Institute of Education Sciences - Director’s Biennial Report to Congress - Fiscal Years 2017 and 2018

Oct 15, 2026

Institute of Education Sciences (IES) presents its Director’s Biennial Report to Congress for Fiscal Years 2017 and 2018, describing activities carried out through its four centers and summarizing major grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements above $100,000. The report explains how IES advances applied education research, emphasizes moving from identifying what works to improving what happens, and details the SEER principles, including pre-registration, open methods and data, and identifying intervention core components. It also outlines alignment with scientifically valid research priorities and IES’ mission.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages85

Reading Time3 h 34 min

AccessFree to download

From Director Mark Schneider

Introduction

Centers and mission

Biennial reporting requirements

Advancements in Research Quality

Standards for Excellence in Education Research (SEER)

Pre-registering studies

Making findings, methods, and data open

Identifying core components of interventions

Data Collection, Statistics, and Assessment

Informing Practice

Grants

Contracts

Institute of Education Sciences Director’s Biennial Report to Congress Fiscal Years 2017 and 2018 Contents From Director Mark Schneider ................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................... 2 Advancements in Research Quality ..........................4 Data Collection, Statistics, and Assessment.......... 9 Informing Practice ...................................................... 12 Grants ............................................................................ 17 Contracts ...................................................................... 67 From Director Mark Schneider The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is focusing on its mission as an applied research agency. IES has invested—andwill continue to invest—in basic research, but as a science and statistical agency housed in the U.S. Department of Education, the Institute’s work focuses on improving the outcomes of learners throughout the life cycle. This means an emphasis on translating research for widespread use. From its inception, the Institute has been committed to identifying what works for whom and under what conditions. This commitment remains unchanged. However, IES is increasingly interested in moving from identifying what works to improving what happens. This focus is evident across the work highlighted in this report and our ongoing efforts to support educators, policymakers, and the communities they serve. Institute of Education Sciences | Director’s Biennial Report to Congress 1 Introduction IES is the primary research, evaluation, and statistics arm of the U.S. Department of Education. Established through the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA), the Institute’s mission is to expand fundamental knowledge and understanding of education and to provide education leaders and practitioners, parents and students, researchers, and the general public with unbiased, reliable, and useful information about the condition and progress of education in the United States. This work examines and informs education policies, programs, and practices aimed at improving learning, achievement, and equitable access to educational opportunities. IES comprises four centers: • National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) • National Center for Education Research (NCER) • National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) • National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) Each center carries out interrelated elements of our mandate. ESRA requires the director to transmit a biennial report to the President, the Secretary of Education, and Congress that includes: • A description of the activities carried out by and through the centers during the prior fiscal years • A summary of each grant, contract, and cooperative agreement in excess of $100,000 funded through the centers during the prior fiscal years, including, at a minimum, the amount, recipient, and purpose of the award, Institute of Education Sciences | Director’s Biennial Report to Congress 2 and the relationship, if any, to the priorities and mission of IES • A description of how the activities of the centers are consistent with the principles of scientifically valid research and the priorities and mission of IES • Such additional comments, recommendations, and materials as the director considers appropriate This report covers FY 17–18, emphasizing the more recent efforts of Director Schneider and commissioners appointed later in the reporting period. Institute of Education Sciences | Director’s Biennial Report to Congress 3 Advancements in Research Quality The SEER principles combine the best practices of scientific research with principles designed to maximize the effects of proven interventions on education research and learner outcomes. IES serves in a leadership role to promote and model best practices in research quality and access. Standards f

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Director’s biennial report required under ESRA?

ESRA requires the director to transmit a biennial report to the President, the Secretary of Education, and Congress describing center activities and summarizing grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements above $100,000, including amounts, recipients, purposes, and alignment with IES priorities and scientifically valid research principles.

How does IES frame its research mission in this report?

IES positions itself as a research, evaluation, and statistics agency focused on improving learner outcomes across the life cycle, emphasizing translation of research for widespread use and shifting attention from simply identifying what works to improving what happens.

What are SEER principles and what do they require researchers to do?

SEER principles integrate best practices of scientific research with methods to maximize impacts of proven interventions. They include pre-registering studies, making findings, methods, and data open, and identifying core components of interventions, along with documenting implementation and analyzing which components drive impact.

Oct 15, 2026

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