Recently, the Trump administration made headlines by canceling nearly $900 million in contracts from the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). This has significantly impacted a key part of the U.S. Education Department that oversees data and research on education systems, including the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
How deep is the cut? While the Education Department says 89 contracts were canceled, other estimates suggest the number could be closer to 170. Many in the education sector are still trying to grasp the true extent of these losses.
Some services, such as the College Scorecard, are reportedly safe. However, insiders indicate that the cancellations are crippling for IES. This could prevent them from collecting crucial data and producing reports essential for understanding both K-12 and higher education landscapes.
The NCES, part of IES, has been hit particularly hard. The center relies on contractors to gather vital information, such as student enrollment figures and financial aid data. In fact, a report from the American Statistical Association highlighted that NCES had a contractor-to-staff ratio of nine to one—meaning they are severely understaffed.
In addition to funding cuts, the review process for awarding new IES grants has also come to a halt. Researchers are expecting to lose online access to crucial educational data by June. This change could force them to resort to outdated methods, like reviewing physical data from CDs instead of accessing it securely online. Taylor Odle, an education policy expert, described this shift as a significant regression in how education data is handled.
Odle expressed his concerns, stating, “This is an assault on the U.S.’s education data infrastructure.” He pointed out that every education researcher in the U.S. relies on data products from IES at some point in their career.
Other researchers echoed these sentiments. An anonymous faculty member noted that this new process would slow down research significantly. Setting up a “cold lab” for data review typically takes six months to a year. With her review panel meeting canceled, she feels the impact of these cuts firsthand.
Many believe these actions threaten evidence-based policymaking in education. The Education Department has not provided clarity on what specific contracts were canceled or the implications of these cuts. The ongoing uncertainty leaves many in the field frustrated.
The IES had a budget of $807 million for the fiscal year 2024, which is a small fraction of the Education Department’s total budget of $79.1 billion. Despite reassurances that some programs remain intact, many of the canceled contracts were vital for educational research and assessment.
Experts in the field worry that these cuts will lead to a decline in essential education research. Mark Schneider, who once led the IES, noted that about half of the staff may have no work after these cancellations. Though he suggests that this could be a chance to modernize data collection, the lack of clarity so far has been unsettling.
Thomas Weko, another education researcher, highlighted the importance of IES in setting standards for education research in the U.S. He fears that these cuts will lead to a significant drop in research. Several higher education groups have also expressed alarm, arguing that without solid data on student performance, policymakers and families will be left in the dark.
In summary, the cancellation of these contracts raises serious concerns about the future of education data and research in the U.S. As institutions work to navigate these changes, the implications for students, families, and policymakers are vast and uncertain.
Source link
Higher, Education, News, Jobs, Events, Career
