institute of education sciences grant writing workshop

ies.ed.govies.ed.gov

Connecting Research,Connecting Research,Policy and PracticePolicy and Practice

Institute of Education SciencesGrant Writing Workshop

Elizabeth R. Albro, Ph.D.Acting Commissioner

National Center for Education Research


Agenda

• Introduction to IES• Overview of IES Grant Programs• Education Research Grants (84.305A) and

Special Education Research Grants (84.324A)– Grant Topics– Grant Research Goals


Agenda (cont.)

• Four Sections of the Research Narrative– Significance– Research Plan– Personnel– Resources

• Other IES Grant Programs• Application Submission and Review


A BIT ABOUT IES . . .


Organizational Structure

Office of the Director

National Board for Education

Sciences

National Center for Education Evaluation

National Center for Education Statistics

National Center for Education Research

National Center for

Special Education Research

Standards & Review Office

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Missions of the Research Centers

• NCER– supports rigorous research that addresses the

nation’s most pressing education needs, from early childhood to adult education

• NCSER– sponsors a rigorous and comprehensive program

of special education research designed to expand the knowledge and understanding of infants, toddlers and students with or at risk for disabilities from birth through high school

6


Final Outcomes of Interest: Student Outcomes

Birth through Preschool• School readiness• Developmental outcomes for infants and toddlers with disabilities

Kindergarten through Grade 12• Academic outcomes in reading, writing, math, and science• Behaviors, interactions, and social skills that support learning in school

and successful transitions to post-school opportunities• High school graduation• Functional outcomes that improve educational results, transitions to

employment, independent living, and postsecondary education for students with disabilities

7


Final Outcomes of Interest (cont.)

Postsecondary• Access, persistence, completion• Achievement in gateway math and science courses• Achievement in introductory composition courses

Adult Education• Reading, writing, and math for basic and secondary education

and English language learners


Agenda


Special Education Research Grants (84.324A)

• Four Sections of the Research Narrative• Other IES Grant Programs• Application Submission and Review


Research & Research Training Grant Programs

• Education Research Grant Programs (84.305A)• Special Education Research Grant Programs (84.324A)

• Statistical & Research Methodology in Education (84.305D)• Evaluation of State & Local Education Programs & Policies (84.305E)• Accelerating the Academic Achievement of Students with Learning

Disabilities Research Initiative (A3) (84.324D) • Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research (84.305H)

• Research Training Grant Programs in the Education Sciences(84.305B)

• Research Training Program in Special Education (84.324B)


FY 2013 NCER (305) & NCSER (324)Grant Programs

Application Deadline

Letter of Intent Due

Date

Application PackagePosted

Start Dates

305A: Ed Research324A: Sp Ed Research305D: Stats/Methods

6/21/12 4/19/12 4/19/12 3/1/13 to

9/1/13

305A: Ed Research324A: Sp Ed Research305B: Research Training324B: Sp Ed Research Training324D: A3 Initiative305E: State/Local305H: Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships

9/20/12 7/19/12 7/19/12 7/1/13 to

9/1/13

Important Dates and Deadlines

11


Information for Applying

http://ies.ed.gov/funding

Requests for Applications

Letter of Intent

IES Grants.gov Application Submission Guide

Application Package


Requests for Applications (RFA)

• A separate RFA for each grant program

• Describes requirements for application

• RFAs are available on http://ies.ed.gov/funding

• To be informed about release of future RFAs, sign up for the IES Newsflash: http://ies.ed.gov/newsflash


Letter of Intent (LOI)

• A short description of your intended application– PI, institution, collaborators– Budget (rough estimate)– Up to 1 page abstract describing work

• Not used in review process– Superseded by your application

• Submitted on http://iesreview.ed.gov


IES Grants.gov Application Submission Guide

• Instructions for completing and submitting application package

• Available on http://ies.ed.gov/funding about April 19, 2012


Application Packages for FY 2013

• Available at www.grants.gov– Help: [email protected] or 1-800-518-4726

• For June 21, 2012 deadline, packages available starting April 19, 2012

• For September 20, 2012 deadline, packages available starting July 19, 2012

• Packages specific for grant program and deadline


Eligibility to Apply

• In general– Applicants have ability and capacity to conduct

scientifically valid research– Include, but are not limited to, nonprofit and for-profit

organizations and public and private agencies and institutions, such as colleges, universities, and school districts

