Separation of Research and Program Delivery Functions

Our current statute, as well as previous administrative decisions, have led OERI to be responsible for a large number of non-research programs. These include a number of ESEA programs such as character education, a large number of earmarks through the Fund for the Improvement of Education, technology programs such as Star Schools, and the regional education labs. We believe it is critically important to separate the research agency from the responsibility of delivering educational programs and technical assistance. Over the years, those activities have been assigned to OERI in increasing numbers to the point that over two-thirds of our budget is devoted to non-research programs. The agency responsible for evaluating program effectiveness and upholding high standards of evidence cannot fulfill its role if it is directly delivering the very educational programs and technical assistance that it is supposed to evaluate. Further, the culture of science that is so important to establish within the agency is impeded when we need so many staff to engage in activities such as monitoring FIE earmarks that do not require scientific training. Also, far too much of my and my senior staff's time has to be spent in overseeing these non-research activities. We need a solid intellectual connection between scientific research and technical assistance, but in keeping with the recent National Research Council report on scientific research in education, we believe it is very important to keep these types of activity operationally distinct.