February 2023

On February 2, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) issued a Request for Information (RFI) to inform future competitions for the National Center for Education Research (NCER) Research and Development (R&D) Centers.

Under the Education Sciences Reform Act, IES is required to support at least eight national R&D centers that incorporate one of 11 topics noted in the law. The R&D centers “address areas of national need, including in educational technology areas.”

The RFI outlines the information sought as follows:

• Of the 11 topics, which three are the most pressing to invest in now, and why?
• Within the three topics identified in response to item (1), on what priority research questions could a new R&D Center focus over a 5-year project period?
• How would your proposed research questions advance the core mission of NCER's program of research, described in the background section of this document [RFI]?
• Are the identified priority research questions likely to yield any products or insights that could be readily shared and taken up by practitioners and policymakers?

IES will be accepting written comments through March 6. AERA members are encouraged to provide a response through the commenting form at regulations.gov.