Postsecondary Research at NCER

Karen Douglas, PhDProgram OfficerJune 28, 2010

Today’s Agenda

• Administrative nuggets• Overview of the portfolio• