IES Staff
Courtney Pollack
Education Research Analyst
NCSER
About
Mathematics and Science Education; Cognition and Student Learning
Associated IES Content
Grant
5E Model Professional Development in Science Education for Special Educators (5E-SESE)
The purpose of this project is to develop the 5E Model Professional Development in Science Education for Special Educators (5E-SESE), an online system of professional development for special education teachers who are teaching science to students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD). With many states adopting rigorous Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), science achievement expectations for students with SCD are increasing. Yet teachers are not prepared to provide instruction t...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A180202
Special Education Dissertation Research Fellowship Program
In this announcement, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) describes its Special Education Dissertation Research Fellowship (Dissertation) Program funded through the National Center for Special Education Research.
AI-Augmented Learning for Individuals with Disabilities
IES has partnered with the National Science Foundation (NSF) in a new funding initiative to encourage scientists to focus on research and development of AI-driven innovations to radically improve human learning and education. This initiative is the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institutes—Accelerating Research, Transforming Society, and Growing the American Workforce solicitation. NCSER plans to support research under Theme 6 Track B—AI-Augmented Learning for Individuals with Di
Cooperative agreement
Center for Advancing Elementary Science through Assessment, Research, and Technology (CAESART)
CAESART will directly respond to the vision of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by addressing the nationwide gap in the availability of high-quality science instruction and assessment for young students (grades K-2). CAESART will connect and build on existing networks of science researchers, leaders, and practitioners at the state, district, and school levels to engage in research and to share information generated through Center activities. CAESART's approach addresses several q...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C240014
Grant
Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI (CELaRAI): Innovating Beginning Reading Instruction for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners
CELaRAI aims to harness the transformative power of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to innovate K-2 beginning reading materials and support for independent reading. CELaRAI will focus on research and development of AI Reading Enhancer (AIRE), a student-facing tool to generate personalized text (AIRE Text Generator), conduct real-time reading analysis (AIRE Reading Analysis), and provide just-in-time literacy support (AIRE Text Enhancer). Through AIRE, the research team aims to signif...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C240046
Grant
National Center on Generative AI for Uplifting STEM+C Education (GENIUS Center)
The development of a competent science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing (STEM+C) workforce in the era of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is crucial for the nation's economic growth, security, and global competitiveness. To achieve this goal, initiatives that combine a robust understanding of core STEM concepts with competence in computational thinking (CT) and AI are needed. With this goal in mind, the National Center on Generative AI for Uplifting STEM+C Educa...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C240010
Grant
The Using Generative AI for Reading R&D Center
The Using Generative AI for Reading R&D Center (U-GAIN Reading) will investigate how to apply AI innovations, aligned to scientific evidence about reading, to achieve strong, equitable gains for diverse elementary school students, with a specific focus on English learners (ELs). U-GAIN Reading will ask two overarching research questions: (1) How can generative AI improve reading performance for ELs and all students who are not yet reading connected text? (2) How can generative AI improve...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C240040
Grant
AmplifyGAIN: Generative AI for Transformative Learning
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has great potential to augment teachers' effectiveness and personalize learning opportunities to enhance both the quality and equity of student learning outcomes. Nevertheless, the content generated by general-purpose AI tools has shortcomings, with limited conceptual depth and inadequate understanding of pedagogical principles and student learning. Consequently, schools and districts are concerned about overreliance on technology as a replacement f...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305C240012
Grant
Extending the Reach of Evidence-Based Practices to Support Student Attention and Behavior Through Technology
The purpose of this study is to integrate digital health (dHealth) technology into the Collaborative Life Skills Program (CLS), an established, school-based behavioral intervention for students with ADHD, to make the program accessible to schools that serve students from low-socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds. Existing evidence-based interventions for students with ADHD are often inaccessible in schools with limited resources to support implementation. By adapting CLS to include a dHealth tool-...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A240184
Grant
Hybrid2: Creating Equitable Spaces for Science Discourse in Blended Learning Environments
This project will explore the high-quality science learning opportunities available for underrepresented minority (URM) middle school students and their relation to students' science learning outcomes. Specifically, the researchers will explore hybrid2 science learning opportunities in which disciplinary scientific discourses are integrated with students' everyday discourses (hybrid 1), along with blended learning opportunities where face-to-face learning is integrated with online platforms ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240345
