A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Building Knowledge for a Nation of Learners: A Framework for Education Research - 1997

An Open Letter to the American People:

We are pleased to present this first biennial report, which establishes national priorities for education research. These priorities are based on the recognition that the nation is strengthened by a population that values and pursues a lifetime of learning, and that a critical prerequisite for meeting this goal is an investment in education research to improve the achievement of all learners. The priorities reflect the concerns and ideas expressed by people like you: the many students, parents, educators, community members, policymakers, and researchers we consulted along the way.

Together, these priorities are a framework for knowledge that will support better teaching and improved student learning in and beyond America's schools and classrooms. The priorities are intended both as a basis for federal investment in education research and as a starting point for a larger national conversation. As part of that conversation, the Office of Educational Research and Improvement and the National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board will sponsor occasions where scholars and consumers will be invited to give greater focus to the questions that will help shape investments for future research.

In that spirit, we invite you to read this report with a close and critical eye and to join our efforts to sharpen the definition of our work.

Sharon P. Robinson
Assistant Secretary
Office of Educational Research and Improvement

Kenji Hakuta
Co-Chair
National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board

Ted Sanders
Co-Chair
National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board
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[Title page] [Table of Contents] [National Priorities for Research in Education]