• But eligibility is different for Training Programs, Evaluations of State & Local, and Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships


How to Identify Appropriate Grant Programs

• Read the Request for Applications• Review announced topics and methodological

requirements• Look at abstracts of projects funded under a research

topic or program– http://ies.ed.gov/ncer/projects – http://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects

• Contact appropriate Program Officer


Agenda





Grant Topics

• All applications to 84.305A and 84.324A must be directed to specific topic– Note: SF 424 Form, Item 4b (Agency Identifier Number)– Note: Top of Abstract and Research Narrative


Education Research Topics (84.305A)

• Cognition and Student Learning• Early Learning Programs and Policies• Education Technology• Effective Teachers & Effective Teaching• English Learners• Improving Education Systems: Policies, Organization,

Management, and Leadership• Mathematics and Science Education• Postsecondary and Adult Education• Reading and Writing• Social and Behavioral Context for Academic Learning


Exercise: Identify the Appropriate Education Research Topic

• Purpose: This study will examine the association between aspects of preschool quality and child health, behavioral and cognitive outcomes in community-based and school-based early care and education programs.

• Purpose: The purpose of this research is to test several possible ways to influence participation in college savings plans and subsequent savings behavior.

• Purpose: This study will provide a detailed examination of factors that predict gender differences in elementary school mathematics performance.

• Purpose: This project is designed around findings from a local needs assessment of teachers, which found: a) a need for more support for laboratory work; b) a need for greater access to subject matter experts; and c) a strong desire to plan together.


Special Education Research Topics (84.324A)

• Autism Spectrum Disorders• Cognition and Student Learning in Special Education• Early Intervention and Early Learning in Special Education• Families of Children with Disabilities• Mathematics and Science Education• Professional Development for Teachers and Related Service Providers• Reading, Writing, and Language Development• Social and Behavioral Outcomes to Support Learning• Special Education Policy, Finance, and Systems• Technology for Special Education• Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with Disabilities


Exercise: Identify the Appropriate Special Education Research Topic

• Purpose: This research group will develop and preliminarily evaluate SELF: Social-Emotional Learning Foundations to promote emotional and behavioral self-regulation for children in kindergarten and first grade who are at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders.

• Purpose: This research will provide guidance for speech-language pathologists by examining how dosage, techniques, and context are associated with language outcomes.

• Purpose: There have been challenges with making computer-based test items accessible to students who are Braille readers. The purpose of this project is to add enhancements in testing accommodations for students who are blind or have low vision to an existing platform that delivers a Grade 8 reading assessment. This project will provide a fully functional computer-based test delivery platform designed to increase accessibility and meet the needs of these students.


Topic Specific Issues for Education Research Program

• All require student outcomes (Effective Teachers, Systems)• Grade range varies by topic

– Most topics are for K-12 students only – Early Learning: For pre-K (ages 3-5) and their teachers

• Exception if project is to follow pre-K students into later grades applicant can choose most appropriate topic

– Education Technology: pre-K to adult except science (grade 12)– Cognition: pre-K to adult (voc ed, adult ed, remedial post-sec)– Postsecondary and Adult: for older students

• Postsecondary includes high school programs to get students into postsecondary

• Postsecondary limited to sub-baccalaureate and baccalaureate • Adult: adult basic education, adult secondary education, and English

Learner


– Improving Education Systems: Policies, Organization, Management, and Leadership

• Anything designed to improve the overall functioning of a school, district, state, or national education system

– Programs– Finance– Leadership– Organization and Management

• Combined into 1 topic because interventions may include all of these approaches

Topic Specific Issues for Education Research Program II


Topic Specific Issues for Education Research Program III

• Topics can Overlap– Effective Teachers & Effective Teaching

• Read/Write & Math/Science: determine if focus is on professional development or on curriculum/instructional approach

• Cognition: applying cognitive science to teacher practice• Early Learning topic is for pre-K teachers• English Learners: if for EL teachers can be either• Improving Ed Systems: teacher certification, recruitment, and retention

can go to either topic– Ed Technology with all programs

• Is focus/team on tech development or on substance?– English Learners with Read/Write & Math/Science

• Is EL the primary focus or a secondary focus?– Improving Ed Systems with all programs

• Except Early Learning Programs and Policies andPostsecondary and Adult Education


Choosing among Overlapping Topics

• What literature are you citing?• To which topic is your area of expertise best

aligned?• If your focus is on a specific population of

students/teachers, go to that program/topic:– Is your focus on a specific type of student/teacher (e.g.,

students with autism or English language learners), or are you studying them as subgroup of your sample?


