---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 9533"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "9533"
heading: "Duties"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/9533"
units:
  - "Chapter 76 — Education Research, Statistics, Evaluation, Information, and Dissemination"
  - "Subchapter I — Education Sciences Reform"
  - "Part B — National Center for Education Research"
---

# §9533. Duties

- (a) **General duties—** The Research Center shall—
  - (1) maintain published peer-review standards and standards for the conduct and evaluation of all research and [development](/usc/20/9501.md?p=8) carried out under the auspices of the Research Center in accordance with this part;
  - (2) propose to the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) a research plan that—
    - (A) is consistent with the priorities and mission of the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14) and the mission of the Research Center and includes the activities described in [paragraph (3)](#a-3); and
    - (B) shall be carried out pursuant to [paragraph (4)](#a-4) and, as appropriate, be updated and modified;
  - (3) carry out specific, long-term research activities that are consistent with the priorities and mission of the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14), and are approved by the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9);
  - (4) implement the plan proposed under [paragraph (2)](#a-2) to carry out [scientifically valid research](/usc/20/9501.md?p=20) that—
    - (A) uses objective and measurable indicators, including timelines, that are used to assess the progress and results of such research;
    - (B) meets the procedures for peer review established by the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) under [section 9514(f)(5) of this title](/usc/20/9514.md?p=f-5) and the standards of research described in [section 9534 of this title](/usc/20/9534.md); and
    - (C) includes both [basic research](/usc/20/9501.md?p=3) and [applied research](/usc/20/9501.md?p=2), which shall include research conducted through [field-initiated research](/usc/20/9501.md?p=12) and ongoing research initiatives;
  - (5) promote the use of [scientifically valid research](/usc/20/9501.md?p=20) within the Federal Government, including active participation in interagency research projects described in [section 9518 of this title](/usc/20/9518.md);
  - (6) ensure that research conducted under the direction of the Research Center is relevant to education practice and policy;
  - (7) synthesize and disseminate, through the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, the findings and results of education research conducted or supported by the Research Center;
  - (8) assist the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) in the preparation of a biennial report, as described in [section 9519 of this title](/usc/20/9519.md);
  - (9) carry out research on successful [State](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22) and local education reform activities, including those that result in increased academic achievement and in closing the achievement gap, as approved by the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9);
  - (10) carry out research initiatives regarding the impact of technology, including—
    - (A) research into how technology affects student achievement;
    - (B) long-term research into cognition and learning issues as they relate to the uses of technology;
    - (C) rigorous, peer-reviewed, large-scale, long-term, and broadly applicable empirical research that is designed to determine which approaches to the use of technology are most effective and cost-efficient in practice and under what conditions; and
    - (D) field-based research on how teachers implement technology and Internet-based resources in the classroom, including an understanding[^1] how these resources are being accessed, put to use, and the effectiveness of such resources; and
  - (11) carry out research that is rigorous, peer-reviewed, and large scale to determine which methods of mathematics and science teaching are most effective, cost efficient, and able to be applied, duplicated, and scaled up for use in elementary and secondary classrooms, including in low-performing schools, to improve the teaching of, and student achievement in, mathematics and science as required under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 ([20 U.S.C. 6301](/usc/20/6301.md) et seq.).
- (b) **Eligibility—** Research carried out under [subsection (a)](#a) through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements shall be carried out only by recipients with the ability and capacity to conduct [scientifically valid research](/usc/20/9501.md?p=20).
- (c) **National research and development centers—**
  - (1) **Support—** In carrying out activities under [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3), the Research Commissioner shall support not less than 8 [national research and development centers](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16). The Research Commissioner shall assign each of the 8 [national research and development centers](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16) not less than 1 of the topics described in [paragraph (2)](#c-2). In addition, the Research Commissioner may assign each of the 8 [national research and development centers](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16) additional topics of research consistent with the mission and priorities of the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14) and the mission of the Research Center.
  - (2) **Topics of research—** The Research Commissioner shall support the following topics of research, through [national research and development centers](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16) or through other means:
    - (A) Adult literacy.
    - (B) Assessment, standards, and accountability research.
    - (C) Early childhood [development](/usc/20/9501.md?p=8) and education.
    - (D) English language learners research.
    - (E) Improving low achieving schools.
    - (F) Innovation in education reform.
    - (G) [State](/usc/20/9501.md?p=22) and local policy.
    - (H) Postsecondary education and training.
    - (I) Rural education.
    - (J) Teacher quality.
    - (K) Reading and literacy.
  - (3) **Duties of centers—** The [national research and development centers](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16) shall address areas of national need, including in educational technology areas. The Research Commissioner may support additional [national research and development centers](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16) to address topics of research not described in [paragraph (2)](#c-2) if such topics are consistent with the priorities and mission of the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14) and the mission of the Research Center. The research carried out by the centers shall incorporate the potential or existing role of educational technology, where appropriate, in achieving the goals of each center.
  - (4) **Scope—** Support for a [national research and development center](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16) shall be for a period of not more than 5 years, shall be of sufficient size and scope to be effective, and notwithstanding [section 9534(b) of this title](/usc/20/9534.md?p=b), may be renewed without competition for not more than 5 additional years if the [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9), in consultation with the Research Commissioner and the [Board](/usc/20/9501.md?p=4), determines that the research of the [national research and development center](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16)—
    - (A) continues to address priorities of the [Institute](/usc/20/9501.md?p=14); and
    - (B) merits renewal (applying the procedures and standards established in [section 9534 of this title](/usc/20/9534.md)).
  - (5) **Limit—** No [national research and development center](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16) may be supported under this subsection for a period of more than 10 years without submitting to a competitive process for the award of the support.
  - (6) **Continuation of awards—** The [Director](/usc/20/9501.md?p=9) shall continue awards made to the [national research and development centers](/usc/20/9501.md?p=16) that are in effect on the day before November 5, 2002, in accordance with the terms of those awards and may renew them in accordance with paragraphs [(4)](#c-4) and [(5)](#c-5).
  - (7) **Disaggregation—** To the extent feasible, research conducted under this subsection shall be disaggregated by age, race, gender, and socioeconomic background.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “understanding of”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–279, title I, § 133, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1954.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, referred to in subsec. (a)(11), is Pub. L. 89–10, Apr. 11, 1965, 79 Stat. 27, which is classified generally to chapter 70 (§ 6301 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6301 of this title and Tables.