Part A—The Institute of Education Sciences
§9511. Establishment
(a) Establishment
There shall be in the Department the Institute of Education Sciences, to be administered by a Director (as described in
(b) Mission
(1) In general
The mission of the Institute is to provide national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of education from early childhood through postsecondary study, in order to provide parents, educators, students, researchers, policymakers, and the general public with reliable information about—
(A) the condition and progress of education in the United States, including early childhood education and special education;
(B) educational practices that support learning and improve academic achievement and access to educational opportunities for all students; and
(C) the effectiveness of Federal and other education programs.
(2) Carrying out mission
In carrying out the mission described in paragraph (1), the Institute shall compile statistics, develop products, and conduct research, evaluations, and wide dissemination activities in areas of demonstrated national need (including in technology areas) that are supported by Federal funds appropriated to the Institute and ensure that such activities—
(A) conform to high standards of quality, integrity, and accuracy; and
(B) are objective, secular, neutral, and nonideological and are free of partisan political influence and racial, cultural, gender, or regional bias.
(c) Organization
The Institute shall consist of the following:
(1) The Office of the Director (as described in
(2) The National Board for Education Sciences (as described in
(3) The National Education Centers, which include—
(A) the National Center for Education Research (as described in part B);
(B) the National Center for Education Statistics (as described in part C);
(C) the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (as described in part D); and
(D) the National Center for Special Education Research (as described in part E).
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2004—Subsec. (b)(1)(A).
Subsec. (c)(3)(D).
§9512. Functions
From funds appropriated under
(1) conduct and support scientifically valid research activities, including basic research and applied research, statistics activities, scientifically valid education evaluation, development, and wide dissemination;
(2) widely disseminate the findings and results of scientifically valid research in education;
(3) promote the use, development, and application of knowledge gained from scientifically valid research activities;
(4) strengthen the national capacity to conduct, develop, and widely disseminate scientifically valid research in education;
(5) promote the coordination, development, and dissemination of scientifically valid research in education within the Department and the Federal Government; and
(6) promote the use and application of research and development to improve practice in the classroom.
(
§9513. Delegation
(a) Delegation of authority
Notwithstanding
(1) nothing in this subchapter or in subchapter III of this chapter (except
(2) members of the National Assessment Governing Board shall continue to be appointed by the Secretary;
(3)
(4)
(5)
(b) Other activities
The Secretary may assign the Institute responsibility for administering other activities, if those activities are consistent with—
(1) the Institute's priorities, as approved by the National Board for Education Sciences under
(2) the Institute's mission, but only if those activities do not divert the Institute from its priorities.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The National Education Statistics Act of 1994, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is title IV of
This Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), means
§9514. Office of the Director
(a) Appointment
Except as provided in subsection (b)(2), the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint the Director of the Institute.
(b) Term
(1) In general
The Director shall serve for a term of 6 years, beginning on the date of appointment of the Director.
(2) First Director
The President, without the advice and consent of the Senate, may appoint the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (as such office existed on the day before November 5, 2002) to serve as the first Director of the Institute.
(3) Subsequent Directors
The Board may make recommendations to the President with respect to the appointment of a Director under subsection (a), other than a Director appointed under paragraph (2).
(c) Pay
The Director shall receive the rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule.
(d) Qualifications
The Director shall be selected from individuals who are highly qualified authorities in the fields of scientifically valid research, statistics, or evaluation in education, as well as management within such areas, and have a demonstrated capacity for sustained productivity and leadership in these areas.
(e) Administration
The Director shall—
(1) administer, oversee, and coordinate the activities carried out under the Institute, including the activities of the National Education Centers; and
(2) coordinate and approve budgets and operating plans for each of the National Education Centers for submission to the Secretary.
(f) Duties
The duties of the Director shall include the following:
(1) To propose to the Board priorities for the Institute, in accordance with
(2) To ensure the methodology applied in conducting research, development, evaluation, and statistical analysis is consistent with the standards for such activities under this subchapter.
(3) To coordinate education research and related activities carried out by the Institute with such research and activities carried out by other agencies within the Department and the Federal Government.
(4) To advise the Secretary on research, evaluation, and statistics activities relevant to the activities of the Department.
(5) To establish necessary procedures for technical and scientific peer review of the activities of the Institute, consistent with
(6) To ensure that all participants in research conducted or supported by the Institute are afforded their privacy rights and other relevant protections as research subjects, in accordance with
(7) To ensure that activities conducted or supported by the Institute are objective, secular, neutral, and nonideological and are free of partisan political influence and racial, cultural, gender, or regional bias.
