Today, NASEM released The Future of Education Research at IES, which focuses on the research priorities and funding processes at NCER and NCSER. The education research that these two centers conduct is central to the IES mission and to the important underlying goal of improving the quality of education in the United States.
We are encouraged that NASEM's recommendations for IES research activities align with our values and offer important considerations as we chart a path for the future to meet the educational needs of the nation. In particular, we recognize the importance of being more transparent with regard to the portfolio of research we fund. Education research is constantly evolving and greater clarity around what we are funding can help establish what knowledge has accumulated and where gaps exist.
The NASEM report's focus on equity, a value that is prevalent in our founding legislation, is also heartening. As we look to the future of IES, we will continue to seek ways to broaden the research we conduct and expand our pool of researchers, peer reviewers, and research participants. We also look forward to evaluating the panel's recommendations on soliciting input from practitioners and engaging them in our research processes. NASEM's recommendations will help IES build on its strengths and set new goals for rigorous, transformative research to address the evolving needs of education in this country.
What better way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of IES and recognize the fundamental changes it has wrought in the rigor and relevance of education research than to commit IES to a thorough examination of its research priorities and funding processes. We thank NASEM and the panelists for their report and recommendations as we look to the future.
Signed by Mark Schneider (IES Director), Elizabeth Albro (NCER Commissioner), Joan McLaughlin (NCSER Commissioner), and Anne Ricciuti (IES Deputy Director for Science)