Grant
Longitudinal Evaluation of Promotive and Protective Factors for Academic Functioning for Students with ADHD Across the Transition to Middle School
This study will examine whether resilience factors-such as school connectedness, social support, and student engagement-predict academic and socio-emotional skills for middle school students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and whether resilience factors may differ for girls and boys. Although prior research has identified multiple risk factors that increase the probability that students with ADHD will experience educational difficulties, how strength-based factors may co...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A240155
Grant
Evaluation of the K-5 Second Step Social-Emotional Learning Program and Bully Prevention Unit: Impact on Youth Violence and School Climate Among Students With and at Risk for Disability Identification
This study will evaluate the impact of a social and emotional learning (SEL) program plus a bully prevention program for students in grades K–5 on SEL, academic, and school climate outcomes. Bullying has become a pervasive problem in the United States. Although policies mandate that schools address bullying, many programs do not identify or target specific student populations who may be at heightened risk for involvement, such as students with or at risk for disabilities. Interventions are...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A240131
Grant
Impact of Disability Anti-bullying Training for Elementary Special and General Education Teachers (PROJECT DIAL): Impact on Teacher Awareness and Self-Efficacy and Student Outcomes
This study will evaluate the impact of an online bullying prevention professional development program-Disability Anti-Bullying Training for Elementary Special and General Education Teachers (DIAL PD)-on teacher self-efficacy, skills, and practices in bullying identification, prevention, and mitigation among youth with or at risk for disabilities. Bullying remains a pervasive problem for school-aged youth in the U.S., especially for students with disabilities, who are disproportionately invol...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A240188
Grant
A Component Network Meta-Analysis of Interventions for Students Struggling with Mathematics in Grades K–6
In this project, the researchers will conduct a systematic review and component network meta-analysis on the effects of kindergarten through grade 6 (K-6) mathematics interventions on student mathematics outcomes and to identify the individual instructional components that are the most predictive of positive student learning outcomes. Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the research and development of mathematics interventions for students struggling with mathematics. These m...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240209
Grant
Supporting Teacher Enactment of the Probability and Statistics Standards—Replication
The current study will build on a previous IES-funded efficacy study to test the replication of Supporting Teacher Enactment of the Probability and Statistics Standards (STEPSS). The STEPSS intervention includes a replacement unit for the statistics and probability curriculum in grade 7 mathematics along with teacher professional development to support its implementation. The current study will test the replication of the intervention in different population of grade 7 learners. Over the pas...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A240220
Grant
Scenario-Based Assessment in the Age of Generative AI: Making Space in the Education Market for Alternative Assessment Paradigm
The purpose of this project is to create a generative artificial intelligence (gen-AI) enhanced authoring tool for scenario-based assessments (SBAs). SBAs place knowledge and skills into a scenario or practical context so that test-takers can be both observers of and active participants in their own performance, building on a body of IES funded investments in developing and validating SBAs. This creates the opportunity for a reflective, metacognitive, and self-regulatory loop that enables ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305T240021
Grant
Active Learning at Scale: Transforming Teaching and Learning via Large-Scale Learning Science and Generative AI
The purpose of this project is to create Active Learning at Scale (L@S), a flexible learning environment where postsecondary students can learn course content and practice their skills while on the go and in a variety of settings. Active L@S will expand access to evidence-based generative learning strategies (e.g., note taking, summarizing, self-explaining, question answering, and retrieval practice) for diverse students while also testing the boundaries and interactive factors that influenc...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305T240035
Grant
Talking Math: Improving Math Performance and Engagement Through AI-Enabled Conversational Tutoring
The purpose of this project is to develop a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) tutor (CAIT- pronounced as "Kate") to support independent math practice for middle school students who struggle with math and, otherwise, may not have access to after-school tutoring. CAIT will be integrated into ASSISTments, an existing, freely available, and evidence-based online math platform with widely used homework assignments from open education resources (OER). Through this work, the project team ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305T240029
Grant
Advancing Equity in the Implementation of Comprehensive Behavioral Health Supports for Youth with or At Risk for Disabilities
The purpose of this project is to develop Advancing Equity (AE), a training and coaching intervention to center equity in the design and implementation of Tier 1 supports within multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) for social-emotional-behavioral (SEB) health across elementary and secondary schools. Students' SEB functioning is inextricably linked to academic success and lifelong outcomes. Support for SEB functioning for racially and ethnically minoritized students with or at risk for disa...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A230139
