ED Releases Recommendations to Reimagine IES

"IES "should focus on the most urgent education challenges, informed by state and [school] district leaders," instead of "spreading resources across many disconnected projects." It also says that the National Center for Education Statistics, which is part of IES, "should develop a streamlined and coordinated data strategy while preserving and strengthening its vital core functions" rather than "funding multiple data collections and longitudinal surveys that may be redundant or outdated.""

"In February 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency and ED announced the slashing of more than $1 billion in multiyear contracts administered by IES. Mass layoffs at the agency followed, along with litigation over the cancellation of studies and contracts. President Trump asked Congress to cut IES's budget by about 84 percent, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science's appropriations tracker."

The Education Department released a 93-page report recommending reforms to the Institute of Education Sciences, the federal agency responsible for education data collection and research funding. The report advocates for IES to concentrate on the most pressing education challenges identified by state and school district leaders, rather than dispersing resources across numerous unconnected initiatives. The National Center for Education Statistics should develop a streamlined data strategy while maintaining core functions and eliminating redundant or outdated data collections and longitudinal surveys. This recommendation follows significant budget cuts and restructuring, including over $1 billion in contract slashing announced in February 2025, mass layoffs, and litigation. The Trump administration proposed cutting IES's budget by approximately 84 percent, though Congress subsequently voted to maintain funding at relatively stable levels of $790 million.

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