The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) is funding transformative, high-risk research to develop scalable solutions for special education. For FY 2027, Phase 1 grants specifically target improving preservice teacher education systems to better attract, train, and retain qualified general and special education teachers for PreK–12. The goal is to substantially improve outcomes for students with or at risk for disabilities.

Through the Transformative Research in Special Education Grants program, IES seeks to support research and development of transformative solutions to seemingly intractable problems and challenges in special education. Transformative projects enact bold and innovative thinking, involve interdisciplinary collaboration, are inherently risky, and use high-quality research approaches to create high-reward, scalable solutions with the potential to lead to dramatic improvements for students with or at risk for disabilities.

In FY 2027, the Transformative Research in Special Education Grants program will focus on Phase 1 grants to research and develop transformative solutions to dramatically improve preservice teacher education systems so they can better attract, train, and retain preK-12 general and special education teachers who are prepared to provide high-quality instruction and substantially improve outcomes for students with or at risk for disabilities.

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.324T