Education Research Advocacy

Turning evidence into
equity for every student

Student360 amplifies peer-reviewed education research, advocates for evidence-based policy, and ensures every student's experience is centered in decisions that shape their future.

48M+
U.S. students in schools without access to evidence-based instruction
32 states
changed teacher evaluation laws after TNTP's Widget Effect research
0.1%
of GDP — U.S. education R&D investment vs. 4–5% in comparable fields
Research Spotlight

What the evidence tells us about student success

Curated, peer-reviewed research surfacing what works — and the systemic gaps preventing it from reaching every classroom.

Featured: Research Needs Support Funding Lost

Can better genetics education reduce racism? Brian Donovan's landmark research says yes — and now it's in jeopardy.

Dr. Brian Donovan spent nearly a decade building a rigorous, classroom-tested curriculum showing that teaching students the true complexity of human genetic variation — how genes and environment interact, and why biological race is not supported by science — measurably reduces susceptibility to racial prejudice. His randomized controlled trials, conducted in middle and high schools across America, produced results strong enough to be published in Science in February 2024. Then, on a single day in April 2025, both of his NSF grants were terminated as part of a mass cancellation of science education awards. He and his team lost their salaries and positions at the University of Colorado. He is now preparing to apply to nursing school.

"His studies were stunningly impressive. This guy is a generational talent." — Jon Shemwell, University of Alabama

Why this research matters
Published in Science
Peer-reviewed, Feb 2024 — genetics education measurably reduces racial bias
Randomized trials
Real classroom experiments across middle & high schools — exceedingly rare in education research
Both grants terminated
NSF cancelled funding April 2025 — research team disbanded, work at risk of stopping entirely
This is precisely the kind of evidence-based, equity-focused education research that private advocacy and funding must step in to protect when federal investment disappears.
Dr. Brian Donovan · University of Colorado (former) · Genetics Society of America Jones Award, 2026
Early Literacy

The Canon of Literacy: A Three Science Framework

Integrating the science of reading, learning, and instruction into a coherent, evidence-based approach. The EAC calls for all children to be taught to read using this validated framework — not ideology-driven alternatives.

Evidence Advocacy Center, 2026 Read brief →
Equity & Access

Paths of Opportunity: What it takes for all young people to thrive

TNTP identifies five factors shaping social and economic mobility in adulthood — and shows how current schooling patterns systematically undercut opportunity for students from low-income backgrounds.

TNTP, 2024–25 Explore report →
Federal Policy

Protecting the integrity of federal education research and data

AERA is coordinating with the scientific community to resist efforts to dismantle NCES and IES — the nation's primary sources of nonpartisan education data used by researchers, policymakers, and families.

AERA, 2025–26 Follow updates →
Educator Pipeline

The Widget Effect: Why treating teachers as interchangeable fails students

The foundational study that exposed how school systems routinely ignore variation in teacher effectiveness — and the cascade of student harm that results. Still driving state policy reform today.

TNTP, 2009 / updated Read study →
Browse full evidence library →
Issue Areas

Where evidence meets urgency

Six areas where research is most needed — and most ignored — in decisions affecting students every day.

📖

Early Literacy

Decades of cognitive science show phonics-based instruction outperforms meaning-first approaches — yet most children are still not taught to read using this evidence.

14 active research projects
🔬

STEM Equity

Research consistently shows structural barriers — not aptitude — explain underrepresentation of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students in advanced STEM coursework.

9 active research projects
🧠

Student Mental Health

Trauma-informed care research shows 40–60% reductions in disciplinary incidents and improved academic outcomes in schools with evidence-based mental health protocols.

7 active research projects
👩‍🏫

Teacher Effectiveness

A highly effective teacher can add a full year of additional learning growth. Research shows teacher effectiveness varies dramatically — and current systems fail to account for it.

11 active research projects
🎓

College Access & Completion

Behavioral economics research shows low-cost interventions — simplified FAFSA, near-peer coaching — can dramatically close college enrollment gaps for first-generation students.

8 active research projects
🌐

Multilingual Learners

Dual-language programs show cognitive and academic benefits over English-only models, yet funding and policy remain disconnected from this robust evidence base.

6 active research projects
Evidence to Practice

How research becomes impact

The path from a research finding to a student's classroom experience has five critical stages — each one a point where evidence can break through or break down.