Topic Specific Issues for Education Research Program IV

Pre-service programs•Only exploratory research can be done on teacher pre-service programs

– No development of pre-service programs, evaluation of them, or measures-development for them

•Can develop or evaluate pre-service components with in-service teachers•Support for leadership pre-service programs, if programs last 24 months or less


Issues Specific to Special Education Program Topics

• Children with disabilities or at risk for developing disabilities– At risk based on individual assessment, not population

characteristics (e.g., low SES)– Be specific about which disabilities you are addressing

• Specify the inclusion/screening criteria• Applicants to following topics must address students

with disability only (not students at risk for disability)– Transition Outcomes for Secondary Students with

Disabilities– Autism Spectrum Disorders – Families of Children with Disabilities


Issues Specific to Special Education Program Topics II

• Grade Coverage– Early Intervention: Birth to Age 5– Cognition: Birth to Grade 12– Technology: Birth to Grade 12– Autism: Pre-K to Grade 12– Transition: Secondary students (i.e., middle/high school) into

Postsecondary settings– Others: K to grade 12

• Overlaps– Autism and Other Topics

• Comprehensive interventions with multiple outcomes to Autism• One outcome goes to the relevant topic (e.g., Math/Science)

– Early Intervention and Other topics, if follow pre-K students to later grades


Decide Which Topic Your Research Idea Would Fall Under

• Think about your research question(s)• Decide which topic it best fits under• If not sure

– Check RFA– Discuss with Program Officer


Grant Research Goals

• All applications to 84.305A and 84.324A must be directed to specific research goal (1 of 5)– Note: SF 424 Form, Item 4b– Note: Top of Abstract & Research Narrative

• Goal describes type of research to be done

• So, every application is directed to specific topic/goal combination


The 5 Research Goals

• Exploration• Development & Innovation• Efficacy & Replication • Effectiveness• Measurement


Exploration Goal

• Explore associations between education outcomes and malleable factors

• Identify factors and conditions that may mediate or moderate the relations between malleable factors and student outcomes


Malleable Factor

A factor that can be changed by the education system be it a student, teacher, or school characteristic, or an education program or policy

– Underlying processes that enhance or inhibit learning– Aspects of a school, district, or community associated with

beneficial education outcomes– Education interventions associated with beneficial

education outcomes


Exploration Goal (cont.)

• Possible methodological approaches– Analyze secondary data– Collect primary data– Complete a meta-analysis

• Funding Limits– If secondary data analysis or meta-analysis only

• Maximum 2 years and $700,000

– If including primary data• Maximum 4 years and $1,600,000


At the End of an Exploration Project

• A clear description of malleable factors found, and any accompanying mediators and/or moderators

• Evidence regarding associations of those factors with student outcomes

• A well-specified conceptual framework and/or theoretical framework linking identified factors and student outcomes

• Information about whether what you learned in this project could lead to:

– The development or refinement of an intervention– The rigorous evaluation of an intervention– The development of a conceptual framework to be used in the

development or revision of an assessment


Would these Research Questions fit under Exploration?

• Do middle school girls score higher on English achievement tests than boys?

• Is hands-on science teaching associated with better grades for boys?

• Is increasing foster care payments linked to better academic outcomes of foster children?

• Does the Bluebird Reading Curriculum cause higher student achievement on reading tests?

• Do students with certain types of disabilities have shorter attention spans?


Development & Innovation Goal

• Develop an innovative intervention (e.g., curriculum, instructional approach, program, or policy)

• OR improve existing education interventions

• AND collect data on its feasibility and usability in actual education settings

• AND collect pilot data on student outcomes

Development process must be

iterative!


