When the current administration began rescinding grants, I saw some education adjacent people on X who were not exactly supportive of the administration but were arguing we hadn't gotten anything for our investments in education research over the years. One poster asked some version of the question, "Can you name anything we use in schools today that was developed by education research funding?"
Of course, an informed responder could list many, many things, but the question from a fairly well-informed poster made me realize we need to do a better job of proclaiming the successes of education research to wide audiences. I think professors are often averse to self-promotion and the perception of being another snake-oil salesperson, but if we want the public to care about these cuts to education research, we have to show them what they are getting for their money.
John, thanks for the note. On the $$ (or on the 👃🏽—that's 'sposed to be a proboscis)!
I took a swing at cataloging some items that I think we ought to ensure that the general public knows have come from research. In that post (https://www.specialeducationtoday.com/p/what-research-hath-wrought) from June 2025) I listed some things like reading for students with severe disabilities, CBM, and CICO. But that list is woefully incomplete.
We should build a much more extensive list. What would you put on it?
Thanks so much for this information, John. Let's also remember that funds are needed to support teacher education and leadership training, and states are in no position to manage or award such funding to IHEs.
This is a terrifically important point, Mike. Thank you. The long-established need for special educators, coupled with the well-documented exodus from the teacher workforce, should not be lost in the conversation about funding research. Indeed, we need research about how to address the needs successfully, and at least a couple of SETters are working in that domain—I hope they'll pipe up and explain funding needs in their areas.
When the current administration began rescinding grants, I saw some education adjacent people on X who were not exactly supportive of the administration but were arguing we hadn't gotten anything for our investments in education research over the years. One poster asked some version of the question, "Can you name anything we use in schools today that was developed by education research funding?"
Of course, an informed responder could list many, many things, but the question from a fairly well-informed poster made me realize we need to do a better job of proclaiming the successes of education research to wide audiences. I think professors are often averse to self-promotion and the perception of being another snake-oil salesperson, but if we want the public to care about these cuts to education research, we have to show them what they are getting for their money.
John, thanks for the note. On the $$ (or on the 👃🏽—that's 'sposed to be a proboscis)!
I took a swing at cataloging some items that I think we ought to ensure that the general public knows have come from research. In that post (https://www.specialeducationtoday.com/p/what-research-hath-wrought) from June 2025) I listed some things like reading for students with severe disabilities, CBM, and CICO. But that list is woefully incomplete.
We should build a much more extensive list. What would you put on it?
Thanks so much for this information, John. Let's also remember that funds are needed to support teacher education and leadership training, and states are in no position to manage or award such funding to IHEs.
This is a terrifically important point, Mike. Thank you. The long-established need for special educators, coupled with the well-documented exodus from the teacher workforce, should not be lost in the conversation about funding research. Indeed, we need research about how to address the needs successfully, and at least a couple of SETters are working in that domain—I hope they'll pipe up and explain funding needs in their areas.