A sweeping 100-page proposed revision to federal grant rules has prompted significant concerns from education research organizations. The Office of Management and Budget released the proposal on May 29 with stated goals of strengthening accountability and transparency in grants awarded by agencies including the Department of Education and National Science Foundation. The administration aims to implement the final rule by October 1.
Education research groups submitted objections on July 13, the public comment deadline, expressing concerns that several provisions could produce unintended harmful consequences. The National Academy of Education, joined by 19 other organizations; the American Educational Research Association; and the Knowledge Alliance collectively warned that the changes could narrow research questions, introduce excessive political influence in funding decisions, and disrupt ongoing studies.
A primary concern involves restrictions on studies examining educational outcomes across different student populations. The proposed rule would limit funding for research related to what the administration terms “unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion” activities and restrict “disparate impact studies” that analyze whether neutral-appearing policies produce different results for different groups. Researchers argue this language is vague enough to discourage studies examining racial achievement gaps, intervention effectiveness for English language learners, and other demographic-focused education policy questions. Education researchers also highlighted conflicts with existing federal programs like Title I, which requires demographic analysis of student outcomes.
Additional objections focus on increased political involvement in grant decisions. The proposal would require agencies to consider undefined concepts like “national interest” and “gold standard science,” while political appointees would review all grants before issuance. Researchers contend this could diminish independent scientific review by subject matter experts. Other problematic provisions include preferences for low-overhead proposals, reduced funding for conferences and publications, and expanded justification requirements for grant expenditures.
Education researchers emphasized that foundational knowledge development requires long-term commitment, citing the “science of reading” movement as an example of progress built over decades across multiple administrations. Concerns also address consequences of grant interruptions, particularly for longitudinal studies requiring consistent data collection, and restrictions on international research partnerships that could affect U.S. participation in comparative education assessments.
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