Feasibility of Implementation

• Implement intervention in authentic education delivery setting

• Small sample of users• Should be carried out in type of setting and with

types of users for which intervention is intended


Development & Innovation (cont.)

• Collect pilot data on promise of intervention to achieve intended outcomes– Does not need to be causal study– Stronger with comparison group– Can be no more than 30% of grant budget– Obtain evidence to support grant for evaluation

• Maximum award: 4 years and $1,500,000


At the End of a Development Project

• A fully developed version of intervention, along with– A well-specified theory of change and– Evidence that intended end users understand and can use

intervention• Data that demonstrate feasibility of implementation• Pilot data regarding promise, along with

– Fidelity measure(s) and– Evidence regarding fidelity of implementation.

43


Would These Study Designs Fit Under Development & Innovation?

• Develop 9th grade biotechnology course over summer, implement from September to December, and measure student gains in knowledge.

• Give half the students iPads, monitor how they’re used, and compare test scores at end of year.

• New writing program – Develop with 10 teachers over 1 year – try components out in

class and revise accordingly– Feasibility test with the 10 teachers in Year 2– Compare writing scores of students of the 10 teachers to scores of students from 10 other teachers in Year 3


Efficacy & Replication Goal

• Evaluate whether or not a fully developed intervention is efficacious under limited or ideal conditions

OR

• Gather follow-up data examining the longer term effects of an intervention with demonstrated efficacy

OR

• Replicate an efficacious intervention varying the original conditions


Efficacy & Replication Goal II

• Ask what might be needed to implement intervention under routine practice

• Reduce appearance of conflict of interest for developer-evaluators

• Do not require confirmatory mediator analyses but recommend exploratory ones

• NCSER also accepts efficacy studies that propose single case experimental designs


Efficacy & Replication Goal III

• Causal test of whether or not a fully developed intervention has a beneficial impact on student outcomes relative to a counterfactual in an authentic educational setting– Interventions already in wide use– Interventions not in wide use– Follow-up study


Efficacy & Replication Goal IV

• Detailed description of intervention– Theory of change– Empirical evidence– Practical importance

• Designs that support causal inference are required– Random assignment to intervention and comparison

conditions preferred– Strong quasi-experiment designs can be proposed when

experiment not feasible– Single-subject methods/single-case designs permitted for

Special Ed– Check What Works Clearinghouse evidence standards (RCTs, RDD, Single Case, Attrition)


Efficacy & Replication Goal V

• Address power of design to identify impacts• Address fidelity of implementation of treatment and

comparison groups• Address important moderators• Include details about measures & analysis plan• Avoid apparent conflicts of interest for evaluation

team



Efficacy & Replication Follow-up Study

• Follow students who received intervention into later grades, or

• Follow teachers (principals or schools) who received intervention after the project ends to see if sustained effect on practice and on student outcomes



At the End of an Efficacy Study

• Evidence of impact of clearly specified intervention on relevant student outcomes relative to comparison condition using research design that meets WWC standards

• Conclusions on and revisions to theory of change that guides intervention

51


At the End of an Efficacy Study II

• If beneficial impact is found– Identify organizational supports, tools, and procedures

needed for future implementation

• If beneficial impact is not found– Determine whether and what type of further research

would be needed to revise the intervention

52


Would these Study Designs fit under Efficacy & Replication?

• Randomly assign use of iPads to treatment and control classrooms

• Intervention will provide 3 weeks of teacher training, ongoing coaching, plus classroom materials

• Match 30 schools who adopted an anti-bullying program to 30 schools who did not based on % minorities and FSL and average test scores

• 4 districts agree to take part in a study that will randomly assign a math curriculum to 2 of them


Effectiveness Goal

• Evaluate whether a fully developed intervention that has evidence of efficacy is effective when implemented under typical conditions through an independent evaluation

• Prior to submitting an effectiveness proposal, at least two efficacy studies of the intervention with beneficial and practical impacts on student outcomes must have been completed

54


Effectiveness Goal

• IES expects researchers to– Implement intervention under routine practice– Include Evaluators independent of development/distribution– Describe strong efficacy evidence for intervention

• Does not expect wide generalizability from a single study– Expects multiple Effectiveness projects to this end– Sample size is not a key distinction from Efficacy

• Does not require confirmatory mediator analyses but encourages exploratory ones

