readers say that The Learning Professional is helpful for their work.

93%

of readers share articles from The Learning Professional with their colleagues.

Advertising Calendar

Dates and themes subject to change

IssueEditorial highlightsAD CloseArt dueApprox. in home
February 2025Learning designs

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to growing educators’ skills. Great professional learning is customized to educators’ needs and systems’ goals. So how do you design professional learning that is aligned with both local goals and best practices and research? Grounded in the Learning Designs standard from the Standards for Professional Learning, this issue will examine the “how” of professional learning.

Articles might cover:

– effective facilitation strategies that engage educators and build their buy-in.
– how to build on adult learners’ existing knowledge.
– how to integrate expectations for collaboration.
– equity considerations.
– how to make the most of educators’ time.
Dec. 1, 2024Dec. 13, 2025February 3-7, 2025
April 2025Navigating new roles

Getting a new position is exciting, but what happens afterward? And what do educators need to stay and thrive in these new roles? This issue will dig into how to support new-to-the-role professionals at all points along the career continuum, including teachers, coaches, support staff, and leaders at all levels.

Topics might include:

– mentoring for novice teachers
– helping coaches understand their role and navigate common challenges
– leadership coaching
– learning communities for new teacher leaders
Jan. 1, 2025Jan. 15, 2025April 7-11, 2025
June 2025Measuring learning

Research shows that high-quality professional learning makes a difference for student outcomes. But how do you measure the progress of specific professional learning initiatives? How do you collect, analyze, and make meaning of multiple forms of data? Grounded in our commitment to evaluation and our readers’ requests for more information on conducting it, this issue will home in on measuring the results where they matter most—for students.

It will feature how educators, professional learning designers, evaluators, and other practitioners measure the implementation and impact of professional learning and use the findings to improve initiatives and tell stories of success.
Mar. 1, 2025Mar. 14, 2025June 2-6, 2025
August 2025Professional learning resources

Supporting the professional growth and expertise of teachers requires resources, including funding, time, technology, curriculum, and more. How do you secure and sustain those resources, document their use, and make sure you’re getting the most out of them? At a time when Covid relief funds are winding down and many budgets are tightening, how can you do more with less?

This issue will feature ways educators are finding, getting creative with, and maintaining the resources that enable high-quality professional learning and improvement for students.

It will also share strategies and stories about Title II-A, the U.S. Department of Education’s funds allocated for educator professional learning.
May 1, 2025May 15, 2025August 4-8, 2025
October 2025Learning communities for leaders

Leadership can feel like a lonely endeavor, but it shouldn’t be. Just like teachers, leaders learn and grow to be their best in community. This often requires going beyond the barriers of school buildings and district offices to connect across organizational boundaries. This issue will explore models of leadership development and support grounded in collaboration.

Articles might address topics such as:

– how to create safe and encouraging spaces to connect with role-alike professionals.
– strategies to facilitate collaborative professional learning both within and outside of school walls.
– leadership communities of practice.
– innovative career pathways in leadership.
Jul. 1, 2025Jul. 15, 2025October 6-10, 2025
December 2025Meeting the needs of today’s learners

Today’s students have to manage a lot on top of learning: cell phones and social media distract from learning while anxiety and chronic absenteeism are on the rise. How can educators teach students who are not fully ready to learn? Some of the solutions to making schools more welcoming, engaging, and effective for today’s learners lie in professional learning. What are schools doing that’s working, and what data do they have to show it?

Topics of interest include:

– supporting positive and productive school cultures.
– building students’ self-regulation and readiness to learn.
– improving social and emotional outcomes as part of academic improvement.
– restorative practices or initiatives that have increased student safety, student belonging, and connection.

Bonus Distribution: Learning Forward Annual Meeting in Boston, MA (500 copies).
Sep. 1, 2025Sep. 15, 2025December 1-5, 2025

The Learning Professional Magazine Rates

position1-3x4x
save 10%
5x
save 15%
6X
Save 20%
2-Page Spread$4,013$3,612$3,411$3,210
Full Page$2,112$1,901$1,795$1,690
2/3 Page Horizontal or Vertical$1,668$1,501$1,418$1,334
1/2 Page Horizontal$1,541$1,387$1,310$1,233

Cover Placements

1-3x4x
save 10%
5x
save 15%
6X
save 20%
Outside back cover$3,176$2,858$2,700$2,541
Inside front or Inside back cover$2,430$2,187$2,065$1,944
1-3x4x
save 10%
5x
save 15%
6X
save 20%
Advertorial or C-Suite Interview$2,900$2,610$2,465$2,320

The Learning Professional Specs

Ad Specifications

Ad SizeWidthHeight
Full Page (With Bleed)8.889″11.386″
Full Page (No Bleed)7.373″9.875″
Outside Back Cover (With Bleed)8.889″8.586″
1/2 Page Horizontal (No Bleed)7.373″4.625″
1/2 Page Vertical (No Bleed)5.012″9.875″
2/3 Page Horizontal (No Bleed)7.373″4.625″
2/3 Page Vertical (No Bleed)5.012″9.875″
SPECIAL ADSSPECS
1-Page Advertorial or C-Suite Q&ABleed: 8.889″ x 11.386″
Trim: 8.375″ x 10.875″

