The Government Relations program advances AERA’s mission by advocating on behalf of the field of education research. The GR program monitors federal legislation, policy, and regulations affecting education research, identifying opportunities to influence the development and protection of sound science policy.

The GR program engages with all federal agencies funding education research with particular interest in the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. To this end, the GR program actively participates in coalitions of the scientific community to most effectively support funding and resources for federal research and statistics.

In addition, the GR program showcases AERA members in various activities to raise awareness of their important research contributions that have been funded by the federal government. Capitol Hill briefings and public events, such as the annual Coalition for National Science Funding Capitol Hill exhibition, highlight the benefits of long-term investments in research. The GR team also coordinates AERA’s Organization of Institutional Affiliates, a network of deans at schools of education who are interested in federal education research policy.