The National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)'s Research Training Programs in Special Education (84.324B) prepare individuals to conduct special education and early intervention research that advances knowledge within the field and addresses issues important to education policymakers and practitioners.
NCSER aims to fund rigorous research that helps solve significant education problems and that is relevant to the needs of the population of learners with or at risk for disabilities in the United States. NCSER's ability to support high-quality research depends on the ability to train and support talented researchers who bring different backgrounds, perspectives, interests, and experiences to address complex education problems. NCSER also seeks to broaden the special education research workforce by offering professional development and training opportunities for individuals at multiple career stages in a variety of institutions and education settings across the country.
The training programs supported by this grant program include:
Early Career Development and Mentoring in Special Education
The Early Career Development and Mentoring (Early Career) program provides support for an integrated research and career development plan for early career investigators at institutions of higher education or non-academic research organizations who have established an interest in special education research and are developing research careers focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities. The awards provide support for research and career development (including salary for protected time to conduct research and engage in career development activities) that includes training under the guidance of an experienced mentor or mentors. The Early Career program also offers the option for early career investigators employed by institutions of higher education not classified as R1 to request additional funding for grant administration and management.
Methods Training for Special Education Research
The Methods Training for Special Education Research (Methods Training) program supports training of current education researchers to maintain and enhance their research and analysis skills to conduct rigorous and relevant research focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities. Supported training should respond to the ongoing development and adaptation of methods concerning the design of early intervention and special education studies, analysis of the data collected, and practical interpretation and dissemination of the results.
Postdoctoral Research Training Program in Special Education and Early Intervention
The Postdoctoral Research Training Program in Special Education and Early Intervention (Postdoctoral Training) supports university-based training programs to train doctoral-level researchers to conduct high-quality, independent special education and early intervention research. NCSER-funded postdoctoral training programs have increased the supply of special education and early intervention researchers who are prepared to conduct exploratory research, implement rigorous evaluation studies, develop and evaluate new products and approaches, and design and validate assessments and other measurement tools for use with children with or at risk for disabilities.
Legislation
- 20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq., the “Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002,” Title I of Public Law 107-279, November 5, 2002
- Section 10634 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. § 19234)
- This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372
Regulations
- Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) codified at 2 C.F.R. Part 200
- The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 C.F.R. parts 77, 81, 82, 84, 86 (part 86 applies only to institutions of higher education), 97, 98, and 99. In addition 34 C.F.R. part 75 is applicable, except for the provisions in 34 CFR 75.100, 75.101(b), 75.102, 75.103, 75.105, 75.109(a), 75.200, 75.201, 75.209, 75.210, 75.211, 75.217, 75.219,75.220, 75.221, 75.222, and 75.230.
Applicant Information
Timeline
- Application Available: August 6, 2026
- Letter of Intent: September 3, 2026 (Submit your Letter of Intent online)
- Application Deadline: October 1, 2026 by 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time
- Possible Start Dates: July 1 - September 1, 2027
Application
- Review the IES Application Submission Guide
- Review the FY 2026 84.245B Research Training Programs in Special Education Application Notice and Instructions
- Complete your submission on Grants.gov
Eligibility
For the Early Career program, IES provides funds to the institution of the PI who submitted the application for their research and career development. Applicants to the Early Career program must be a research institution (academic or non-academic). Institutions located in the territorial United States that have the ability and capacity to conduct rigorous research are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, non-profit and for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and institutions, such as colleges and universities.
For the Methods Training Program, applicants located in the territorial United States that have the ability and capacity to conduct training in scientific research methods are eligible to apply. An applying institution may hold more than one Methods Training award and submit multiple applications to the Methods Training Program if they are substantively different from one another and have no overlaps in key personnel.
FY 2024
| Grant Award Number | Grantee | State | Training Program | Project Title | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R324B240004 | University of Florida | FL | Early Career | Exploring How Special Educators' Working Conditions Relate to Their Role Enactment, Engagement, and Effectiveness in Inclusive Service Delivery Models | $699,430 |
FY 2023
| Grant Award Number | Grantee | State | Training Program | Project Title | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R324B230029 | University of Georgia | GA | Early Career | Development of an Integrated Word-Reading and Spelling Intervention for Middle School Students With Word-Level Reading Disabilities | $697,178 |
| R324B230012 | University of Missouri - Columbia | MO | Early Career | Project SELF: Teaching High School Students With Disabilities to Self-Regulate Their Behavior | $519,939 |
| R324B250046 | University of Washington | WA | Early Career | ImPACTO: Partnering for Autism Focused Social Communication Intervention With Transborder Latine Caregivers | $680,110 |
FY 2022
| Grant Award Number | Grantee | State | Training Program | Project Title | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R324B220001 | University of Michigan | MI | Methods Training | Comprehensive Program for Adaptive Interventions Training in Education Sciences (CATIE) | $800,000 |
FY 2021
FY 2020
The National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER)'s Research Training Programs in Special Education (84.324B) prepare individuals to conduct special education and early intervention research that advances knowledge within the field and addresses issues important to education policymakers and practitioners.