(8) To undertake initiatives and programs to increase the participation of researchers and institutions that have been historically underutilized in Federal education research activities of the Institute, including historically Black colleges or universities or other institutions of higher education with large numbers of minority students.
(9) To coordinate with the Secretary to promote and provide for the coordination of research and development activities and technical assistance activities between the Institute and comprehensive centers.
(10) To solicit and consider the recommendations of education stakeholders, in order to ensure that there is broad and regular public and professional input from the educational field in the planning and carrying out of the Institute's activities.
(11) To coordinate the wide dissemination of information on scientifically valid research.
(12) To carry out and support other activities consistent with the priorities and mission of the Institute.
(g) Expert guidance and assistance
The Director may establish technical and scientific peer-review groups and scientific program advisory committees for research and evaluations that the Director determines are necessary to carry out the requirements of this subchapter. The Director shall appoint such personnel, except that officers and employees of the United States shall comprise no more than ¼ of the members of any such group or committee and shall not receive additional compensation for their service as members of such a group or committee. The Director shall ensure that reviewers are highly qualified and capable to appraise education research and development projects.
(h) Review
The Director may, when requested by other officers of the Department, and shall, when directed by the Secretary, review the products and publications of other offices of the Department to certify that evidence-based claims about those products and publications are scientifically valid.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Level II of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsec. (c), is set out in
Amendments
2022—Subsec. (g).
§9515. Priorities
(a) Proposal
The Director shall propose to the Board priorities for the Institute (taking into consideration long-term research and development on core issues conducted through the national research and development centers). The Director shall identify topics that may require long-term research and topics that are focused on understanding and solving particular education problems and issues, including those associated with the goals and requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (
(1) closing the achievement gap between high-performing and low-performing children, especially achievement gaps between minority and nonminority children and between disadvantaged children and such children's more advantaged peers; and
(2) ensuring—
(A) that all children have the ability to obtain a high-quality education (from early childhood through postsecondary education) and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and State academic assessments, particularly in mathematics, science, and reading or language arts;
(B) access to, and opportunities for, postsecondary education; and
(C) the efficacy, impact on academic achievement, and cost-effectiveness of technology use within the Nation's schools.
(b) Approval
The Board shall approve or disapprove the priorities for the Institute proposed by the Director, including any necessary revision of those priorities. The Board shall transmit any priorities so approved to the appropriate congressional committees.
(c) Consistency
The Board shall ensure that priorities of the Institute and the National Education Centers are consistent with the mission of the Institute.
(d) Public availability and comment
(1) Priorities
Before submitting to the Board proposed priorities for the Institute, the Director shall make such priorities available to the public for comment for not less than 60 days (including by means of the Internet and through publishing such priorities in the Federal Register). The Director shall provide to the Board a copy of each such comment submitted.
(2) Plan
Upon approval of such priorities, the Director shall make the Institute's plan for addressing such priorities available for public comment in the same manner as under paragraph (1).
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (a), is
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referred to in subsec. (a), is title VI of
The Higher Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (a), is
Amendments
2004—Subsec. (a).
§9516. National Board for Education Sciences
(a) Establishment
The Institute shall have a board of directors, which shall be known as the National Board for Education Sciences.
(b) Duties
The duties of the Board shall be the following:
(1) To advise and consult with the Director on the policies of the Institute.
(2) To consider and approve priorities proposed by the Director under
(3) To review and approve procedures for technical and scientific peer review of the activities of the Institute.
(4) To advise the Director on the establishment of activities to be supported by the Institute, including the general areas of research to be carried out by the National Center for Education Research.
(5) To present to the Director such recommendations as it may find appropriate for—
(A) the strengthening of education research; and
(B) the funding of the Institute.
(6) To advise the Director on the funding of applications for grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for research, after the completion of peer review.
(7) To review and regularly evaluate the work of the Institute, to ensure that scientifically valid research, development, evaluation, and statistical analysis are consistent with the standards for such activities under this subchapter.
(8) To advise the Director on ensuring that activities conducted or supported by the Institute are objective, secular, neutral, and nonideological and are free of partisan political influence and racial, cultural, gender, or regional bias.
(9) To solicit advice and information from those in the educational field, particularly practitioners and researchers, to recommend to the Director topics that require long-term, sustained, systematic, programmatic, and integrated research efforts, including knowledge utilization and wide dissemination of research, consistent with the priorities and mission of the Institute.