• Cost of implementation is limited to 25% of budget

55


Effectiveness Awards

• Limit of 25% of budget for implementation of the intervention

• Other requirements similar to Efficacy & Replication• Replications of Effectiveness studies are allowed with

different populations (e.g., students, schools)• Maximum award: 5 years and $5,000,000


Effectiveness Follow-up Study

• Follow students who received intervention into later grades



At the End of an Effectiveness Study

• Evidence of impact of clearly specified intervention on relevant student outcomes implemented under routine conditions relative to comparison condition using research design that meets WWC standards

• Conclusions on and revisions to theory of change that guides intervention

58


At the End of an Effectiveness Study II

• If beneficial impact is found– Identify organizational supports, tools, and procedures

needed for future implementation

• If beneficial impact is not found– Determine whether and what type of further research

would be needed to revise the intervention

59


Would these Study Designs fit under Effectiveness?

• A researcher wants to test new in-service math teacher training program developed under a Development and Innovation grant in 60 randomly assigned classrooms.

• A district wants to compare two Algebra 1 curricula, and the companies agree to provide them at cost along with teacher coaching.

• A charter management company with evidence from 2 small efficacy studies receives funds from a millionaire to take over 40 schools. 80 schools apply, and the company will randomly select half if it receives IES funds to do an evaluation.


Measurement Goal

• Development of new assessments or refinement of existing assessments, and validation of these assessments

OR

• Validation of existing assessments for specific purposes, contexts, and populations

61


Measurement Goal

• Not for evaluating an assessment used as an intervention

• The measure is the primary product – Not intended to support the creation of a measure as part

of a larger study



Would these Study Designs fit under Measurement?

• Develop formative chemistry assessment to help students learn how to balance formulas

• Develop measure of teacher instruction in fractions and validate it against teacher logs and principal observations

• Develop measure of student attention and validate it against student grades as part of project to evaluate intervention to increase student time on task


At the End of a Measurement Goal

• To develop/refine and validate an assessment– Description of assessment & its intended use– Description of processes used to develop/refine, including

field testing procedures & processes for item revision– Well-specified conceptual framework– Description of validation activities– Evidence on reliability & validity for specified purposes,

populations, and contexts

64


At the End of a Measurement Goal

• To validate an existing assessment– Well-specified conceptual framework that provides

theoretical basis for assessment and its validation activities– Description of validation activities– Evidence on reliability & validity for specified purposes,

populations, and contexts

65


The Goals Build on One Another

• Exploration may lead to– Development or modification of intervention– Efficacy evaluation of intervention

• Development & Innovation may lead to an Efficacy evaluation if intervention is feasible and pilot data is supportive

• Efficacy & Replication may lead to an Effectiveness evaluation if impact found

• Measurement can also feed into other goals


But You Can Start at Any Goal

67


Decide Which Goal Your Research Idea Would Fall Under

• Think about your research question(s)• Decide which goal it best fits under• If you are not sure:

– Check RFA– Discuss with Program Officer– If your idea straddles several goals, consider breaking it

into smaller pieces– Choose goal with best fit, not the one that offers the

most funding


Dissemination Expected for all Goals

• Publications in peer-reviewed journals• Quick release of findings

– Working papers, presentations and posters, seminars• Products others can use

– Software, manuals, instruments, monographs• Teaching others to use findings/products

– Short courses, long courses, on-line tutorials• Long-term collaborations with practitioners• Submit final, peer-reviewed manuscripts to the

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)


Agenda






The Application’s Research NarrativeKey part of your application

4 Sections:Significance

Research PlanPersonnelResources

Each section scored and an overall score givenRequirements vary by program & goal

25 pages, single spaced


Significance

• Describes the overall project– Your research question to be answered; intervention to

be developed or evaluated, or measure to be developed and/or validated

• Provides a compelling rationale for the project– Theoretical justification

• Logic Models, Change Models

– Empirical justification– Practical justification


Significance

• Do not assume reviewers know significance of your work

• Do not quote back RFA on general importance of topic– e.g., RFA paragraph on lack of reading proficiency of 8th-

and 12th-graders based on NAEP data

• Do quote back RFA, if a specific topic is highlighted and your work will address that topic


