September 2025

AERA News

Register for the 2025 Brown Lecture with James Banks—Attend via Livestream Individually or as a Watch Party
Registration for the Brown Lecture livestream featuring James Banks (University of Washington) is now open. New this year is the option to register as an individual or as a watch-party group, with expanded opportunities for livestream attendees to share views and questions. Read more

AERA to Hold Informational Webinar on 2026–2027 Minority Dissertation Fellowship on September 25—Register Now
On September 25, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET, AERA will hold an informational webinar on the 2026–2027 Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research. Read more

New Members Named to AERA Award Committees
AERA President Maisha Winn recently appointed new members to AERA award committees. Read more

AERA Will Launch New Membership System on October 1—What to Know
On October 1, AERA will launch re:Members, a new membership system designed to better support member engagement and association functions. Read more

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Bringing Research Forward

Read – “DOGE Wreaks Havoc on Education Research” – In a Wall Street Journal letter to the editor, AERA Executive Director Tabbye Chavous warns that dismantling the Institute of Education Sciences will be devastating for students, policymakers, and others who depend on federally collected and supported data and research.

Watch – Emily Rauscher (Brown University) discusses her new EEPA article “Slow Progress: School Finance Reforms and Racial Disparities in Funding”
               Related: Full article | News release

Watch – Becca Spindel Bassett (University of Arkansas) shares findings and implications from her new AERA Open article “Where There Is No Equity Engine: Unequal Geographies of College Success for Low-Income Students”
               Related: Full article | News release

AERA Calls

Call for Proposals: Review of Research in Education (RRE) Volume 50 (2026) “Systematic Review Methods for Synthesizing Evidence from Diverse Approaches to Research to Inform Change Efforts in Complex Educational Systems”—Due Date Extended: September 30

AERA-NSF Grants Program Dissertation and Research Grants—Deadline for Proposals: October 6
               Watch the recording of the September 10 Informational Webinar

AERA Graduate Student Research-in-Progress Roundtable Series—Deadline for Submissions: October 8

AERA Awards—Deadline for Nominations: October 15

AERA Undergraduate Student Education Research Training Workshop—Deadline for Applications: October 27

AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research—Deadline for Applications: November 10
               Register for September 25 Informational Webinar

AERA Fellows Program—Deadline for Nominations: November 13

Call for Editors: Review of Research in Education 2027, 2029

Research Policy and Funding News

AERA Provides Comments on Civil Rights Data Collection for 2025–26 and 2027–28
On September 8, AERA submitted comments in response to a 30–day public comment period for the 2025–26 and 2027–28 cycles of the Civil Rights Data Collection. Read more

House Committee Advances FY 2026 Spending Bills with Education Research Implications
The House Appropriations Committee held markup hearings for the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Commerce, Justice, and Science bills in September. Read more

Opportunities to Contribute to Federal Research and Data Policy

AERA members are encouraged to submit research- and data-informed comments on the following open opportunities.

Department of Homeland Security Proposed Rule on F-Visas – Comments Due: September 29
A proposed rule would set a fixed four-year term for F (academic student) visas. AERA previously commented on a similar proposed rule during the first Trump administration. Learn more and comment.

Proposed Updates to IPEDS –Comments Due: October 14
In response to a presidential memo and Department of Education directive, this proposal would add an “Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement” to postsecondary data collection. Learn more and comment.

Proposed Updates to IDEA Part B Data Collection – Comments Due: October 21
The Department of Education proposes removing Significant Disproportionality data from Section V of the Annual State Application under Part B of the IDEA. Learn more and comment.

In Memoriam

Janet H. Lawrence, 80, died on August 26. She was an emeritus professor at the University of Michigan School of Education, where she directed the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. She served as vice president of Division J–Postsecondary Education from 2002 to 2004. Read more

Beyond AERA

Visit the Beyond AERA webpage for professional advancement opportunities from other organizations, including calls for papers and submissions, meetings and conferences, and other activities.

AERA in the News

Equity in name only: How decades of school funding reforms failed students of colour in US
The Times of India, September 14

How Efforts to Fund Schools More Equitably Actually Worsened Racial Inequality
Education Week, September 11

Finance Reforms to Combat Racial Inequities Often Made Them Worse, Study Finds
The 74, September 10

School Finance Reforms Fail to Close Racial Funding Gaps, New Study Finds
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, September 10

State school finance reforms increase racial and ethnic funding inequities, study finds
MSN, September 10

Access to four-year colleges that effectively serve low-income students is uneven across U.S.
eCampus News, September 10

Letter to the Editor: DOGE Wreaks Havoc on Education Research
Wall Street Journal, September 5

Study Finds Stark Regional Gaps in College Access for Low-Income Students
Diverse Issues, August 27

Pass or fail? Midwest families and districts are learning from the 4-day school week
Iowa Public Radio, August 26

More AERA in the News

AERA Highlights is published by the American Educational Research Association monthly to inform members and others interested in education research about the latest news and developments in AERA and in the field.

Executive Director: Tabbye Chavous
Editor: Tony Pals
Editorial and Production Team: Marla Koenigsknecht, John Neikirk, Audrey Poe
Contributors: Nathan Bell, Marla Koenigsknecht, Tony Pals, Christy Talbot