(10) To advise the Director on opportunities for the participation in, and the advancement of, women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in education research, statistics, and evaluation activities of the Institute.
(11) To recommend to the Director ways to enhance strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts among other Federal and State research agencies.
(12) To recommend to the Director individuals to serve as Commissioners of the National Education Centers.
(c) Composition
(1) Voting members
The Board shall have 15 voting members appointed by the President.
(2) Advice
The President shall solicit advice regarding individuals to serve on the Board from the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Board, and the National Science Advisor.
(3) Nonvoting ex officio members
The Board shall have the following nonvoting ex officio members:
(A) The Director of the Institute of Education Sciences.
(B) Each of the Commissioners of the National Education Centers.
(C) The Director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
(D) The Director of the Census.
(E) The Commissioner of Labor Statistics.
(F) The Director of the National Science Foundation.
(4) Appointed membership
(A) Qualifications
Members appointed under paragraph (1) shall be highly qualified to appraise education research, statistics, evaluations, or development, and shall include the following individuals:
(i) Not fewer than 8 researchers in the field of statistics, evaluation, social sciences, or physical and biological sciences, which may include those researchers recommended by the National Academy of Sciences.
(ii) Individuals who are knowledgeable about the educational needs of the United States, who may include school-based professional educators, parents (including parents with experience in promoting parental involvement in education), Chief State School Officers, State postsecondary education executives, presidents of institutions of higher education, local educational agency superintendents, early childhood experts, special education experts, principals, members of State or local boards of education or Bureau-funded school boards, and individuals from business and industry with experience in promoting private sector involvement in education.
(B) Terms
Each member appointed under paragraph (1) shall serve for a term of 4 years, except that—
(i) the terms of the initial members appointed under such paragraph shall (as determined by a random selection process at the time of appointment) be for staggered terms of—
(I) 4 years for each of 5 members;
(II) 3 years for each of 5 members; and
(III) 2 years for each of 5 members; and
(ii) no member appointed under such paragraph shall serve for more than 2 consecutive terms.
(C) Unexpired terms
Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term.
(D) Conflict of interest
A voting member of the Board shall be considered a special Government employee for the purposes of
(5) Chair
The Board shall elect a chair from among the members of the Board.
(6) Compensation
Members of the Board shall serve without pay for such service. Members of the Board who are officers or employees of the United States may not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by reason of their service on the Board.
(7) Travel expenses
The members of the Board shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with subchapter I of
(8) Powers of the Board
(A) Executive Director
The Board shall have an Executive Director who shall be appointed by the Board.
(B) Additional staff
The Board shall utilize such additional staff as may be appointed or assigned by the Director, in consultation with the Chair and the Executive Director.
(C) Detail of personnel
The Board may use the services and facilities of any department or agency of the Federal Government. Upon the request of the Board, the head of any Federal department or agency may detail any of the personnel of that department or agency to the Board to assist the Board in carrying out this Act.
(D) Contracts
The Board may enter into contracts or make other arrangements as may be necessary to carry out its functions.
(E) Information
The Board may, to the extent otherwise permitted by law, obtain directly from any executive department or agency of the Federal Government such information as the Board determines necessary to carry out its functions.
(9) Meetings
The Board shall meet not less than 3 times each year. The Board shall hold additional meetings at the call of the Chair or upon the written request of not less than 6 voting members of the Board. Meetings of the Board are subject to
(10) Quorum
A majority of the voting members of the Board serving at the time of the meeting shall constitute a quorum.
(d) Standing committees
(1) Establishment
The Board may establish standing committees—
(A) that will each serve 1 of the National Education Centers; and
(B) to advise, consult with, and make recommendations to the Director and the Commissioner of the appropriate National Education Center.
(2) Membership
A majority of the members of each standing committee shall be voting members of the Board whose expertise is needed for the functioning of the committee. In addition, the membership of each standing committee may include, as appropriate—
(A) experts and scientists in research, statistics, evaluation, or development who are recognized in their discipline as highly qualified to represent such discipline and who are not members of the Board, but who may have been recommended by the Commissioner of the appropriate National Education Center and approved by the Board;
(B) ex officio members of the Board; and
(C) policymakers and expert practitioners with knowledge of, and experience using, the results of research, evaluation, and statistics who are not members of the Board, but who may have been recommended by the Commissioner of the appropriate National Education Center and approved by the Board.
