Biederman said the Trump administration “absolutely” intends to maintain the role in educational research, even when it seeks to close the department. Closing will require congress approval, which has not yet happened. In the meantime, Biederman said the department is looking at the government to find where his research and statistical activities are “most appropriate”.
Other IP activities also seem to resume. In June, the department revealed in a legitimate submission that has or has plans to restore 20 of 101 terminated contractsS Among the activities to be restarted are 10 regional education laboratories that partner with school districts and countries to generate and apply evidence. It is not clear how all 20 contracts can be restarted without federal employees to conduct competitive bidding processes and control them.
Earlier in September the department publishes Eight new jobs To help administer the National Educational Progress Evaluation (NAEP), also called the National Report map. These positions would be part of the IUS statistics department, the National Center for Education Statistics. The bigger part of the work on the development and administration of tests is processed by external suppliers, but federal employees are required to award and monitor these contracts. After Mass shootings In March, employees on the Board, which monitored NAEP, were on a loan at the education department to make sure that the NAEP 2026 test was scheduled.
Only small IES staff remains. Some education statistics have erupted since Trump took office, including him First release of higher education data On September 23. But data versions have been late and incompleteS
It is believed that no new grants have been issued for educational research since March, according to researchers who are familiar with the federal grant process but have demanded that they are not identified for fear of revenge. It is a big obstacle that a contract for conducting a partner review of the research proposals has been canceled so that new ideas cannot be properly checked. The staff who remains is trying to make annual payments for older perennial studies that have not been canceled.
With all these changes, it becomes increasingly difficult to understand the condition of funded by federal education. A potential source of clarity is new Project Started by two researchers at George Washington University and John Hopkins University. Rob Olson and Betsy Wolf, who has been an IES researcher until March, tracked the cancellation and conducted records of research results for politicians.
If successful, it will be the much needed light through the chaos.
Contact the staff writer Jill Introduce in 212-678-3595, Jillbarshay.35 on a signal, or Barshay@hechingerreport.orgS
This story about Reform IES is manufactured by Hachinger’s reportNon -profit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Point and others Hachinger BulletinsS