NCSER aims to fund rigorous research that helps solve significant education problems and that is relevant to the needs of the population of learners with or at risk for disabilities in the United States. NCSER's ability to support high-quality research depends on the ability to train and support talented researchers who bring different backgrounds, perspectives, interests, and experiences to address complex education problems. NCSER also seeks to broaden the special education research workforce by offering professional development and training opportunities for individuals at multiple career stages in a variety of institutions and education settings across the country.
The training programs supported by this grant program include:
Early Career Development and Mentoring in Special Education
The Early Career Development and Mentoring (Early Career) program provides support for an integrated research and career development plan for early career investigators at institutions of higher education or non-academic research organizations who have established an interest in special education research and are developing research careers focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities. The awards provide support for research and career development (including salary for protected time to conduct research and engage in career development activities) that includes training under the guidance of an experienced mentor or mentors. The Early Career program also offers the option for early career investigators employed by institutions of higher education not classified as R1 to request additional funding for grant administration and management.
Methods Training for Special Education Research
The Methods Training for Special Education Research (Methods Training) program supports training of current education researchers to maintain and enhance their research and analysis skills to conduct rigorous and relevant research focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities. Supported training should respond to the ongoing development and adaptation of methods concerning the design of early intervention and special education studies, analysis of the data collected, and practical interpretation and dissemination of the results.
Postdoctoral Research Training Program in Special Education and Early Intervention
The Postdoctoral Research Training Program in Special Education and Early Intervention (Postdoctoral Training) supports university-based training programs to train doctoral-level researchers to conduct high-quality, independent special education and early intervention research. NCSER-funded postdoctoral training programs have increased the supply of special education and early intervention researchers who are prepared to conduct exploratory research, implement rigorous evaluation studies, develop and evaluate new products and approaches, and design and validate assessments and other measurement tools for use with children with or at risk for disabilities.
Legislation
- 20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq., the “Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002,” Title I of Public Law 107-279, November 5, 2002
- Section 10634 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (42 U.S.C. § 19234)
- This program is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of Executive Order 12372
Regulations
- Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance) codified at 2 C.F.R. Part 200
- The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 C.F.R. parts 77, 81, 82, 84, 86 (part 86 applies only to institutions of higher education), 97, 98, and 99. In addition 34 C.F.R. part 75 is applicable, except for the provisions in 34 CFR 75.100, 75.101(b), 75.102, 75.103, 75.105, 75.109(a), 75.200, 75.201, 75.209, 75.210, 75.211, 75.217, 75.219,75.220, 75.221, 75.222, and 75.230.
Applicant Information
Timeline
- Application Available: August 6, 2026
- Letter of Intent: September 3, 2026 (Submit your Letter of Intent online)
- Application Deadline: October 1, 2026 by 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time
- Possible Start Dates: July 1 - September 1, 2027
Application
- Review the IES Application Submission Guide
- Review the FY 2026 84.245B Research Training Programs in Special Education Application Notice and Instructions
- Complete your submission on Grants.gov
Eligibility
For the Early Career program, IES provides funds to the institution of the PI who submitted the application for their research and career development. Applicants to the Early Career program must be a research institution (academic or non-academic). Institutions located in the territorial United States that have the ability and capacity to conduct rigorous research are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, non-profit and for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and institutions, such as colleges and universities.
For the Methods Training Program, applicants located in the territorial United States that have the ability and capacity to conduct training in scientific research methods are eligible to apply. An applying institution may hold more than one Methods Training award and submit multiple applications to the Methods Training Program if they are substantively different from one another and have no overlaps in key personnel.
FY 2024
| Grant Award Number | Grantee | State | Training Program | Project Title | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R324B240004 | University of Florida | FL | Early Career | Exploring How Special Educators' Working Conditions Relate to Their Role Enactment, Engagement, and Effectiveness in Inclusive Service Delivery Models | $699,430 |
FY 2023
| Grant Award Number | Grantee | State | Training Program | Project Title | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R324B230029 | University of Georgia | GA | Early Career | Development of an Integrated Word-Reading and Spelling Intervention for Middle School Students With Word-Level Reading Disabilities | $697,178 |
| R324B230012 | University of Missouri - Columbia | MO | Early Career | Project SELF: Teaching High School Students With Disabilities to Self-Regulate Their Behavior | $519,939 |
| R324B250046 | University of Washington | WA | Early Career | ImPACTO: Partnering for Autism Focused Social Communication Intervention With Transborder Latine Caregivers | $680,110 |
FY 2022
| Grant Award Number | Grantee | State | Training Program | Project Title | Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R324B220001 | University of Michigan | MI | Methods Training | Comprehensive Program for Adaptive Interventions Training in Education Sciences (CATIE) | $800,000 |