[NLA] OERI Reauthorization Update

[Daphne Greenberg]

This was passed around in my department and I thought that some of you may be interested in reading it:

OERI Reauthorization Update, 
ED Report Special Supplement

Reauthorization of the Office of Education Research and Improvement – HR 3801

The passage of H.R. 3801, a bill reauthorizing the Office of Education Research and Improvement (OERI), was one of the last acts of the 107th Congress prior to recessing for the mid-term elections in November.  The President has not yet signed H.R. 3801 into law.  The following is a summary of the key provisions in this significant revision of the federal government’s role in education research, a revision intended to increase the scientific credibility of education research and to model the enterprise after the prestigious National Institutes of Health. 

Title I
     
Known as the “Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002,” this Title creates the Institute of Education Sciences.  A Director, appointed to 6-year term, will head the Institute. As in the past, the Director will be advised by a Board, whose members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.  The Board, working in concert with the Director, will establish the annual priorities that will drive the work of the Institute. The scope of research for the Institute is broadened to encompass early childhood through adult education, with specific mention of postsecondary education included for the first time.  The goal of the Institute is to expand knowledge and understanding of education by supporting high quality research.  Other functions of the Institute include the collection and analysis of relevant data and statistics, developing educational products based on research findings, and the dissemination of this information. 

The work of the Institute is further divided into 3 National Centers: the National Center for Education Research; the National Center for Education Statistics; and the National Center for Evaluation and Regional Assistance.  Each Center will be headed by a Commissioner.  The Director will appoint the Commissioners to head the National Center for Education Research and the National Center for Evaluation and Regional Assistance.  The head of the National Center for Education Statistics is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

National Center for Education Research

The Research Commissioner is charged with establishing peer review standards and standards for conduct and evaluation of all research funded through the Institute. This charge also includes making sure the research supported by the agency is relevant to educators. At least 8 Research and Development Centers must be funded and the agenda for these entities must include the following topics: adult literacy; assessment, evaluation and accountability; early childhood education; English language learning; improving low-performing schools; innovations in education; state and local policy; rural education; teacher quality; and reading and literacy.  Though at least 8 R & D Centers must be funded, minimum grant sizes were not included in the legislation.  The terms of these awards are for up to 5 years.

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

The Statistics Commissioner is charged with the collection, analysis, reporting and dissemination of education data of interest and relevance to schools and teachers throughout the nation.  Furthermore, the Commissioner is directed to assist the states in the development of longitudinal data systems and more accurate collection of critical data such as graduation rates. Competitive grants to States are authorized to assist with this data collection activity. The existing NCES is greatly respected by educators for the high quality of the reports that is produces and releases periodically to public. These responsibilities are not altered by the legislation.

National Center for Evaluation and Regional Assistance

This division within the Institute oversees the regional education laboratories, the National Library of Education and the national clearinghouses. The 10 geographically distributed regional laboratories competitively funded under current law will continue to be authorized.  (This was an issue of intense debate during the reauthorization process.)  The awards for the regional educational labs are for 5 years.  The work of the regional labs focuses on research and development—conducting applied research that leads to the production of new educational products.  Technical assistance is also provided through the regional labs.


Title II 

A major topic during the development of H .R. 3801 was how to strengthen the link between local and regional needs and interests regarding education research and development and the work of the OERI.  This new bill directs the Secretary of Education to convene Regional Advisory Committees throughout the nation.  Each Regional Advisory Committee must conduct a needs assessment for their region.  This information must be provided to the Secretary to guide the development of RFPS for next award cycle for Comprehensive Centers in 2004.

Prior to that award cycle the law authorizes continued funding through 2004 for the Regional Technology in Education Consortia (R-TECS); the Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Consortia and the Comprehensive Centers.  The competition in 2004 will be for at least 20 Comprehensive Centers directs the awardees.  As providers of technical assistance to local school districts, comprehensive centers that emphasize reading, mathematics, science and technology will receive priority.  In consideration of these foci, the new law does not reauthorize either the R-TECS or the Eisenhower Consortia.  Though not explicitly stated in the law, it is assumed that the needs assessment information presented by the Regional Advisory Committees will also be used to develop the next competitions for regional labs.

Title II also reasserts the autonomy of the National Assessment of Governing Board (NAGB) and directs the NAGB to release the data collected on an ongoing basis by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

The authorized funding levels for H.R. 3801 include $400 million for research; $100 million for the regional education laboratories; $80 million for the comprehensive centers; and $112.1 million for the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the National Assessment Governing Board.

Definitions Related to Research      

Title I includes several new definitions related to research. Both the terms “applied research” and “basic research” are defined.  Applied research means research “to gain knowledge or understanding necessary for determining the means by which a recognized and specific need may be met and that is specifically directed to the advancement of practice in the field of education.”   In contrast, basic research is defined as research “to gain fundamental knowledge or understanding of phenomena and observable facts, without specific application toward processes or products and for the advancement of knowledge in the field of education.”  The Institute is authorized to conduct both applied and basic research.

Scientifically valid research is defined as applied, basic and field-initiated research, which is developed in accordance with, scientifically based research standards.  Scientifically based research standards are standards that:

i)apply rigorous, systematic, and objective methodology to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and programs; and

ii)present findings and make claims that are appropriate to and supported by the methods that have been employed. 

Furthermore, the law indicates that the following are included as a part of the standards, as appropriate to the research being conducted:

i)employing systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment;

ii)involving data analyses that are adequate to support the general findings;

iii)relying on measurements or observational methods that provide reliable data;

iv)making claims of causal relationships only in random assignment experiments or other designs (to the extent such designs substantially eliminate plausible competing explanations for the obtained results);

v)ensuring that studies and methods are presented in sufficient detail and clarity to allow for replication or, at a minimum, to offer the opportunity to build systemically on the findings of the research;

vi)obtaining acceptance by a peer-reviewed journal or approval by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective and scientific review; 

and

vii)using research designs and methods appropriate to the research question posed.

Finally, the law provides a definition of scientifically valid education evaluation as evaluation that:

i)adheres to the highest possible standards of quality with respect to research design and statistical analysis;

ii)provides an adequate description of the programs evaluated and, to the extent possible, examines the relationship between program implementation and program impacts;

iii)provides an analysis of the results achieved by the program with respect to its projected effects;

iv)employs experimental designs using random assignment, when feasible, and other research methodologies that allow for the strongest possible causal inferences when random assignment is not feasible; and

v)may study program implementation through a combination of scientifically valid and reliable methods.


Daphne Greenberg
Associate Director
Center for the Study of Adult Literacy
Georgia State University
University Plaza
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
phone: 404-651-0127
fax:404-651-4901
dgreenberg at gsu.edu


 


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