College and K–12 groups, alongside a bipartisan bloc of senators, pressured the Department of Education to release nearly $300 million in unallocated Institute of Education Sciences (IES) research funds before they lapse. Letters urged Education Secretary Linda McMahon to distribute money tied to FY 2025 and FY 2026 IES activities that would otherwise expire after Sept. 30. Senators cited a lack of spending that they say contributed to sharp declines in special education research and education data gathering, alongside allegations of closeouts of hundreds of unreviewed grant proposals. The senators’ concerns include the National Center for Education Research and National Center for Special Education Research review pipeline. A separate report on federal apportionment adds another layer of uncertainty: the White House withheld more than $2 billion for education, including parts of IES, by delaying routine fiscal 2026 program apportionments. While formula grants like Title programs were not listed among missing apportionments, critics warned the disruption could foreshadow additional funding gaps. For higher education leaders and researchers, the combined picture is of potential delays to evidence-building and assessment work that campuses rely on for policy and practice—especially in special education, literacy, and workforce-related learning research.