Grant
Math Words: Vocabulary Support for Students Experiencing Difficulty in Mathematics
The purpose of this project is to develop Math Words, an intervention designed to improve the understanding of mathematics vocabulary for third and fourth grade students with or at risk for disability in math. Success with math involves understanding the language of math, which may be through interpretation of numbers, symbols, and words but also through speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Math vocabulary is complex because math terms may have multiple meanings across content areas (s...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A230238
Grant
Examining the Efficacy of Aligning Core Content-Area Reading Instruction and Small Group Reading Intervention for Students with Reading Disabilities (Project ALIGN)
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of aligned reading comprehension and vocabulary instruction across instructional settings for students with reading disabilities (SWRD) in grade 5. There has been a long-standing pattern of no or small effects in reading comprehension research for upper elementary SWRD. New approaches to improving reading comprehension require system-wide change that addresses instruction across the school day rather than in segmented, isolated interven...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A230239
Grant
ImPACTO: Partnering for Autism Focused Social Communication Intervention With Transborder Latine Caregivers
The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research focused on improving outcomes for Latine transborder caregivers and their young children with or at risk for autism. The PI will also participate in mentoring and training to build skills related to community-engaged cultural adaptation, mixed methods, and single-case design research. Early intervention for Latine children on the autism spectrum is challenging as there are systemic barriers that prevent families from receivin...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B230011
Grant
Project SELF: Teaching High School Students With Disabilities to Self-Regulate Their Behavior
The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research focused on improving self-regulation for high school students with disabilities and challenging behavior. The PI will also participate in mentoring and training to build skills related to school-based experimental research, iterative intervention development, and grant writing and management. Students with disabilities can experience social, emotional, and behavior problems at significantly higher rates than their peers witho...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B230012
Grant
Testing the Efficacy of the CAL-KIBO Educational Robotics Curriculum for Improving Computational Thinking, Fluid Reasoning, and Math Achievement
Testing the Efficacy of the CAL-KIBO Educational Robotics Curriculum for Improving Computational Thinking, Fluid Reasoning, and Math Achievement
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220032
Grant
Improving Children's Math Skills through a Personalized Early Learning Technology Solution: An Efficacy Study
Mathematics education, especially at early grade levels, continues to be an important focus for national education improvement efforts, and more districts are introducing technology as part of their solution. The researchers will conduct an initial study to generate evidence of the efficacy of My Math Academy, a widely used, game-based, supplemental online curriculum that enables personalized learning through embedded assessments, adaptive learning trajectories, and a performance dashboard t...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220159
Grant
Promoting Reading Comprehension and Learning With Multimodal Science Texts (PRISM)
To build science literacy, the research team will combine supports for reading comprehension and visualizations in an intelligent tutor called PRISM, which stands for Promoting Reading Comprehension and Learning with Multimodal Science Texts. PRISM is focused on preparing middle grade students to read and comprehend information that is essential for scientific literacy. The efficacious web-based intelligent tutoring system for the text structure strategy (ITSS) and the visualization instruct...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305A220015
Grant
UTSA P20 Pathways to Education Research Training Program
The Educational Research Training Program at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), initially funded by IES in 2016, is designed to provide undergraduate juniors with
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B210028
Grant
Career Pathways for Research in Learning and Education, Analytics and Data Science (CP-LEADS)
The Career Pathways for Research in Learning and Education, Analytics and Data Science (CP-LEADS) at the University of California, Irvine (UC-Irvine) is designed to provide undergraduate juniors and seniors with experiences in conducting education research while preparing participants for doctoral study.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B210006
Grant
Preparing Preschool Teachers to Engage in Reliable and Individualized Progress Monitoring Practices using an Online Asynchronous Training
The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research for improving progress monitoring practices among preschool teachers while participating in mentoring and training activities around research methods, dissemination, and being an efficient and effective faculty member. Despite agreement between early childhood educators and professional organizations on the importance of progress monitoring in preschool classrooms, many preschool teachers do not engage in these practices regu...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B210002
Grant
Enhancing Engagement: Investigating Adaptations to Commonly Used Interventions for Elementary Students with Challenging Behavior