Significance: Exploration Goal

• Describe malleable factors, moderators, and mediators to be examined

• Justify their importance– Theoretical rationale– Empirical rationale– Practical importance

• How work will lead to useful next step– Development or modification of interventions to address the

identified malleable factors or underlying process to improve student outcomes

– Identification of interventions for more rigorous evaluation

• Overall importance


Significance: Development Goal

• Context for proposed intervention– Why needed: what problem exits– What exists now (may be many alternatives already)

• Detailed description of intervention to be developed– Clearly identify components already developed, partially developed,

and to be developed (no jargon)– Don’t overextend (# grades, full vs. part year)

• Theory of change (theoretical support)• Empirical support• Practical importance:

– Meaningful impact, feasibility, affordability• Answer the question: Why will this intervention produce

better student outcomes than current practice?• Overall Importance


Significance: Efficacy & Replication

• Detailed description of intervention– Show fully developed, implementation process, and ready to be

evaluated• Justification for evaluating the intervention

– Importance of practical problem it is to address– If in wide use, show it has not been rigorously evaluated– If not in wide use, show evidence of feasibility and promise to

address the practical problem• Theory of change: Why will this lead to expected

outcomes?– Theoretically and empirical rationale– Direct impact on student outcomes or through mediators

• Justify that it could lead to better outcomes than current practice

• Overall importance


Significance: Effectiveness

• Detailed description of intervention• Justification for evaluating the intervention

– Evidence of meaningful impacts (Efficacy study)• Theory of change• Justify that it could lead to better outcomes than

current practice• Implementation under normal conditions• Independent evaluation• Evidence that implementation can reach high

enough fidelity to have meaningful impacts• Overall importance


Significance: Measurement

• Description of assessment and how it will be used• Theoretical basis for constructs to be measured• Empirical evidence for constructs• Practical need for the assessment• Feasibility of use• Overall importance


Significance: 2 Key Problem Areas

• Unclear description of malleable factor or intervention– May have many components and these may be applied at

different times• Graphic may help

– Unclear how to be implemented to ensure fidelity– Unclear why strong enough to expect an impact– Overly focused on actions not content

• Example: Provide 10 PD sessions, 4 hours apiece, but no detail on what occurs in sessions


• Lack of a Theory of Change– Why malleable factor should be related to student outcome– Why intervention should improve outcomes versus current

practice– Why an assessment/instrument should measure a specific

construct– A well laid-out theory of change makes clear what is

expected to happen and in what order– Easy for reviewers to understand research plan – why

measure certain outcomes – Graphic can be helpful (e.g., a logic model)

Significance: 2 Key Problem Areas


Four Sections of the Research Narrative

• Significance• Research Plan• Personnel• Resources


Research Plan

• Describe the work you intend to do– How you will answer your research question, develop

your intervention, evaluate the intervention, or develop and/or validate your assessment

• Make certain Research Plan is aligned to Significance section– All research questions should have justification in

Significance

• Step-by-step process– Timeline to show when everything will be done


Research Plans Differ by Research Goal

However, all should describe•Setting•Population and sample

– Sampling plan: inclusion and exclusion criteria– Sample size (power issue) and handling attrition– External validity

•Measures– Outcomes: proximal and distal; answer research questions– Other measures: fidelity, feasibility, operating as intended, feedback– Quantitative & qualitative– Reliability & validity– Relevance: sensitivity vs. broad interest– Multiple comparisons issue


All Research Plans Should Include (cont.)

• Research Design (more detail on following slides)

• Analysis– Describe how it answers research questions– Show your model: show different types of models used– Address clustering– Describe how missing data will be handled– Check for equivalency at start of study and attrition bias throughout– Describe sensitivity tests of assumptions– Describe analysis of qualitative data and links to quantitative

analysis


Research Design

• Start off with research questions

• Research design should answer research questions– Do not have design section written independently by

methodologist– If sections are written by different people, have everyone

read through whole application

• Issues common to designs across goals– Attrition and missing data– Obtaining access to and permission to collect/use data


Research Design Varies by Goal

• Exploration– Primary data

• Sampling strategy• Data collection and coding processes

– Secondary data• Descriptive analysis• Statistical correlational analysis• Analyses attempting to address selection issues• Mediation analysis

