Institute of Education Sciences (IES): National Center for Education Research (NCER): Statistical and Research Methodology in Education, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.305D | ED GRANTS 080626 003

Statistical and Research Methodology in Education (IES/NCER) Grant FAQs (ALN 84.305D)

What is this grant opportunity?

This is the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), National Center for Education Research (NCER) grant program titled Statistical and Research Methodology in Education, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.305D. It supports work that strengthens the methods used in education research by expanding and improving the statistical and research tools that applied education scientists rely on.

What is the main purpose of the program?

The program is designed to improve how education research is designed, analyzed, interpreted, and replicated. Rather than funding a direct evaluation of a specific education intervention or policy, it funds methodological work that makes future applied studies more rigorous, credible, and useful.

Does this program fund studies of specific education interventions or policies?

Not directly. The central focus is on developing or translating methods and tools that improve education research practice overall, so that future studies of interventions or policies can be conducted more rigorously.

What topic areas (tracks) will NCER consider?

NCER will only consider proposals that fit into one of two topic areas:

• Core Grants track
• Toolkits, Guidelines, Compendia, Review Papers, and Curated Data Resources track (often shortened to the Toolkits track)

What is the Core Grants track intended to support?

The Core Grants track supports the creation of new statistical and research methods or the significant improvement of existing methods that education researchers can use in real-world studies. The expectation is that the method addresses practical, recurring challenges in applied education research.

What kinds of methodological problems are relevant under the Core Grants track?

Examples of relevant challenges include (but are not limited to) methods addressing issues such as complex study designs, missing data, measurement, causal inference, longitudinal analysis, multilevel structures, generalizability, and other commonly encountered methodological problems in education research.

Is user testing required under the Core Grants track?

Yes. A key requirement is that methods must be tested with education researchers as users. The work should go beyond technical development to evaluate whether the method is understandable, feasible, and implementable by the intended audience.

What should applicants do with feedback from education researcher users?

Based on user feedback, the method should be refined and then shared widely through dissemination products so that others can adopt the approach.

What dissemination products are encouraged for Core Grants?

Examples of dissemination products mentioned include applied-journal articles, detailed working papers or monographs, workshops or trainings, software tools, and curated data resources that help others learn and implement the method.

What is the Toolkits track intended to support?

The Toolkits track focuses on organizing and translating existing methodological knowledge into practical, field-ready resources. Instead of inventing a new method, the emphasis is on helping education researchers correctly understand and apply methods that already exist.

What types of deliverables fit within the Toolkits track?

Deliverables may include toolkits, step-by-step guidelines, compendia of best practices, review papers that synthesize what is known, curated datasets that support learning or benchmarking, and workshops that build user capacity.

Is user testing required under the Toolkits track?

Yes. Toolkits track products should be user tested with education researchers, revised based on what users find confusing or difficult, and then disseminated broadly so the products are easy to find and apply in everyday research workflows.

How does NCER define success for projects in this program?

Based on the information provided, the program emphasizes proposals that produce usable, tested, and well-disseminated methodological contributions that raise the quality and reliability of education research across the field.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad and aimed at organizations that can credibly conduct scientific research. Eligible applicants include (but are not limited to) public and private colleges and universities, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and public or private agencies and institutions, as long as they have the ability and capacity to perform rigorous research.

What federal agency and center are offering this opportunity?

The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Education through the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and its National Center for Education Research (NCER).

What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a discretionary grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

What is the Assistance Listing Number (ALN) for this program?

The Assistance Listing Number is 84.305D.

What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number listed is ED GRANTS 080626 003.

What is the closing date for this opportunity?

The listed closing date is 2026-10-01.

Is there an award ceiling or a stated expected number of awards?

The provided information does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.

What makes a proposal a better fit for this program based on the description?

Based on the description, strong alignment includes: (1) a clear focus on improving education research methodology (not evaluating a specific intervention directly), (2) a concrete plan for user testing with education researchers, (3) a plan to refine products based on user feedback, and (4) robust dissemination so methods or resources are widely adopted.