– 500-525 words
– 1 image (photo or graphic)
– Your company logo
– Byline and author biography (no more than 35 words)
2-Page Advertorial or C-Suite Q&ABleed: 17.25″ x 11.386″
Trim: 16.76″ x 10.875″

– 900-1,000 words
– 1 image (photo or graphic)
– Your company logo
– Byline and author biography (no more than 35 words)

Paper: High-quality matte finish
Trim: 8.375″ x 10.875″
Live area: 7.375″ x 9.875″ (no type or logos outside this area)
Binding: Saddle-stitched
Press: Sheet-fed cover, web-offset text
Materials: Press-ready PDF files should be 300 dpi and CMYK
Reminder: Export your artwork files with bleed and no crop marks

Connect Newsletter

Monthly

Frequency

89,000

Circulation

20%

OPEN RATE

Learning Forward’s digital newsletter, Connect, is delivered to all Learning Forward members each month. Connect seeks to:

  • Explore the challenges and rewards that teacher leaders, coaches, mentors, instructional specialists, lead teachers, and master teachers face.
  • Focus on the context that makes effective professional learning possible across an entire system of schools.
  • Strengthen leadership practices and leading learning among all members of the school community.
PositionDimensions1x3X+
Sponsored Content25 character title
100 character body copy
15 character call to action
URL to link call to action
$1,350$1,150
Banner Ad600 x 250px + click through URL
$1,260$1,050

Sponsored Content Emails

This limited-inventory opportunity allows your company to provide a fully-created HTML email to be sent to roughly 55,000+ email opt-in Learning Forward members. This exclusive opportunity is available to 1 advertiser per month.

Advertising Rates

List typeCostSent to
Full List$8,250Includes all current email opt-in members (approx. 55,000)
Targeted List$5,250Choose 1:

Teachers/Teacher Leaders (approx. 21,500)

District/Central Office Staff, Principals/Assistant Principals, Directors/Coordinators of Professional Learning and Superintendents/Assistant Superintendents (approx. 20,500)

HTML Materials Requirements for Advertisers

  • Fully designed, ready-to-send email in an HTML file (use a testing service such as litmus to confirm html validation and deliverability of code)
  • Footer must include; Company Name, Full Address, Email Address, Unsubscribe Text, Learning Forward’s Disclaimer (disclaimer to be added by Learning Forward)
  • Subject line for email (40 characters maximum)
  • Pre-Header text for the email (75 characters maximum)

Helpful Hints For Positive Metrics

  • Do not use a whole single image as your email blast
  • Make sure the “Subject Line” is positive and consider promotion of an “offer” in the “Subject Line”

HTML Requirements

  • 650px wide (recommended)
  • Mobile responsiveness
  • Build the HTML file with tables instead of DIV; DIV does not work well with email
  • Do not use a whole single image as your email blast
  • All images and fonts need to be linked to the appropriate files hosted on your servers (no local files)
  • All hyperlinks need to be embedded

Deadlines and Proofing

  • Materials are due at least two weeks prior to email send date
  • All content is subject to review by Learning Forward
  • Necessary alterations are the responsibility of and at the expense of the advertiser
  • Materials that do not meet stated advertising specifications will be rejected
  • Once the advertiser-provided HTML is approved by Learning Forward, a proof from Learning Forward’s email system will be sent for advertiser approval
  • A delay in materials or advertiser approval could jeopardize the send date and result in not running at all; or pushing out several months due to the popularity of this email blast opportunity

Social Media

Reach more than 80,000 followers of Learning Forward social media platforms with sponsored content posts. Social media posts may NOT publish within 5 business days prior to, during, or after Learning Forward events. Paid posts are limited to one post suite per week.

Following: 40,000

Following: 7,800

Following: 33,000

Requirements

PlacementFeed and image dimensions and guidelinesFeed ad character limits
XRecommended specs: 1,200 x 675 pixels

Maximum file size: 5 MB for photos and 3 MB for animated GIFs
Text: 200 characters (with spaces) recommended; 280 characters max

Call to action with URL
FacebookRecommended specs: 1,200 x 900 pixels

News Feed image ratio: 4:3

Recommended formats: JPG and PNG
Text: 350 characters (with spaces) recommended
(longer posts may be truncated on small screens)

Call to action with URL
LinkedInRecommended specs: 1,200 x 1,200 pixels

News Feed image ratio: 1:1

Recommended formats: JPG and PNG
Text: 1,300 characters or less (truncated after 210 characters before clicking “See more”)

Call to action with URL

97%

RECOMMEND, MAKE, OR APPROVE PURCHASES.

