Issue 17 (September 8)

Over the summer the National Science Foundation (NSF) took several actions that appear to further the Administration’s plans to shut down the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE). As COSSA has been reporting, the President’s budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2027 included a proposal to dismantle the SBE directorate and spread any remaining SBE activities across other directorates. While the proposal is intended for implementation next fiscal year, which starts October 1, 2026, the research community has been raising concerns that actions are already being taken to downsize SBE this year.

Two recent actions provide further evidence of the Administration’s intentions. First, on August 17, NSF released 12 “foundational research” funding opportunities. The NOFOs provide basic science research opportunities across NSF’s directorates with the exception of SBE (and the STEM Education Directorate). In other words, there currently are no active SBE funding opportunities for “foundational research.”

Second, on August 25, NSF released its latest solicitation for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). Unlike previous GFRP solicitations, the 2026 call excludes SBE from the list of participating NSF directorates. In addition, this year’s solicitation removes the following subfields from eligibility: Communications, Cultural Anthropology, International Relations, Law and Social Science, Political Science, Public Policy, Science Policy, Social Science Education, and STEM Education and Learning (in the STEM Education Directorate).

Now is the time to contact your members of Congress alerting them to NSF’s efforts and the need for Congressional oversight. Visit COSSA’s Action Center to take action today. 

Find out how your organization can become a member of COSSA on our website.

As previously reported, before leaving Washington for summer recess the House and Senate each passed versions of a continuing resolution (CR) aimed at avoiding a government shutdown when the fiscal year ends September 30. With the chambers passing different versions of the bill, negotiations on a final CR needed to wait until lawmakers returned to Washington earlier this month. The House passed the Senate version of the CR on September 1, thereby sending it to the President for signature. The funding patch gives members of Congress until December 11 to finalize the FY 2027 appropriations bills, punting the debate until after the November midterm elections.

As noted previously, the Senate CR (which the House has now passed) includes a temporary block of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed rule, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance, which seeks to make major changes to the Uniform Guidance governing federal financial assistance, including federal research grants (see previous coverage). 

The U.S. Department of Education has proposed significant changes to its grant regulations that could affect colleges and universities, state education agencies, school districts, and other federal grantees. The proposed rule, published August 24, 2026, is open for public comment through September 23, 2026.

The proposal incorporates several concepts from the White House Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance (see COSSA’s coverage). Those broader changes have been delayed amid congressional action (see related story), but the Education Department’s proposal signals that federal agencies appear to be moving forward with similar reforms absent a finalized OMB rule. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and Department of Energy have also proposed changes to their grant policies involving areas such as research security, foreign conflicts of interest, public access, political oversight, and award terminations.

Key proposed changes include greater authority for the Department to terminate grants that are inconsistent with program goals or agency priorities, competitive preferences for applicants proposing to charge lower indirect costs, and new requirements emphasizing merit and high standards in hiring, admissions, promotions, and compensation practices supported by federal grants. The Department is also proposing changes intended to streamline discretionary award selection and clarify procedures for continuation awards.

Organizations and individuals that receive Education Department funding should consider commenting on the rule by September 23.

The American Physical Society (APS) is seeking partnerships with the broader research community to develop recommendations to potentially shape the future activities of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The initiative, called NSF Forward, welcomes ideas from all disciplines and sectors. Submissions are due September 14.

Join the American Educational Research Association (AERA), a COSSA governing member, for the 2026 Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research on November 5, 2026 at 6:00pm EST. The lecture will feature Daniel Solorzano, professor of social science and comparative education and Chicana/o and Central American studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, and director of UCLA’s Center for Critical Race Studies in Education.

The lecture will be presented before a small, invited in-person audience and livestreamed for the public. Registration information for the free livestream is coming soon. In the meantime, mark your calendar and plan to join for this timely and important event! Find additional information about the 2026 Brown Lecture on the AERA website.

On August 25, The American Statistical Association (ASA) released A Vision and Strategy for Remaking the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a report from the ASA’s project on re-envisioning NCES.

The ASA’s project on re-envisioning NCES brings together expertise from across the federal statistics and education policy communities to help chart a path forward for the agency following its dismantling in early 2025. The project builds on the ASA’s related work assessing the health of the federal statistical system, including its ongoing assessment of the health of federal statistics.

Drawing on roundtable discussions with stakeholders across the education and statistical communities, the report lays out a vision and strategy for rebuilding the agency and invites broader public input to shape a roadmap for its future.

The ASA is inviting feedback from the broader community to help shape the details of a fuller roadmap in the coming months. Those interested in contributing can submit input here. Read the full press release here. ASA is a COSSA governing member organization.