College and K-12 stakeholders escalated pressure on the U.S. Department of Education to release unallocated education research funds totaling nearly $300 million for the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). A bipartisan group of senators and education coalitions warned that lapsed FY25 balances could expire after Sept. 30 if the department does not allocate them. The letters focus on what lawmakers called the shutdown of research activity at IES, including the closeout of hundreds of unreviewed IES FY25 proposals tied to the National Center for Education Research and the National Center for Special Education Research. Senators argued the result was no new awards over the past year, just as researchers are trying to answer urgent questions on reading achievement and special education needs. In a separate development, Education advocates said the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget is withholding more than $2 billion for education programs by delaying routine apportionments into agency accounts. While major formula grants appear unaffected, the delays could disrupt competitive grant timing and restrict new awards until the agency can distribute congressionally appropriated funds. Together, the stories highlight a risk of near-term interruptions to grant-making and ongoing research data pipelines—functions that higher education and school systems depend on for evidence-based policy and program evaluation.