The Education Department, under the current administration, has decided to halt approximately 170 contracts for the Institute of Education Sciences, as disclosed by sources familiar with the matter.
Impact on Research
The American Institutes for Research, a respected non-profit organization specializing in behavioral and social science research, confirmed the termination of several IES contracts. These contracts encompass research areas such as special education and student learning outcomes.
Dana Tofig, a spokesperson for AIR, expressed concerns about the termination of ongoing research projects, emphasizing that this move may lead to a lack of return on taxpayers' investments. The evaluation and data analysis work affected by these terminations play a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of federal programs.
DEI Training Grants Cut
In addition to halting research contracts, the Education Department has also axed 29 training grants focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, amounting to $101 million. This decision was announced by the Department of Government Efficiency on X.
One of the terminated grants aimed to provide training for educators on facilitating discussions around complex histories of oppression, as well as identifying areas of privilege and power at both individual and collective levels.
Despite these significant actions, the Education Department has not yet provided a comment on the reasons behind these abrupt changes.