Institute of Education Sciences (IES): National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER): Research Training Programs in Special Education, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.324B
Funds research career development for early-career special education researchers or methods training for current researchers focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities, with FY 2027 limited to methods training on analyzing large administrative datasets.
⚑ FY 2027 accepts only Methods Training applications focused on analyzing large administrative datasets. · Early Career applicants must be research institutions located in the territorial United States. · Methods Training applicants may submit multiple applications if substantively different and with no overlap in key personnel. · Award ceiling listed as $0 in the notice.
This is not a core IPPRA content line, but it is very plausibly in Deven Carlson’s education policy/evaluation orbit, especially the methods-training emphasis on large administrative datasets. The special education focus makes it narrower than the team’s usual school policy work, so this is adjacent rather than squarely in-program.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-08-07
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| IPPRA | 54 partial | education policy/evaluation (core line, primary); signature methods: surveys longitudinal, policy analysis; social/behavioral work is central; funds training education, not research (capped); capped at 54 (non-research funding) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 50 partial | technical depth: substantial; funds training education (capped) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 10 none | deep-tech content; no commercialization signal |
Description
NCSER training programs prepare individuals to conduct special education and early intervention research that advances knowledge within the field and addresses issues important to education policymakers and practitioners.
Under this competition, NCSER will consider only applications that address one of the following topics: (1) Early Career Development and Mentoring or (2) Methods Training for Special Education Research. The Early Career program provides support for an integrated research and career development plan for early career investigators at institutions of higher education or non-academic research organizations who have established an interest in special education research and are developing research careers focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities. The Methods Training program funds training to help current education researchers, including state and local education agency research staff, maintain and enhance their research and analysis skills in order to conduct rigorous and relevant research focused on learners with or at risk for disabilities. For FY 2027, NCSER is only accepting applications for Methods Training focused on analyzing large administrative datasets to address research questions related to learners with or at risk for disabilities.
Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.324B.
Eligibility
For the Early Career program, IES provides funds to the institution of the PI who submitted the application for their research and career development. Applicants to the Early Career program must be a research institution (academic or non-academic). Institutions located in the territorial United States that have the ability and capacity to conduct rigorous research are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, non-profit and for-profit organizations and public and private agencies and institutions, such as colleges and universities. For the Methods Training Program, applicants located in the territorial United States that have the ability and capacity to conduct training in scientific research methods are eligible to apply. An applying institution may hold more than one Methods Training award and submit multiple applications to the Methods Training Program if they are substantively different from one another and have no overlaps in key personnel.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Holly Clark Management and Program Analyst <Katherine.Taylor@ed.gov>
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