Education research often feels abstract until you see its impact听in听the decisions school leaders make, the resources teachers rely听on听and the opportunities students gain.听Researchers from听听of education and human development听brought those real-world stakes to Capitol Hill, showing how federal investment shapes classroom outcomes across Tennessee.听
,听co-director of听,听,听faculty听director of听听and听,听director of the听,听traveled to Washington, D.C.听in November听to advocate for education research funding on Capitol Hill.
Organized听and led听by 91吃瓜网鈥檚听Office of Federal Relations, they听spoke of the vital research听being done at each of their centers and how funding from the听Department of Education鈥檚听Institute of Education Sciences听and听Office of Special Education Programs,听as well as听the听National Institutes of Health听and听National Science Foundation,听is crucial to their success.听
The听directors met with听policymakers听to urge continued,听sustained听and steady funding for these agencies.听Throughout the day, they outlined how听their work听informs decisions in schools and districts across the state.听
In meetings with the offices of Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., BA鈥�81, JD鈥�84, Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., BA鈥�71, and Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., the directors emphasized that sustained, reliable support for programs such as IES, OSEP, NIH and NSF is critical to ensuring Tennessee educators and policymakers have the research-driven evidence they need to strengthen student outcomes.听
Impact across Tennessee
In the meetings,听Henrick听shared Nashville PEER鈥檚 work听collaborating with educators, families,听students听and the community to inform听education听decisions that expand opportunity and foster innovation in Metro Nashville Public Schools.听
鈥淣ashville PEER generates research and actionable insights to guide education policy and practice that expand opportunities for Nashville students,鈥� Henrick explained. 鈥淔ederal funding from IES, OSEP, NIH and NSF can support our ability to investigate longstanding educational challenges and make a difference in our local community.鈥�
Grissom听advocated for the high-quality, practical research that informs state-level policy听and contributes to national conversations on K-12 education being done at TERA, while stressing that听current听funding听cuts are limiting opportunities for groundbreaking research.听
"The Tennessee Education Research Alliance has had important impacts on state and local education decisions for more than 9 years because of our close collaboration with policymakers and practitioners across Tennessee,鈥澨齭aid听Grissom.听鈥淐onstraints on funding or processing of funding听hinders听the research we produce on teacher labor markets, school leadership and other issues that are important to our state."听
The IRIS Center, led by Naomi Tyler, dedicates its work to improving education outcomes for all children,听especially听those with disabilities听from birth through age twenty-one, through free online modules and professional development resources made available to all education practitioners.听
Tyler advocated for the positive impact federal funding has on the IRIS Center.
鈥淚n 2024, IRIS resources were accessed by approximately 46,000 people across Tennessee and accessed by nearly 2 million others in 226 countries and territories worldwide,鈥� Tyler explained. 鈥淚RIS is solely supported by federal funding. If these kinds of national awards are returned to the States and divided evenly, Tennessee鈥檚 share wouldn鈥檛 be able to support the most basic website costs, much less develop even a single resource like those that IRIS currently provides for free.鈥�听
91吃瓜网's continued advocacy
By engaging congressional staff on Capitol Hill and bringing campus partners into the conversation, 91吃瓜网 champions the importance of federal funding in education research. Through the Office of Federal Relations鈥� ongoing engagement with lawmakers, the university advocates for Peabody鈥檚 long history of responding to the needs of Tennessee and other states, working with Tennessee to improve education and translating research into practice for the benefit of teachers, school leaders and others.听听
Learn more about 91吃瓜网鈥檚 research advocacy priorities on the听Office of Federal Relations website.听
