This article originally appeared in the opinion section of The Hill.

For education researchers, real-world solutions matter most
by Tabbye Chavous, opinion contributor - 11/13/25 1:00 PM ET

In recent years, research that doesn’t fit narrowly defined priorities has increasingly come under attack regardless of its rigor and merit. Words like “equity,” “justice,” “inclusive,” and “diversity” are now often targeted based on political or ideological biases, mis-defined or taken out of context.

They are at times wielded to cast doubt on the legitimacy, purpose, and federal funding of programs, studies, and entire fields of inquiry, as in a recent oped about education research by Auburn University’s David Marshall. Marshall drew an oversimplified contrast between research focused on “equity” and research he argued actually matters to teachers.

But equity-focused research does matter. The equitable access to and use of AI in schools matters; classroom management practices that support and work across diverse student groups matter; inclusive parental engagement initiatives matter. The need for this work is only increasing as the nation’s students, educators, and broader population become more diverse, and as practitioners and policymakers at all levels seek evidence-based solutions to address declining reading, science, and math scores among the lowest performing students.

Far from being narrowly ideological, education research covers a remarkably wide array of topics that matter in classrooms, school, and communities. In a way similar to Marshall, I used an AI tool to assess the full content of the 2025 American Educational Research Association annual meeting program. ChatGPT-5’s results for the top five themes were the growing role of AI, technology, and digital futures in learning; advancing equity, justice, and anti-oppression; innovating teacher education and pedagogical practices; shaping postsecondary policy and supporting student success; and refining research methods and data science.

These themes show that education research is broad in scope, committed to rigorous methods, and attentive to real-world needs of students, teachers, administrators, and policymakers. They also highlight that equity and real-world issues are not an either-or proposition — they are interconnected. For instance, a conference paper on teachers’ effective instructional methods (a real-world concern) might examine the benefits of co-designing with students and their families (an equity and inclusion approach). The reality is that evidence-based, equity-focused research is far more nuanced than the simplistic caricature of “woke” research.

I share Marshall’s concern about connecting scholarship to the public good and value his long-standing engagement with AERA as a member and regular annual meeting presenter. Across the country, researchers are dedicated to producing high-quality work that helps practitioners and policymakers improve outcomes from pre-K through workforce education for learners of all backgrounds. This includes examining persistent gaps in these outcomes and identifying evidence-based ways to close them for the good of every student and the country.

Education researchers enter the field to improve the lives of students and educators and to tackle real-world challenges in schools and universities. On pressing issues ranging from absenteeism, reading, and learning loss to STEM outcomes, school start times, and teacher well-being, education scholars are building the evidence base that educators, policymakers, and parents rely on to make informed decisions.

Through research-practice partnerships, such as the Houston Education Research Consortium, scholars collaborate directly with school districts and state education agencies to produce actionable insights that inform practice and policy. Researchers also advise policymakers, serve on school boards, and testify before legislatures, working to ensure that education decisions are grounded in data.  

Our organization supports this work not only through its annual meeting and other events, but also through seven peer-reviewed journals and professional development programs that strengthen the quality and impact of education research. The association also helps translate and share this work with the public in numerous ways. Nonetheless, the association and field know that more needs to be done and are redoubling efforts to connect researchers with teachers, school leaders, and policymakers who need evidence to guide innovation and accountability for the benefit of all learners.

Similarly, federal investments in education research by the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health have led to advances that help foster mathematical thinking, expand computer science learning, improve teacher-student interactions, and encourage data literacy. The “Mississippi Miracle,” which produced dramatic gains in reading achievement, was driven by a comprehensive early literacy strategy grounded in evidence from research supported by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Now, more than ever, federal support for education research matters. Students and schools are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, and higher education faces increasing demands for accountability and effectiveness. Continued federal investment in education research is essential to ensuring that the nation’s policies and practices are guided by the best evidence, and that every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Tabbye Chavous is executive director of the American Educational Research Association.