(3) Duties
Each standing committee shall—
(A) review and comment, at the discretion of the Board or the standing committee, on any grant, contract, or cooperative agreement entered into (or proposed to be entered into) by the applicable National Education Center;
(B) prepare for, and submit to, the Board an annual evaluation of the operations of the applicable National Education Center;
(C) review and comment on the relevant plan for activities to be undertaken by the applicable National Education Center for each fiscal year; and
(D) report periodically to the Board regarding the activities of the committee and the applicable National Education Center.
(e) Annual report
The Board shall submit to the Director, the Secretary, and the appropriate congressional committees, not later than July 1 of each year, a report that assesses the effectiveness of the Institute in carrying out its priorities and mission, especially as such priorities and mission relate to carrying out scientifically valid research, conducting unbiased evaluations, collecting and reporting accurate education statistics, and translating research into practice.
(f) Recommendations
The Board shall submit to the Director, the Secretary, and the appropriate congressional committees a report that includes any recommendations regarding any actions that may be taken to enhance the ability of the Institute to carry out its priorities and mission. The Board shall submit an interim report not later than 3 years after November 5, 2002, and a final report not later than 5 years after such date.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(8)(C), means
Amendments
2022—Subsec. (c)(4)(D).
2012—Subsec. (c)(1).
2004—Subsec. (c)(4)(A)(ii).
Subsec. (c)(9).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
"Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development" substituted for "National Institute of Child Health and Human Development" in subsec. (c)(3)(C), on authority of section 1(d) of
Effective Date of 2012 Amendment
Amendment by
§9517. Commissioners of the National Education Centers
(a) Appointment of Commissioners
(1) In general
Except as provided in subsection (b), each of the National Education Centers shall be headed by a Commissioner appointed by the Director. In appointing Commissioners, the Director shall seek to promote continuity in leadership of the National Education Centers and shall consider individuals recommended by the Board. The Director may appoint a Commissioner to carry out the functions of a National Education Center without regard to the provisions of title 5 governing appointments in the competitive service, and the provisions of
(2) Pay and qualifications
Except as provided in subsection (b), each Commissioner shall—
(A) receive the rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule; and
(B) be highly qualified in the field of education research or evaluation.
(3) Service
Except as provided in subsection (b), each Commissioner shall report to the Director. A Commissioner shall serve for a period of not more than 6 years, except that a Commissioner—
(A) may be reappointed by the Director; and
(B) may serve after the expiration of that Commissioner's term, until a successor has been appointed, for a period not to exceed 1 additional year.
(b) Appointment of Commissioner for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics shall be headed by a Commissioner for Education Statistics who shall be appointed by the President and who shall—
(1) have substantial knowledge of programs assisted by the National Center for Education Statistics;
(2) receive the rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule; and
(3) serve for a term of 6 years, with the term to expire every sixth June 21, beginning in 2003.
(c) Coordination
Each Commissioner of a National Education Center shall coordinate with each of the other Commissioners of the National Education Centers in carrying out such Commissioner's duties under this subchapter.
(d) Supervision and approval
Each Commissioner, except the Commissioner for Education Statistics, shall carry out such Commissioner's duties under this subchapter under the supervision and subject to the approval of the Director.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Level IV of the Executive Schedule, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2)(A) and (b)(2), is set out in
Amendments
2012—Subsec. (b).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2012 Amendment
Amendment by
§9518. Agreements
The Institute may carry out research projects of common interest with entities such as the National Science Foundation and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development through agreements with such entities that are in accordance with
(
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
"Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development" substituted for "National Institute of Child Health and Human Development" in text, on authority of section 1(d) of
§9519. Biennial report
The Director shall, on a biennial basis, transmit to the President, the Board, and the appropriate congressional committees, and make widely available to the public (including by means of the Internet), a report containing the following:
(1) A description of the activities carried out by and through the National Education Centers during the prior fiscal years.
(2) A summary of each grant, contract, and cooperative agreement in excess of $100,000 funded through the National Education Centers during the prior fiscal years, including, at a minimum, the amount, duration, recipient, purpose of the award, and the relationship, if any, to the priorities and mission of the Institute, which shall be available in a user-friendly electronic database.
(3) A description of how the activities of the National Education Centers are consistent with the principles of scientifically valid research and the priorities and mission of the Institute.
(4) Such additional comments, recommendations, and materials as the Director considers appropriate.
(
§9520. Competitive awards
Activities carried out under this Act through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, at a minimum, shall be awarded on a competitive basis and, when practicable, through a process of peer review.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This Act, referred to in text, means