While the IES has many responsibilities, for the purposes of this class we are going to focus on its work with children with disabilities through the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER).
NCSER sponsors a rigorous and comprehensive program of special education research designed to expand the knowledge and understanding of infants, toddlers, and students with or at risk for disabilities from birth through high school
As part of IES, the activities of NCSER are mandated by federal legislation
- Describe the condition and progress of education in the United States (for children with disabilities)
- Identify education practices that improve academic achievement and access to education opportunities (for children with disabilities)
- Evaluate the effectiveness of Federal and other education programs (for children with disabilities)
NCSER supports a variety of activities related to special education, however the great majority of its funding is directed towards special education research. On the right is a chart showing the Requests for Applications (RFAs) posted by NCSER in 2006-2012.
It is of interest to note that IES carries out similar work related to children (and adult learners) without disabilities through the National Center for Educational Research ( NCER).