🔍
Stage 01
Research Generation
Peer-reviewed studies in controlled settings establish what works. Federally funded through IES, NSF, and university research programs.
📋
Stage 02
Evidence Synthesis
Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and clearinghouses (What Works Clearinghouse) translate findings into usable guidance for practitioners.
🏛️
Stage 03
Policy Translation
Advocacy organizations brief legislators. AERA, TNTP, and EAC translate academic findings into policy language state and federal lawmakers can act on.
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Stage 04
District Adoption
Curriculum decisions, professional development, and resource allocation bring evidence to schools — often the highest-friction stage in the pipeline.
🧒
Stage 05
Student Experience
The student in the classroom is the ultimate measure of whether evidence-based practice has been faithfully implemented and is producing results.
Latest from IES Research →
Policy Advocacy

Research-driven policy actions

Urgent
Active
Recent Wins
🚨

Oppose dismantlement of IES and NCES

Federal agencies collecting nonpartisan education data face proposed elimination. Without IES and NCES, researchers and policymakers lose the foundational data systems underpinning decades of education evidence.

AERA leading coalition · Action needed now
📢

Protect Common Rule human subjects research protections

Proposed federal changes to the System for Award Management (SAM) would impose new certification requirements threatening education research conducted through universities and nonprofits.

AERA + 28 organizations signed · March 2026
📊

Preserve NAEP — the Nation's Report Card

The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the only nationally comparable measure of student achievement. Proposed cuts would eliminate the only data source tracking post-pandemic learning recovery.

Bipartisan Senate support · Comment period open
🔬

IES Reauthorization and NCES Autonomy Act

Legislation to reauthorize the Institute of Education Sciences with strengthened independence provisions, ensuring federal education data remain nonpartisan and methodologically rigorous.

Senate HELP Committee · Markup expected Q3 2026
📖

Science of Reading state mandates

Advocacy for evidence-based literacy curriculum laws in the remaining states without phonics mandates. Coalition of research organizations submitting amicus briefs in support of science-aligned legislation.

Active in AL, CA, NE · EAC leading effort

32 states reformed teacher evaluation laws

Following TNTP's Widget Effect, advocacy campaigns successfully moved states to differentiate evaluation outcomes — acknowledging that teacher effectiveness varies and that variation matters for students.

2010–2019 · Ongoing implementation

44 states now have structured literacy policies

Science of Reading advocacy, led by a coalition including AERA and EAC, succeeded in moving 44 states to adopt phonics-based, evidence-grounded literacy requirements since 2019.

2019–2025 · Continued expansion
Live Advocacy Tracker
IES DismantlementFederal budget proposal
Critical — Act now
NAEP Funding CutsCongressional appropriations
Urgent — Comment open
IES ReauthorizationSenate HELP Committee
Active — Q3 markup
Science of Reading3 remaining states
Active — Advocacy ongoing
Common Rule ProtectionsGSA rulemaking
Urgent — Coalition letter sent
Contact Your Representatives
Student Voices

Research starts — and ends — with students

The evidence only matters if it improves the actual experiences of real students. These voices reflect what research data show across millions of classrooms.

In 9th grade, I was still guessing at words. No one had taught me how letters actually work. I wasn't struggling — I was never taught the right way.

MM
Maya M., 11th gradeTitle I school, Mississippi
65%
of 4th graders read below proficiency in low-income schools (NAEP 2024)

My AP class only had 4 students who looked like me. The research says Black students are just as capable — so why doesn't our school schedule reflect that?

JR
Jordan R., 12th gradeUrban district, Chicago
lower advanced course access for Black and Latinx students vs. peers (Civil Rights Data)

After my school trained teachers on trauma-informed practices, I finally felt like a person, not a problem. My grades went up. My attendance went up. I stayed.

AK
Ariel K., college freshmanFormer foster youth, California
40–60%
drop in disciplinary incidents in trauma-informed schools (research consensus)
How we center student experience in research →
Evidence Library

Curated research for practitioners and policymakers

Vetted resources from partner organizations — organized for school leaders, state officials, researchers, and advocates.

Report
The Opportunity Myth — TNTP
TNTP · 2018
Policy Brief
Turning Evidence Into Impact — Why education research is an indispensable public good
AERA · 2026
Framework
The Canon of Literacy: A Three Science Framework for reading instruction
Evidence Advocacy Center · 2026
Report
Paths of Opportunity: What it will take for all young people to thrive
TNTP · 2024
Data Tool
Model Education Policy Navigator — searchable database of evidence-based policy options
EAC · Updated 2025
Comment Letter
Coalition letter opposing SAM certification changes — 28 organizations, 165,000+ members
AERA coalition · March 2026
View full evidence library →

Stay connected to the evidence

Research alerts, policy action updates, and advocacy toolkits — delivered when it matters.