The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. As the independent research arm of the Department of Education, IES has made significant contributions to education research, policy, and practice, ultimately improving the quality of education in the United States. Notably, IES-supported research has identified and addressed the urgent learning needs of students during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This plenary session aims to showcase past and present contributions of education sciences to pandemic recovery efforts, as well as offer insights and a roadmap for the next decade or two of education research. The session will kick off with an overview by Dr. Strunk, who will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on academic outcomes, particularly for historically disadvantaged students based on data from Michigan. Dr. Strunk will also address policy implications related to the need for ongoing academic supports for students who were the most severely impacted by the pandemic. Subsequently, Dr. Bradshaw will focus on the increased need for social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health support in the post-pandemic era, highlighting how implementation science can enhance the impact of these supports provided within the MTSS model. Dr.Wijekumar will then present her research on intelligent tutoring systems and how she leveraged technology to address emerging and urgent learning needs during the pandemic. Next, Dr. Therriault will share the RESTART Network's work and insights on engaging policymakers, educators, and researchers in identifying areas of need and developing relevant and timely research syntheses and research studies. Finally, the session's chair, Dr. Albro, will moderate an interactive Q&A session and discuss considerations for IES's future work to continue advancing the field.
