Biedermann said that the Trump administration “absolutely” intended to play a role in educational research, even if he seeks to close the department. The closure will require the approval of the congress, which has not yet occurred. Meanwhile, Biedermann said the department examined the government to discover where its research and statistical activities are “the best suited”.
Other activities also seem to resume. In June, the ministry revealed in a legal file that he had or planned to restore 20 of the 101 terminated contracts. Among the activities that should be restarted are 10 regional education laboratories that combine school districts and states to generate and apply evidence. We still do not know how the 20 contracts can be restarted without federal employees to organize competitive tenders and supervise.
Earlier in September, the ministry published eight new jobs to help administer the National Evaluation of Education Progress (NAEP), also called the Nation Bulletin. These positions would be part of the IES statistics division, the National Center for Education Statistics. Most of the testing and administration of testing is managed by external suppliers, but federal employees are necessary to award and supervise these contracts. After mass layoffs in March, the employees of the board of directors who supervise the NAEP were loaned to the education service to ensure that the NAEP 2026 test is on time.
Only a small staff stay at the IES. Some education statistics have landed since Trump took office, including his first publication of higher education data on September 23. But the data versions were late and incomplete.
It is believed that no new subsidy has been issued for education studies since March, according to researchers who know the federal subsidy process, but who have asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals. A large obstacle is that a contract to carry out the peer examination of research proposals has been canceled, so that new ideas cannot be correctly verified. The staff who remain try to make annual disbursements for older multi -year studies who have not been canceled.
With all these changes, it becomes more and more difficult to understand the state of research in education funded by the federal government. A potential source of clarity is a new project launched by two researchers from George Washington University and Johns Hopkins University. Rob Olsen and Betsy Wolf, who was a researcher of the IES until March, follow the cancellations and hold a recording of research results for decision -makers.
If he succeeds, it will be a much necessary light through chaos.
Contact the editor Jill presented at 212-678-3595, jillbarshay. 35 on the signal, or barshay@hechingerreport.org.
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