The White House published Executive Order (E.O.) 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science (GSS) on May 23, 2025. On June 23, 2025, the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy issued related agency guidance. In response, the Department of Education has developed an implementation plan documenting current and future scientific activities aligned with the executive order’s nine Gold Standard Science tenets.

Executive Summary 

The mission of the Department of Education (ED) is is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. ED, through its Institute of Education Sciences (IES), has long been a leader in supporting and conducting rigorous research that embodies many of the tenets of GSS. ED and IES welcome the opportunity to expand on and strengthen our commitment to implementing GSS. In the memo below we describe activities and structures already in place to implement GSS, as well as considerations and plans for expanding and strengthening GSS implementation, providing training for staff, grantees, and contractors, and developing metrics to monitor and evaluate our progress.