The federal government has supported efforts to gather educational statistics for more than 150 years. Collecting statistics and facts on the condition and progress of education was the core function of the earliest version of the Office of Education (P.L. 39-73, enacted March 2, 1867). However, a coordinated national undertaking resembling today's research and statistics effort did not begin to take shape until the mid-1970s with the creation of the National Institute of Education (NIE) under the Education Amendments of 1972 (P.L. 92-318) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) under the Education Amendments of 1974 ( P.L. 93-380 ). In 1985, the NIE was replaced by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) through executive authority. The present-day federal educational research and statistics effort is carried out by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which replaced OERI in 2002 through provisions adopted with the passage of the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA, Title I of P.L. 107-279 ). ESRA established IES as an independent research institute housed within the Department of Education (ED) headed by a Director, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve a term of six years. ESRA also established a technical panel composed primarily of researchers, the National Board of Educational Sciences (NBES), to advise the Director on the policies of the institute and approve research priorities and procedures for technical and scientific peer review. Additionally, this panel is charged with assessing the progress of IES and making recommendations for improvement. ESRA established three National Education Centers to conduct the work of IES in three areas: the National Center for Education Research (NCER), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE). Subsequently, P.L. 108-446 , which reauthorized the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), amended ESRA by adding a fourth center to operate within IES, the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER). Along with ESRA, P.L. 107-279 enacted two additional acts—the Educational Technical Assistance Act (ETAA, Title II of P.L. 107-279 ) and the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act (NAEPAA, Title III of P.L. 107-279 ). ETAA authorizes the Secretary of Education to make grants to local entities for the purpose of supporting varied technical assistance activities and to states for statewide, longitudinal data systems. NAEPAA authorizes the Commissioner of Education Statistics to carry out a national assessment, state assessments, and a long-term trend assessment in reading and mathematics in grades 4, 8, and 12. Overall, while many changes that affect federal educational research and statistics activities were enacted through ESRA, among the particularly prominent changes were those leading to the creation of an independent research institute and those specifying "scientifically-based" or "scientifically-valid" standards for research. Under the provisions of ESRA, IES operates as an independent institute and is afforded more freedom from ED than OERI had as an office (headed by an Assistant Secretary) within ED. At the same time, ESRA provides for greater oversight of the work and work processes of IES by a technical panel (NBES) in comparison to what was required under provisions in OERI's authorizing legislation. ESRA also notably goes further than prior authorizing legislation in terms of specifying standards for educational research supported under the act. Specifically, ESRA defines and requires scientifically based research standards, scientifically valid research, and scientifically valid educational evaluations. Collectively the provisions outlining and requiring adherence to these "scientifically-based" or "scientifically-valid" standards have in effect signaled that methodological rigor is a top priority for IES-supported research. Authorities under ESRA, ETAA, and NAEPAA expired in FY2008; however, funding for these programs and activities has continued through annual appropriations legislation. In the 113 th Congress, the House of Representatives passed the Strengthening Education through Research Act ( H.R. 4366 ) by a voice vote on May 8, 2014. In the 114 th Congress, the Senate adopted a largely similar bill by the same name ( S. 227 ) by unanimous consent on December 17, 2015. Both bills would have provided for reauthorization of ESRA, ETAA, and NAEPAA and would have amended several provisions related to IES independence, research standards, technical assistance, evaluation, privacy protection, student assessment oversight, and IES accountability. This report provides a concise description of programs and authorities established by ESRA, ETAA, and NAEPAA as amended. It is organized in a manner that aligns with the legislation, P.L. 107-279 , which enacted these three measures. The report concludes with a discussion of recent legislative action. Title I of P.L. 107-279 is entitled the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA). Organizationally, the act is comprised of six parts which contain the provisions authorizing IES, the NBES, and each of the National Education Centers. Part A of ESRA establishes IES as a research institute within ED intended to provide "national leadership in expanding fundamental knowledge and understanding of education from early childhood through postsecondary study." The aim of IES is to provide parents, educators, students, researchers, policymakers, and the general public with information on the condition and progress of education, on practices that improve academic achievement, and on the effectiveness of federal education and other education programs. IES is authorized to carry out these aims by compiling statistics, conducting research and evaluations, and disseminating information. Under the provisions of ESRA, the IES Director is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Director is selected from individuals with expertise in the fields of research, statistics, or evaluation in education. The Director is authorized to carry out specific duties, such as proposing research priorities; establishing procedures for technical and peer review; advising the Secretary on matters related to research and evaluation; and ensuring that conducted activities are objective, secular, neutral, and nonideological and are free of partisan political influence and racial, cultural, or regional bias. ESRA also authorized the NBES (also known at the Board), which is tasked with advising and consulting with the Director on the policies of IES. Among other responsibilities, the Board considers and approves research priorities proposed by the Director; advises and approves procedures for technical and peer review; advises the Director on the funding of applications for grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements; provides recommendations to the Director on individuals to serve as Commissioners of the four IES research centers; and assesses the progress of and makes recommendations for the improvement of IES. ESRA specifies requirements related to members of the Board, including the composition of the Board, the qualification of the Board's membership, compensation, and travel expenses. Under the provisions of ESRA, as amended, IES is composed of four research centers: the National Center for Education Research (NCER), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE), and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER). Three of the centers (NCER, NCEE, and NCSER) are headed by a Commissioner appointed by the Director for a term not to exceed six years (except that the Commissioner may be reappointed by the Director). The Commissioner of the fourth center, NCES, is appointed by the President for a term of six years. Each of the four research centers has specific duties outlined in ESRA and summarized below. Part B of ESRA authorizes NCER "to sponsor sustained research that will lead to the accumulation of knowledge and understanding of education." Specifically, the mission of NCER is to sponsor research that ensures that all children have access to a high-quality education; improves student academic achievement; closes the achievement gap between high-performing and low-performing students; and improves access to, and opportunities for, postsecondary education. NCER is also charged with supporting the synthesis and integration of research, promoting quality through the use of accepted practices of scientific inquiry, and promoting scientifically valid research findings. The duties of NCER (outlined in ESRA, §133) include, but are not limited to, maintaining peer-review processes and standards for the conduct and evaluation of all research carried out at the center; proposing research plans to the Director; implementing a plan to carry out scientifically valid research; ensuring that research is relevant to education practice and policy; and synthesizing and disseminating research findings. In carrying out these duties, the Commissioner of NCER is authorized to support not less than eight national research and development centers, which must support work on the following topics: adult literacy; assessment, standards, and accountability research; early childhood development and education; improving low-achieving schools; innovation in education reform; state and local policy; postsecondary education and training; rural education; teacher quality; and reading and literacy. Research and development centers are to address areas of national need, and competitive grants support the centers. Awards are made for a period of not more than five years. Continuation grants may be made to research and development centers by the Director as long as no research and development center is supported for more than 10 years without undergoing a competitive process. The Commissioner of NCER is responsible for carrying out a research plan that includes both basic and applied research and research conducted through field-initiated research efforts as well as ongoing research initiatives. Not less than 50% of the funds made available for research in each fiscal year are to be used to fund long-term research programs of not less than five years. ESRA Part C authorizes NCES "to collect and analyze education information and statistics in a manner that meets the highest methodological standards."