• Development & Innovation– Focus should be on iterative development process– Feasibility study: use in authentic education setting– Pilot study: comparison to a similar group



• Efficacy & Replication– Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) preferred

• Unit of randomization and justification• Procedures for assignment

– Strong quasi-experiment - justify why RCT not possible• How it reduces or models selection bias• Discuss threats to internal validity – conclusions to be drawn

– Describe control/comparison group– Power analysis/MDES – show calculation and assumptions– Fidelity of implementation study in both T and C– Mediator and moderator analyses– Contamination issues: schools vs. classrooms



• Effectiveness– Same as Efficacy & Replication except requires

implementation under routine conditions, independent evaluator, and a cost study

• Measurement– The plan to develop or refine the assessment

• Evidence of constructs• Interpretation of assessment results• Item development and selection• Procedures for administering and scoring

– Reliability and validity studies


Four Sections of the Research Narrative

• Significance• Research Plan• Personnel• Resources


Personnel Section

• Describe key personnel– Link each person and their expertise to their role in

project - show that every aspect of project has person with expertise to do it

• Methodologists: show expertise in particular method to be used• Substantive person for all issues addressed• Do not propose to hire a key person with X expertise• Project management skills

– Give time contribution for each - show that every aspect has enough time from expert

• Orient CVs so specific to project– 4 pages plus 1 page for other sources of support


Personnel Requirements

• Publication record and projected publications from this grant are considered

• Developers should discuss past success getting developed interventions evaluated

• If previous IES grant, discuss results• Evaluations require attention to objectivity should a

developer or persons with financial interest be involved– Efficacy projects: address how objectivity maintained– Effectiveness: Independent evaluation: developer can

provide routine implementation support


Personnel Strategies for PI

• Senior Researcher– Show adequate time to be PI– Make credentials clear: not all reviewers may know

• Junior Researcher as PI– Show adequate expertise not only to do work but to

manage project– Reviewers may be more comfortable if you have senior

person(s) on project to turn to for advice


Resources

• Show institutions involved have capacity to support the work– Do not use university boilerplate

• Show that all organizations involved understand and agree to their roles– What will each institution, including schools,

contribute to project– Show strong commitment of schools and districts– Have alternatives in case of attrition


Resources (cont.)

• Appendix C should back this up – Detailed Letters of Support from research institutions,

States, districts, schools

• Data issues– Document permission to use and access to confidential

data (letters in Appendix C)– Show familiarity with data and show that it can be

used to do proposed work– If merging datasets, show that it can be done


Appendices

• Appendix A (15 page limit)

– Figures, charts, and tables– Examples of measures– 3 pages to address past reviewer comments or to argue

that a proposal is a new submission• Appendix B (10 page limit)

– Examples of materials used in intervention or assessment

• Appendix C (no page limit)

– Letters of agreement (districts, schools, data providers, other partners, consultants)


Budget and Budget Narrative

• Provide clear budget and budget narrative for overall project and each sub-award

• IES Grants.gov Application Submission Guide describes budget categories

• Check RFA for specific budget requirements for Research Goals and Grant Programs

• Ensure agreement among Research Narrative, Budget, and Budget Narrative


Agenda






Grant-writing for Additional FY 2013 Research Programs


Other Research Grant Programs

• Do not use topic/goal structure, but are informed by that structure

• Stats/Methods and Evaluation of State & Local use a similar Research Narrative

• All except the Stats/Methods program are due no later than September 20, 2012

• Stats/Methods applications are due June 21, 2012


Statistical & Research Methodology in Education (84.305D)

• Research projects intended to expand and improve methodological and statistical tools available for education researchers

• These tools will be used to improve design of research studies, analysis of research data, and interpretation of research findings

100


Evaluation of State & Local Education Programs & Policies (84.305E)

• Support for rigorous evaluations of education programs or policies that are paid for and implemented by State or local education agencies

• Evaluations are to determine both overall impact of programs/policies and impact across a variety of conditions

101


Accelerating the Academic Achievement of Students with Learning Disabilities Research Initiative (A3)(84.324D)

• To develop and evaluate interventions (e.g., instructional approaches, curricula, technology) to accelerate reading and math achievement of students with or at risk for reading and math disabilities in grades 3 through 8

