WASHINGTON -- The Education Reform Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Michael Castle (R-DE), today approved H.R. 3801, the “Education Sciences Reform Act.”

     The Education Sciences Reform Act, introduced by Chairman Castle, will overhaul the Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI). The office currently conducts research and demonstration projects funded through grants to help improve education; collects statistics on the status and progress of schools and education throughout the nation; and distributes information and provides technical assistance to those working to improve education.

     “The legislation before us today ensures that tried and true scientific information -- not fads or fiction -- form the basis for setting education policy and improving education practice. I believe it is critical to achieving our shared goals of improving academic achievement and narrowing the gap between our lowest and highest performing students,” said Castle.

     “In drafting this legislation, my goal has been to fund education research that is scientifically sound, relevant to state and local education needs, and used by educators and policymakers to improve academic achievement,” he continued.

     H.R. 3801 modifies current law to streamline and strengthen education research. The bill:

· Replaces the current Office of Educational Research and Improvement with a new, more autonomous Academy of Education Science which will provide the infrastructure to undertake coordinated, high quality education research and statistical and program evaluation activities within the Department of Education;

· Establishes high quality standards to put an end to education fads that masquerade as sound science. The bill requires all federally funded activities meet these new standards of quality (including scientifically based research);

· Makes technical assistance, including assistance in carrying out the requirements of No Child Left Behind, “customer-driven” and accountable to school districts, states and regions;

· Injects competition into the current system of labs, centers, and clearinghouses to provide for consumer choice and ensure high quality and relevant services and products; and

· Ensures that research priorities are informed by the needs of parents, teachers, and school administrators, not political pressure, and focus on solving key problems.

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