The U.S. Department of Education released recommendations to “reimagine” the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), proposing structural and programmatic changes to how federal education research is prioritized, funded and used. The guidance lays out proposed shifts intended to better align IES with current policy needs and improve evidence translation into practice. The recommendations — issued by ED leadership — call for new research priorities, updated data systems and closer coordination with states and districts. IES, the federal education research agency, provides foundational studies and program evaluations used by colleges of education, state research offices and practitioners. If adopted, the plan could reshape grant competitions, alter long‑range studies that inform teacher‑preparation and student‑success programs, and change how universities compete for federal education research dollars. Clarification: IES is the Department of Education’s principal research arm responsible for funding rigorous studies and maintaining national education datasets.