Network directly with more than 3,000 potential customers and clients. Your support will be acknowledged in conference materials and throughout the conference in a variety of ways.

  • Superintendents
  • Directors of learning
  • Curriculum and instruction directors
  • State/regional/provincial education personnel
  • Directors of professional development
  • Principals
  • Central office administrators
  • Teachers

Geofencing

Geofencing is the most targeted and effective way to reach an audience that has visited a very specific location at a specific time. For conferences, we start collecting user data on the first day of the show. As users enter the geofenced area their mobile id is collected and we can immediately start to serve your marketing message to this audience. We continue to deliver ads during the conference for an effective “at market” campaign and then target these same users for a week (or more) after the event.

By offering hyper-targeted location-based ads, you will capture the attention of attendees at the annual convention, in their hotels, and even back at their offices and homes after the show. Don’t miss this targeted advertising opportunity!

Option 1:

Device ID or “Lookback” Geofencing

This option allows you to capture attendees from the event location and serve them ads after the event. It’s a great way to keep your brand top of mind with this targeted audience.

  • 40,000 minimum impressions per campaign
  • $40 CPM for Display Ads, $65 CPM for Video Ads
  • One set of creative supplied

Option 2:

Microproximity PLUS Device ID or “Lookback” Geofencing

This option allows you to serve ads to attendees both during and after the event. While attendees are at the event, your ad may highlight a session you are speaking at, a special offsite event you are hosting, or simply direct them to your booth. After the event, you may change your creative to a broader message about your brand.

  • 80,000 minimum impressions per campaign
  • $40 CPM for Display Ads, $65 CPM for Video Ads
  • Two sets of creative may be supplied

Geofencing Specs:

Submit all sizes for maximum reach. This is a mobile-heavy campaign, so the 300×250 and 320×50 will deliver the most impressions. Make the text on your ad as large and easy to read as possible. Consider using an animated GIF with multiple frames for the 320×50 so the text can be large and spread across multiple frames.

Display banners for both desktop and mobile in the following sizes (JPEG or GIF plus the click-through URL) 

  • 728 x 90 pixels 
  • 300 x 250 pixels 
  • 300 x 600 pixels 
  • 160 x 600 pixels 
  • 320 x 50 pixels

Contact your Learning Forward account executive today!

Laura Gaenzle
Account Executive
717.430.2351
[email protected]

Schedule a Meeting

Digital Ad Deadlines

2025 Digital Ad Deadlines

Month ad is
running in
Art deadline
January12/13/2024
February1/13
March2/17
April3/17
May4/15
June5/15
July6/16
August7/15
September8/15
October9/15
November10/15
December11/17

2026 Digital ad deadlines

Month ad is
running in
Art deadline
January12/15/2025
February1/15
March2/13
April3/13
May4/15
June5/15
July6/15
August7/15
September8/14
October9/15
November10/15
December11/13

Sponsored Eblast Deadlines

Must provide materials two weeks before your send date.

Ad Submission Requirements

  • Send digital ad materials to: [email protected]
  • When emailing us your materials, please include the client acronym in your subject line.
  • All advertisers are subject to review and publisher’s advertising policies.
  • Necessary alterations are the responsibility of and at the expense of the advertiser. All materials must be submitted in accordance with the published deadlines and meet the criteria stated in the advertising policy.

Ad Submission Info

PRINT REQUIREMENTS AND FORMATS

  • A high-resolution PDF/X-1a file is required for all ads.
  • Colors must be CMYK. No ICC profiles, RGB, or Pantone colors.
  • Resolution of all photography and scanned illustrations must be at least 300 dpi. Line art should be 600 dpi.
  • Vital copy and images must be at least 1/8” away from trim. Spread ads must have at least 3/8” total gutter.
  • Materials should be submitted without crop marks, but full-page ads should include the required 1/8” bleed.
  • All fonts used must be embedded in the PDF file.
  • Using the bold, italic, or other style keys is not encouraged. Please use the bold or italic version of the font. (For example, instead of making Adobe® Garamond bold with the style key, use the actual font for Adobe® Garamond Bold.)
  • Flatten all layers and set transparency to highest setting.
  • Ads must be suitable to print as-is. Association is not responsible for any errors in content.
  • PLEASE NOTE: Materials that do not meet the stated advertising specifications will be rejected.
  • Necessary alterations are the responsibility of and at the expense of the advertiser. All materials must be submitted in accordance with the published deadlines and meet the criteria stated in the advertising policy.

FOR PRINT SUBMISSION

For instructions on how to upload your A high-resolution PDF/X-1a file, click here.

FOR DIGITAL SUBMISSION

For digital submission please email [email protected] or you may upload directly into our submission portal.

For questions about your ad or the portal or if you need an invite, please reach out to [email protected].

For instructions on how to upload your file, click here.

PRODUCTION CONTACT

[email protected]

The YGS Group
3650 West Market Street
York, PA 17404
Tel: 717.505.9701