February 2026

The White House Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a final rule on February 6 in the Federal Register titled Improving Performance, Accountability and Responsiveness in the Civil Service. The rule establishes a new “Policy/Career” designation for federal employees in positions deemed “policy-influencing,” effectively removing traditional service protections. This designation could potentially extend to staff at federal research and statistical agencies.

AERA submitted comments on the proposed rule in June 2025, urging OPM to exempt program officers at federal science agencies from this classification. In initial guidance, OPM indicated that agencies could designate as “Policy Career” employees those who have “substantive participation and discretionary authority in agency grantmaking,” including involvement in drafting funding opportunity announcements, evaluating grant applications, or recommending or selecting grant recipients.

In its comments, AERA noted that while program officers at federal research agencies participate in the grantmaking process, they implement established agency policies rather than engage in policymaking themselves. In response to comments advocating for exemptions for grantmaking positions at federal science agencies, OPM stated that the “scientific nature of a particular job is not determinative of whether or not the position is policy-influencing,” and that such positions could be classified as Policy/Career. OPM further explained that it expects covered positions to include those reflecting policy-influencing duties such as directing which scientific projects should be funded agency-wide or advocating to Congress for additional appropriations to carry out new initiatives.

However, OPM also acknowledged that “many positions involved in grantmaking do not determine or make agency policy” and stated that it “will not recommend such positions for reclassification into Schedule Policy/Career.”

In its June comments, AERA also urged OPM to exempt staff at federal statistical agencies, citing their responsibility to produce reliable, nonpartisan data and maintain public trust. OPM generally dismissed concerns raised in comments about the potential politicization of federal data, instead referencing existing performance standards.

The rule will take effect on March 9. Federal agencies are required to submit to OPM lists of positions proposed for reclassification as “Policy/Career.”