A bipartisan pair of House lawmakers introduced legislation to create the National Center for Advanced Development in Education (NCADE), modeled on DARPA, to fund high‑risk, high‑reward education research. Sponsors Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D‑Ore.) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R‑Pa.) framed the proposal as a way to accelerate classroom‑ready breakthroughs and improve transparency between research and practice. The bill arrives as the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) undergoes staffing and contracting cuts, prompting concern that federal research capacity is eroding. Proponents say an NCADE would enable faster, bolder projects than conventional grant timelines; skeptics warn about oversight, mission creep, and how the new center would integrate with existing IES programs. Universities and research offices watching federal funding trajectories see the proposal as a potential pivot point for academic research funding, partnerships, and grant strategy—particularly for institutions that translate evidence into instructional tools and ed‑tech products.