The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) provides scientific evidence to improve education practice and policy and shares that evidence in a way that can be used by educators, parents, policymakers, researchers, and the public. Within IES, the National Center for Education Research (NCER) and National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) have funded over 300 completed studies that have tested whether interventions improve the education outcomes of learners. While many of these interventions had positive outcomes, a large number have been tested only in a single geographical location, in a small number of settings, and/or with a limited variety of educators and learners. Additional evidence is needed to determine whether these interventions are effective for different populations and in different settings. Such evidence is critical to better understand the conditions under which such interventions will likely work and for whom.
In this Request for Applications (RFA), IES invites applications for Research Grants Focused on Systematic Replication in Special Education. Under this competition, IES will support systematic replication studies of IES-identified interventions that have produced beneficial effects on education outcomes in one or more prior IES-funded impact studies. Proposed replication studies will systematically vary at least one aspect of the prior impact study. For example, applicants may vary the geographical location; the population of learners, educators, and/or schools; and/or the intervention delivery. The research will also investigate factors that may lead to and sustain successful implementation.
