March 2022
On March 31, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine released “The Future of Education Research at IES: Advancing an Equity-Oriented Science.” The report stems from a study commissioned by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) to examine critical problems where new research is needed; new methods or approaches for conducting research; and new types of investments in research training.
The key report recommendations for IES include:
In addition to these and other recommendations in the report, the committee also provided two enabling recommendations to help IES implement the specific recommendations:
“We thank the committee for its thorough work and recommendations building on the strengths and priorities of the National Center for Education Research and the National Center for Special Education Research, especially as they relate to equity,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “We look forward to further examining the detailed findings and recommendations, and convening and commenting around them. AERA has long advocated for aligning resources and forward-looking ideas; we heartily support the enabling recommendation provided in the report for Congress to re-examine the IES budget in light of funding for other science agencies and what is needed for IES to fully implement the recommendations.”
During a webinar held on March 31, committee chair Adam Gamoran (William T. Grant Foundation) and committee members Nathan Jones (Boston University); Mary Murphy (Indiana University), and Elizabeth Tipton (Northwestern University) provided an overview of the report scope, findings and recommendations. AERA Director of Professional Development and Diversity Officer and George L. Wimberly served as a reviewer of the report. Additional details on the study are available on the NASEM website.
This report is one of three commissioned by IES to examine and provide future insight on the agency’s research, assessment, and statistical activities. “A Pragmatic Future for NAEP: Containing Costs and Updating Technologies” was released on March 24. The third report, focusing on a “Vision and Roadmap for Education Statistics,” will be released April 7. All three reports will be featured in sessions during the forthcoming AERA Annual Meeting in San Diego, April 21-26.