Previous Awards


Previous Awards

Petition for an AERA Sanctioned Award here.

1. Outstanding Policy Research Report Award

Sponsor: AERA Division L

Year Award to be Established: 2012

Rationale: The award will recognize an outstanding research report that makes the

contribution of analyzing, evaluating or critiquing educational policy.  The membership of

AERA consistently conducts research that contributes to the development of educational

policy and dialogue and debate about such policy. This award will bring attention to one

exceptional contribution every year.

Only one award will be given each year.  In the first year, the award will be given to an article or

research report or policy brief of 50 pages or less.  In the second year, the award will be given to

a book or research report of more than 50 pages.  Subsequently, the award will alternate between

article-length and book-length reports.

Selection/Eligibility: In selecting a winner, the following guidelines will apply.

1. Research excellence (with the standards of quality applied being appropriate to the

methodology of the report in question).

2. Impact which may include evidence that the document in question has been used by

policy makers, has changed the public debate or dialogue about a policy area in a

jurisdiction, or has substantially advanced a research field.  

3. Recency: Research reports will have been completed within four years of the date on

which reports are due.  This date will normally be November30 of the year before the

AERA meeting at which the award is given.

Nomination Process:

The nomination must include the following items:

1. A copy of the report that is nominated.  A letter of nomination from a member of

Division L of AERA.

2. Documentation of the research impact.  

Research reports may be nominated by a report author or by a “user” or other reader.  

Review/Selection Process:

1. The committee to make this award will consist of a chair and four members.  The

committee will review nominated reports and make the final award.

2. Members of the Research Report Award Committee will be selected to ensure that there

is no conflict of interest and that representation of a wide range of Division members and

educational constituencies is assured.

3. Each committee member reviews all nominated reports.

4. By individual ballot, each committee member will make a global ranking of the

nominated reports on quality and impact with the top report receiving a “1”.

5. After reviewing and sharing the ranks to the committee members, the subcommittee cochair will schedule a conference call to discuss the rankings to reach a consensus on the

awardee.  Awards will only be made in a year when at least one report is of sufficiently

high quality as to deserve this recognition.  

Form of Recognition:

The awardee(s) will receive a plaque and a cash award of $500 that will be presented at the

Division L business meeting which is held during the AERA Annual Meeting.

Name of Existing AERA-Sanctioned Awards:

Division L Dissertation Award

Contact Person for the Award: Chair of the Division L Research Awards Committee


2. Lifetime Achievement Award in Educational Policy

Sponsor: AERA Division L

Year Award to be Established: 2013

Rationale: The award will recognize a lifetime of achievement in educational policy research.  

The field of educational policy research has generated a number of excellent researchers who

deserve broad recognition.  The award will be offered every other year and will alternate with the

Early Career Award.  

Selection/Eligibility: In selecting a winner, the criteria to be considered will be the quality and

impact of the candidate’s work over a lifetime.  

Nomination Process:

To nominate a candidate, there must be a nominating letter and two supporting letters.  These

letters should describe the candidate’s contributions to the field of educational policy over the

course of the candidate’s career.  They should describe the quality of the research, including--

as appropriate--its rigor, insight, contribution to policy, and/or contribution to policy or policy

debates.

Review/Selection Process:

1. The Awards Committee of Division L will consist of the overall chair and a co-chair for each

award.  The Awards Committee will identify four members of the Lifetime Achievement

Subcommittee.  The co-chair for the Lifetime Achievement Subcommittee and the four

additional members will review nominated reports and make the final award.

2. Members of the Lifetime Achievement Subcommittee will be selected to ensure that there

is no conflict of interest and that representation of a wide range of Division members and

educational constituencies is assured.

3. Each committee member reviews the packages of letters for all candidates.

4. By individual ballot, each committee member will make a global ranking of the nominated

candidates with the top report receiving a “1”.

5. After reviewing and sharing the ranks to the committee members, the subcommittee co-chair

will schedule a conference call to discuss the rankings to reach a consensus on the awardee.  

Awards will only be made when at least one candidate is of sufficiently high quality as to

deserve this recognition.  

Form of Recognition:

The awardee will receive a plaque and a cash award of $1,000 that will be presented at the

Division L business meeting which is held during the AERA Annual Meeting.

Name of Existing AERA-Sanctioned Awards:

1. Division L Dissertation Award

Contact Person for the Award: Chair of the Division L Awards Committee


3. Early Career Award in Educational Policy

Sponsor: AERA Division L

Year Award to be Established: 2012

Rationale: The award will recognize a scholar whose initial career (the first seven years past the

receipt of the doctorate) shows a high level of productivity.  This productivity will be reflected in

the quality and impact of the recipient’s research.   The field of educational policy research has

generated a number of excellent researchers who deserve broad recognition.  This award will be

offered every other year and will alternate with the Lifetime Achievement Award.  

Selection/Eligibility: In selecting a winner, the criteria to be considered will be the quality and

impact of the candidate’s work.  The winning candidate should have received the doctorate no

more than seven years before the time when nominations for the award are due.   

To nominate a candidate, there must be a nominating letter and two supporting letters.  These

letters should describe the candidate’s research contributions to the field of educational policy.  

They should describe the quality of the research, including--as appropriate--its rigor, insight,

contribution to an policy research, and/or contribution to policy or policy debates.

**Review/Selection Process:

1. The Awards Committee of Division L will consist of the overall chair and a co-chair for

each award.  The Awards Committee will identify four members of the Early Career Award

Subcommittee.  The co-chair for the Early Career Subcommittee and the four additional

members will review nominated reports and make the final award.

2. Members of the Early Career Achievement Subcommittee will be selected to ensure that

there is no conflict of interest and that representation of a wide range of Division members

and educational constituencies is assured.

3. Each committee member reviews the packages of letters for all candidates.

4. By individual ballot, each committee member will make a global ranking of the nominated

candidates with the top report receiving a “1”.

5. After reviewing and sharing the ranks to the committee members, the subcommittee co-chair

will schedule a conference call to discuss the rankings to reach a consensus on the awardee.  

Awards will only be made when at least one candidate is of sufficiently high quality as to

deserve this recognition.

Form of Recognition:

The awardee will receive a plaque and a cash award of $1000 that will be presented at the

Division L business meeting which is held during the AERA Annual Meeting.

Name of Existing AERA-Sanctioned Awards:

1. Division L Dissertation Award

Contact Person for the Award: Chair of the Division L Awards Committee