• Will create tightly linked network of researchers across variety of disciplines who will work collaboratively to address the problem

102


A3 Project Narrative

• Significance• Research Plan

– Development of a set of interventions– Evaluation of the efficacy of an evaluation– Supplementary exploratory research (optional)– Timeline

• Personnel• Management Plan• Resources• Project Narrative is limited to 35 single-spaced pages

103


Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in Education Research (84.305H)

• Intended to support partnering of researchers with State and local education agencies in development of joint research projects

104


Partnership Project Narrative

• Significance of the Research-Practitioner Partnership– Strength of the partnership– Research aims of the partnership

• Research Plan– Developing the partnership– Developing the research plan– Developing the application for further Institute funding

• Personnel• Resources• Project Narrative limited to 25 single-spaced pages

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Research Training Programs in the Education Sciences (84.305B)

• Postdoctoral Research Training Program• Researcher and Policymaker Training

Program in the Education Sciences

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Postdoctoral Research Training Program

• For institutions to establish postdoctoral training programs to train researchers in skills necessary to conduct the type of research that the Institute funds

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Researcher and Policymaker Training Program in the Education Sciences

• Researcher Training– to provide opportunities for current education researchers

to maintain and upgrade their methodological skills

• Policymaker Training– to share evidence from rigorous education research with

education practitioners and policymakers working on a specific program or policy

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Training Program Narrative

• Significance of Training Program• Research Training Plan• Personnel• Resources

• Training Program Narratives are limited to 15 single-spaced pages.

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Research Training Program in Special Education (84.324B)

• Early Career Development and Mentoring – Provides new investigators support to further develop

methodological, content, and grant writing expertise needed to develop a strong line of research that includes federal funding

– Requires identification of mentor at time of application– Requires a research plan and career development plan

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Early Career Program Narrative

• Significance of the Research and Career Development Plans

• Research and Career Development Plans• Personnel• Resources

• Early Career Program Narratives are limited to 25 single-spaced pages.

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Award Parameters (84.305B-H & 84.324B-D)

Program Maximum Number of Years

Maximum Award(direct + indirect)

305B Postdoc Training 5 years $687,000

305B Researcher & Policymaker Training

3 years $1,000,000

324B Early Career 4 years $400,000

324D A3 5 years $10,000,000

305D Stats/Methods 3 years $900,000

305E State/Local305H Partnerships

5 years2 years

$5,000,000$400,000112


Agenda





Grant Submission

• Make sure your institution is registered on Grants.gov

• Complete your online forms and upload PDFs• Authorized representative completes the process• Submit by 4:30:00pm DC time on deadline –

earlier is safer• If problems uploading

– Contact Help Line 1-800-518-4726 and get a case number

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Verification of Submission

• You should receive three e-mails – Grants.gov will say they have received your

submission and assign you a number that starts with GRANT

– Grants.gov will say your application is validated or rejected due to errors. If the latter, resubmit until validated.

– Department of Education will assign you a grant number starting with R305 or R324

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Application Review (Standards & Review Office)

• Compliance screening for format requirements• Responsiveness screening to program/goal requirements• Assigned to review panel

– 2-3 reviewers (substantive and methodological)– If scored high enough, application is reviewed by full panel

• Many panelists will be generalists to your topic• There will be an expert in every procedure you use

– Overall score plus scores on Significance, Research Plan, Personnel, and Resources

– So far, all applications with overall score of Outstanding and Excellent have been funded

• Resubmissions encouraged– Talk to Program Officer and address reviewer comments

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Peer Review Process Information

http://ies.ed.gov/director/sro/peer_review/index.asp


Notification

• All applicants will receive e-mail notification of the status of their application

• All applicants receive copies of reviewer comments

• If you are not granted an award the first time, plan on resubmitting and talk to your Program Officer


Additional Webinars Available

http://ies.ed.gov/funding/webinars/index.asp

•Application Process•Grant Writing Workshops for each goal•Grant Writing Workshops for early career researchers and minority serving institutions•Overviews of research training programs•Overviews of NCSER funding opportunities


For More Information

http://ies.ed.gov/funding

Elizabeth [email protected]

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institute of education sciences grant writing workshop

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