On July 30, 2024, APA Services joined a coalition of organizations and individuals in sending a letter (PDF, 52KB)opens in new window to U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) in support of the New Essential Education Discoveries (need) Act (PDF, 59KB)opens in new window, which the pair introduced in the Senate. The bill is designed to strengthen education research and development (R&D) to “dramatically improve outcomes and experiences for teachers and learners.” APA Services is one of nearly 70 organizations endorsing the legislation. The association also supports (PDF, 51KB)opens in new window the bipartisan House companion bill, H.R. 6691opens in new window, sponsored by Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-Oregon) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania).
The legislation will establish a National Center for Advanced Development in Education (NCADE) within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). NCADE is modeled after the Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the agency’s renowned R&D incubator. It will allow IES flexibility to retain creative and nimble project managers to lead multidisciplinary teams that conduct “informed-risk, high-risk rewards” projects. Teachers need new tools to overcome such obstacles as the learning setbacks of the covid-19 pandemic, the drawbacks of social media, and a nationwide mental health crisis to educate the next generation of Americans, said Bennett. “Congress can help by investing in cutting-edge education research.” Cornyn emphasized that the bill “invests in education, stem instruction, and innovative learning methods to help equip our future workforce with the resources and skills necessary to maintain America’s preeminence in the world.”
The bipartisan need Act will also upgrade and expand the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems program to help states “better track students’ progress through K-12 and into the workforce, integrate data across multiple domains, ensure the privacy of students’ education records, and generate high-quality data in actionable formats.” The legislation will provide a much-needed federal investment in education, including promising education R&D.
APA Services will continue to support innovative educational research, technologies, and approaches in education to better serve students.
For more information, contact Angela L. Sharpe.
