America is finally poised to begin to go on offense in the contest for technology leadership in the future. Both federal chambers have passed a bill purportedly aimed at elevating the competitiveness of the United States. The United States House of Representatives passed the America COMPETES Act on February 4, 2022, that now must be reconciled…

Over the past few decades, there have been federal and state investments in innovative education programs, policies, and tools. Many private organizations--both corporate and philanthropic--also have fueled the development and piloting of novel education ideas. Yet major gaps and challenges remain to develop and scale the impact of ground-breaking…

The federal government pays for a wide range of goods and services that are expected to contribute to the economy for some years in the future. Those purchases, called investment, fall into three categories: physical capital, research and development (R&D), and education and training. There are several economic rationales for federal…

Grant-funded curriculum development efforts can substantially impact practice and research in science education. Therefore, understanding the sometimes-unintended consequences of changes in grant priorities is crucial. Using the case of two large funding agencies in the United States, the current portfolio review provides insight into these…

The federal government's role in PreK-12 education has long been contentious and continues to evolve. Many have written about education governance, but few have attempted to define an appropriate role for the federal government. That is the core purpose of this essay. The authors articulate a set of principles to guide the federal role in…

The federal government pays for a wide range of goods and services that are expected to be useful some years in the future. Those purchases, called investment, fall into three categories: physical capital, research and development (R&D), and education and training. There are several economic rationales for federal investment. It can provide…

Despite constraints on federal resources and authority in education policy, the federal government has a pivotal role to play in identifying a compelling, high-impact focal point that aligns policy priorities at the federal, state, and local levels. The federal government could play a critical role in expanding students' access to excellent…

The SREB Fact Book on Higher Education includes data on the population and economy, enrollment, degrees, student tuition and financial aid, faculty and administrators, revenue and expenditures. With more than 100 tables of detailed information, the Fact Book is one of the nation's most respected and most comprehensive collections of comparative…

The background essay introducing this special issue on leadership describes potential initiatives aimed at educational leadership research and development. The research supporting the invited journal articles was conducted at two national education leadership research centers. (MLF)

Discusses emerging ideas about the future of federal research and development activities as they relate to the future of industry and especially to institutions of higher learning. Discusses energy research today, a future perspective, the future of the research community, and challenges. Highlights the future orientation of the Office of Energy…

This digest of key science and engineering indicators draws primarily from the National Science Board's two-volume "Science and Engineering Indicators, 2008" report. The digest serves two purposes: (1) to draw attention to important trends and data points from across the chapters and volumes of "Science and Engineering Indicators, 2008," and (2)…

The effectiveness of product development as a component of technical assistance services offered to demonstration projects is examined. It is concluded that written documents produced by technical assistance agencies do not appear to have a direct effect on programs delivering services to the handicapped. (Author/LMO)

A collection of material documenting the establishment of the National Institute of Education includes congressional testimony, House and Senate versions of the bill, amendments to the law, messages from the president, and committee reports. (MLF)

Hank Levin, the director of Stanford University's Institute for Research and Governance, discusses part of his center's research agenda and the pessimistic prospects surrounding educational finance. Condensed from "Educational R&D Report," Fall 1980. (Author/SJL)

Traces the development of New American Schools, a nonprofit organization created in 1991 to apply a research and development approach to the design and dissemination of models of whole-school reform. (PKP)