The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) has issued a notice inviting applications (NIA) in support of its FY 2025 Education Research and Special Education Research Grant Programs. IES is funding four competitions in the notice, two of which will be supported through the National Center for Education Research (NCER) and focus on education research and statistical and research methodology. The other two competitions will be supported through the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER) and focus on special education research and special education research training.

Through the Education Research and Special Education research grant programs, IES seeks to expand and improve developmental and school preparedness outcomes for youth with or at risk for a disability, and better understand and improve education outcomes for learners at all levels of education. IES’s support of research training through NCSER is intended to provide support for individuals to conduct innovative, rigorous, and salient special education research on issues relevant to education lawmakers and across the education community.

As mentioned above, NCER will support two competitions, one focused on education research, and the latter on statistical and research methodology in education. Additional details on each are included below.

1. Education Research Grants Program: The Education Research Grants Program supports community-driven research to expand education practice and policy knowledge and improve outcomes for learners in the US. IES estimates funding 40-70 awards ranging from $300,000 to $800,000 per year for a period of performance of five years, with no cost share required. Applications for the FY 2025 competition must focus on one of the following topics:

• Career and Technical Education;
• Civics Education and Social Studies;
• Cognition and Student Learning;
• Early Learning Programs and Policies;
• English Learning Programs and Policies;
• Improving Education Systems: Policies, Finance, Organization, Management, and Leadership;
• Literacy;
• Postsecondary and Adult Education;
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education;
• Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Context for Teaching and Learningv;
• Teaching, Teachers, and the Education Workforce.

For additional information on the Education Research competition, please contact Lara Faust (Lara.Faust@ed.gov).

2. Statistical and Research Methodology in the Education Sciences Program: The Statistical and Research Methodology in the Education Sciences Program supports the development and expanded use of methodological and statistical tools and methods that will equip applied education researchers to conduct more innovative and high-quality education research. IES estimates funding 10-20 awards ranging from $100,000 to $300,000 per year for a period of performance of three years, with no cost share required.

Applications for the FY 2025 competition must focus on one of the following topics:

• Core Grants, which support the “development of new and improved statistical and research methods and their dissemination to education researchers;” or
• The development of toolkits, guidelines, compendia, review papers, and curated data resources.

For additional information on the Statistical and Research Methodology in the Education Sciences Program, please contact Charles Laurin (mailto:Charles.Laurin@ed.gov).

NCSER will also support two competitions, one centered on special education research, the other on special education research training:

1. Special Education Research Grants Program: The Special Education Research Grants Program supports research that expands the knowledge and expertise of youth with disabilities to advance educational outcomes for learners with disabilities. IES estimates funding 10-15 awards ranging from $300,000 to $800,000 per year for a period of performance of four years, with no cost share required. Applications for the FY 2025 competition must focus on education systems. For additional information on the Special Education Research Grant Program, please contact Akilah
Nelson (mailto:mAkilah.Nelson@ed.gov).

2. Research Training Programs in Special Education: Applications will be accepted through the Early Career Development and Mentoring program, which supports research and provides career development assistance for early career researchers interested in special education research. IES estimates funding 3-7 awards ranging from $100,000 to $200,000 per year for a period of performance of four years, with no cost share required.

For additional information on the Research Training Programs in Special Education, please contact Katherine Taylor (Katherine.Taylor@ed.gov).

Eligibility: Applicants for the Research Training Programs in Special Education must be a US institution of higher education. For the other three competitions, eligible applicants include (but are not limited to), institutions of higher education, nonprofit and for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and all applicants who have the ability and capacity to conduct scientifically valid research are invited to apply.

Due Dates: All four competitions will accept applications until September 12, 2024. IES made the full application package for the NCER education research competition available today, with the full application packages available for the other three competitions expected by June 13, 2024.

IES has indicated that applicants are not limited in submissions to these, or other FY 2025 grant programs offered by the Department of Education so long as each application is focused on separate topic areas and are not duplicative of proposals submitted to IES or other federal agencies.

Sources and Additional Information:

• The full notice can be accessed at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/28/2024-11650/applications-for-new-awards-education-research-and-special-education-research-grant-programs.

• The Education Research Grants Program (84.305A) Request for Applications (RFA) can be found at https://ies.ed.gov/funding/pdf/2025_84305A.pdf. The other RFAs should be released soon.

• Additional information on current IES funding opportunities, including those highlighted in this write-up, is available at https://ies.ed.gov/funding/.

Source:
Lewis-Burke Associates – May 31, 2024