U.S. Department of Education: Promoting Educational Excellence for all Americans

Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Summary — May 7, 2009

 

Section III. F.  Institute of Education Sciences

Overview

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) supports sustained programs of research, evaluation, and statistics to provide solutions to the problems and challenges faced by schools and learners. Investment in research and statistics activities is critical in order to identify effective instructional and program practices, track student achievement, and measure the impact of educational reform. Through its four centers—the National Center for Education Research, the National Center for Education Statistics, the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, and the National Center for Special Education Research—IES ensures that the Federal investment in education research, statistics, and evaluation is well-managed and relevant to the needs of educators and policymakers.

For 2010, the Administration is seeking $689.3 million for IES activities, an increase of $72.1 million over the 2009 level. This request would increase funding for programs of research, development, and dissemination in areas where our knowledge of learning and instruction is inadequate, including support for new research initiatives focused on how students learn to read for understanding and to help identify and scale up promising educational innovations.

The request also would maintain the Administration's commitment to supporting high quality statistics and assessment programs, including a new longitudinal study of teachers and a new international assessment of adult competencies; implementation of the 2010 national U.S. history, civics, and geography assessments under the National Assessment of Educational Progress; and assistance to help States improve the quality of longitudinal student data systems. Finally, the request would provide continued funding for an evaluation of the Regional Educational Laboratories (REL) as well as the final year of the REL contracts.

Research, Development, and Dissemination

  2008 2009 2010
Request
 
B.A. in millions $159.7 $167.2 $224.2

The request includes an increase of $57 million, or 34 percent, to would support education research, development, and dissemination sponsored by IES. A portion of the increase would fund a new reading initiative that will rapidly develop, test, and disseminate innovative interventions to improve reading comprehension. The increase also would support the study, improvement, and scaling up of promising educational innovations that focus on improving student learning and achievement. In addition, the request would fund ongoing programs of research in reading and writing, mathematics, science, cognition, teacher quality, high school reform, postsecondary education, and education finance and leadership.

The request for dissemination includes funds for the What Works Clearinghouse, which provides evidence-based information for policymakers, researchers, and educators on promising approaches and interventions, the National Library of Education, and the Education Research Information Clearinghouse (ERIC).

Statistics

  2008 2009 2010
Request
 
B.A. in millions $88.4 $98.5 $108.5

This request would support the collection, analysis, and dissemination of education- related statistics in response both to legislative requirements and to the particular needs of data providers, data users, and educational researchers. The Department's statistics programs—operated primarily through competitively awarded contracts administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)—provide general statistics about trends in education, collect data to monitor reform and measure educational progress, and inform the IES research agenda.

The request includes funding for a new longitudinal study of teachers, technical assistance to States developing longitudinal data systems, a new international assessment of adult competencies, and a national survey to examine parent and family involvement in education and the participation of preschool children in non-parental education and care arrangements.

Regional Educational Laboratories

  2008 2009 2010
Request
 
B.A. in millions $65.6 $67.6 $70.6

The increase would fund the final year of 5-year contracts for a network of 10 regional laboratories that provide expert advice, including training and technical assistance, to help States and districts apply proven research findings in their school improvement efforts. The increase also would be used to support the second year of a statutorily required evaluation of the program.

Assessment

  2008 2009 2010
Request
 
B.A. in millions $104.1 $138.8 $138.8

The request would fund the ongoing National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the National Assessment Governing Board. NAEP measures and reports on the status of and trends in student learning over time, on a subject-by-subject basis, and makes objective information on student performance available to policymakers, educators, parents, and others. NAEP is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what American students know and can do, and has become a key measure of our Nation's educational performance. NAEP activities are conducted through competitively awarded contracts.

At the request level, the Department would conduct 2010 national U.S. history, civics, and geography assessments at grades 4, 8, and 12, and a writing pilot test at grades 4, 8, and 12. The request also would fund preparations for 2011 assessments in reading, math, and writing at grades 4 and 8 and a national grade 12 writing assessment; a 2012 grade 12 economics assessment, a technology literacy study, and the 2012 long-term trend assessment. Funds also would be used for continued analysis and reporting of assessments conducted prior to 2010.

Research in Special Education

  2008 2009 2010
Request
 
B.A. in millions $70.6 $70.6 $70.6

This program supports discretionary grants and contracts for research to address gaps in scientific knowledge in order to improve special education and early intervention services for infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities. The request would support continuation and new awards under ongoing programs of research, including research intended to improve the developmental outcomes and school readiness of infants, toddlers, and young children with disabilities; to improve educational outcomes in core subject areas for children with disabilities; and to improve social and behavioral outcomes.

Statewide Data Systems

  2008 2009 2010
Request
 
B.A. in millions $48.3 $65.0 $65.0

This program supports competitive awards to State educational agencies to foster the design, development, and implementation of longitudinal data systems that would enable States to use individual student data to enhance the provision of education and close achievement gaps. Funding in 2010 will support continuation costs for grants awarded in 2009. The request also would fund improved data coordination and quality as well as technical assistance to enable better use of the information to improve educational outcomes. An additional $250 million in Recovery Act funds for this program will help develop systems that provide usable information from early childhood to participation in higher education and the workforce.

Special Education Studies and Evaluations

  2008 2009 2010
Request
 
B.A. in millions $9.5 $9.5 $11.5

This program supports competitive grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to assess the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the effectiveness of State and local efforts to provide special education and early intervention programs and services to infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities. The request would fund a new study of transition and learning outcomes for students with disabilities as well as the required national assessment of activities supported with Federal special education funds and other ongoing studies and evaluations of special education.

Higher Education Programs  Table of contents  Programs Proposed for Elimination

For further information contact the ED Budget Service.

This page last modified—May 7, 2009 (mjj).