Education research groups are warning that proposed changes to federal grant review could reshape what gets studied by adding political appointee review into the process. The reporting cites a 100-page Office of Management and Budget overhaul proposal that aims to strengthen accountability, with a target effective date of Oct. 1. Groups including the National Academy of Education, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and the Knowledge Alliance argue the rules could narrow topics and inject political considerations into funding determinations. The concerns include restrictions tied to “unlawful diversity, equity and inclusion” activities and limits on funding for disparate impact studies. Because many major federal education research streams support multi-year evidence-building, the groups say the proposed timeline and constraints could disrupt research already underway. For researchers and higher education institutions, the development raises immediate questions about continuity of funding and the future scope of evidence used to inform classroom and policy decisions.