The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research designed to improve intervention and outcomes for students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) as well as participate in career development activities to expand knowledge and skills related to research methods, project management, and behavioral interventions. Challenging behavior significantly limits student access to ongoing instruction in general education, leading to negative long-term outcomes. B...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B210007
Grant
Project RISE: Examining Teachers' Reading Instruction, Supports, and Expertise for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research to examine reading instruction for elementary school students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and how it relates to their reading growth. The PI will also participate in mentoring and training activities to develop expertise in longitudinal data analysis, school-based research, open science practices, and grant writing and management. Research has identified characteristics of effective instruction for ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B210020
Grant
Enhancing Peer Network Interventions to Improve Social Communication, Play, and Peer Relationships for Minimally Verbal Students with Autism
The Principal Investigator (PI) will conduct a program of research focused on improving social, communication, and developmental outcomes for minimally verbal students with autism (ASD). The PI will also participate in mentoring and training to build skills related to intervention development, measurement of language and communication, interdisciplinary research, and grant writing and dissemination. Strengthening peer interactions and relationships for children with ASD who are minimally ver...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B210004
Grant
Increasing the Effectiveness and Coherence of Interventions to Reduce Educational Inequality
The University of Chicago training program will prepare doctoral students to conduct research to improve instruction in urban schools and reduce educational inequality.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200015
Grant
NYU Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Research Training Program
The New York University (NYU) Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Research Training Program (NYU PIRT) was originally funded by IES in 2008. NYU PIRT trains doctoral students to conduct research on education policy and practice in collaborative partnerships with education agencies and other education-based organizations. The training program is housed primarily in the Institute of Human Development and Social Change at NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The progr...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200010
Grant
The Virginia Education Sciences Predoctoral Training Program
The Virginia Education Science Training (VEST) program, funded originally in 2004, is designed to provide doctoral students with advanced training in conducting scientifically rigorous and policy-relevant education research that can improve outcomes for prekindergarten through postsecondary education students.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200005
Grant
Multidisciplinary Program in Educational Sciences
Northwestern University's Multidisciplinary Program in Education Sciences (MPES), originally funded by IES in 2004, is designed to provide doctoral students from a variety of disciplines (including economics, human development, learning sciences, psychology, sociology, and statistics) with the knowledge, expertise, and technical skills to conduct rigorous empirical research in education policy and student learning in collaboration with education agencies.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200037
Grant
Examining the Efficacy of a Fraction Sense Intervention Grounded in Principles From the Science of Learning
The purpose of this project is to examine the efficacy of the fraction sense intervention (FSI), developed with funding from an IES grant, on student mathematics performance to understand mediators and moderators of the effects on student outcomes. Competence with fractions is crucial for success in math as well as for many careers and vocations. Students who leave 6th grade without fundamental understandings of fractions may experience cascading difficulties that lead to lifelong avoidance ...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A200140
Grant
Postdoctoral Research Training in Special Education: A Research to Practice Model
The postdoctoral research program will provide postdoctoral fellows with extensive research training in the areas of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The overarching goal of this program is to provide four fellows (with 2 years of training each) with a foundation in rigorous scientific methodology so that they can ultimately contribute to the field of special education in a way that is meaningful to practitioners.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B200021
Grant
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Methodological Skill Development
The postdoctoral research program will provide postdoctoral fellows with extensive research training in multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), including the development and evaluation of interventions for students with disabilities and innovative and robust methodology, such as a sequential, multiple assignment, randomized trials. The overarching goal of this program is to prepare four fellows (with 2 years of training each) to conduct rigorous intervention research focused on students with dis
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B200012
Grant
Build the FRaME: Using Feedback, Reflection, and Multimedia to Teach Evidence-Based Practices for Effective Classroom Management
Teachers nationwide report feeling underprepared to manage classrooms that include students with disabilities or students who demonstrate problematic behaviors that escalate to class wide disruption. Teacher candidates and novice teachers report significantly lower self-efficacy concerning their ability to affect student outcomes and behaviors compared with experienced teachers. The research team will address this need by developing a feasible and sustainable multimedia intervention that, wh...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A200061
Grant
University of Pennsylvania Predoctoral Training Program in Interdisciplinary Methods for Field-Based Research in Education
The current focus of the training program is to prepare fellows to conduct research to inform education policy in collaborative partnerships with education agencies and research firms and strengthen the education research workforce and improve the quality, accessibility, use, and relevance of evaluations to inform policy and practice.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200035
Grant
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Interdisciplinary Training Program for Predoctoral Research in the Education Sciences
The University of Wisconsin-Madison's Interdisciplinary Training Program for Predoctoral Research in the Education Sciences (ITP), initially funded by IES in 2005, trains doctoral students to conduct education policy research in collaborative partnerships with education agencies.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200026
Grant
Florida Interdisciplinary Research Fellows in Education Sciences (FIREFLIES)
The purpose of the current training program, Florida Interdisciplinary Research Fellows in Education Sciences (FIREFLIES), is to train doctoral students to conduct reading research in collaborative partnerships with higher education, local and state education agencies, and nonprofit research organizations.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200020
Grant
Partnering in Education Research (PIER): An Interdisciplinary Predoctoral Training Program
Partnering in Education Research (PIER) training program is designed to train doctoral students to conduct quantitative education policy analysis and to conduct collaborative research with education agencies.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200012
Grant
Training Program in Causal Inference in Education Policy Research at the University of Michigan
The current focus of this program is to train doctoral students to design and implement research that yields causal estimates of the effects of education policies in collaborative partnerships with education agencies
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200011
Grant
Improving Education Systems Through Interdisciplinary Training and Practice: Applying Social Science to Education Policy and Implementation Research
The Michigan State University Predoctoral Interdisciplinary Research Training Program will provide training to prepare doctoral students to conduct education policy research in collaborative partnerships with education agencies and postsecondary systems.
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R305B200009
Grant
Developing an Instructional Leader Adaptive Intervention Model (AIM) for Supporting Teachers as They Integrate Evidence-Based Adolescent Literacy Practices School-Wide (Project AIM)
The purpose of this project is to develop an adaptive intervention model (AIM) used by instructional leaders to provide ongoing professional development (PD) to content-area middle school teachers as they implement Tier 1 evidence-based literacy practices. Significant numbers of adolescents do not adequately understand complex texts, impeding their school success, access to postsecondary learning, and job opportunities. The problem is even greater for students with disabilities, as evidenced...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A200012
Grant
Exploring Cognitive and Foundational Processes Underlying Pre-Algebra Among Students With and Without Mathematics Learning Difficulties
The purpose of this project is to explore the domain-general cognitive and domain-specific foundational processes that underlie pre-algebra. Specifically, the project will (a) identify explicit links among cognitive and foundational processes, and pre-algebra competence among seventh graders with mathematics learning difficulties (MD) versus typically developing students (TYP), (b) explore whether cognitive processes indirectly contribute to pre-algebra competence through foundational mathem...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A220268
Grant
Systematic Replication of Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial: The Effect of Variation in the Intervention Delivery Model on Mathematics Achievement of At-Risk Preschool Children
The goal of this project is to replicate the efficacy of an intensive Tier 2 math intervention, Pre-K Mathematics Tutorial (PKMT), for pre-k children at risk for mathematics difficulties, and compare the relative effectiveness of two delivery models (Pull-Out vs. In-Class) for implementing the intervention. Math difficulties occur early in childhood and are associated with negative long-term outcomes. PKMT is designed to address these difficulties by providing intensive instruction on a core...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324R200011
Grant
Postdoctoral Research Training Program in Early Interventions Within Research-Practice Partnerships
This training program will provide fellows with extensive research training (related to intervention development, initial efficacy, and measurement) concentrated on developmental and academic outcomes of preschool and early elementary children with or at risk for disabilities. The overarching goal of this program is to prepare four fellows (with 2 years of training each) to lead rigorous and relevant research within research-practice-partnerships (RPPs).
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324B200018
Grant
Efficacy of Prime Online: Teacher Professional Development for Inclusive Elementary Mathematics Classrooms
The purpose of this project is to test the efficacy of Prime Online, an online teacher professional development (PD) intervention to improve teachers' knowledge and practice and students' mathematics achievement. Research suggests that a substantial portion of the variability in students' mathematics achievement is related to the quality of teachers' instruction. However, little is known about effective ways to improve teachers' mathematics teaching, especially with students who struggle wit...
Federal funding program:
Award number:
R324A180135
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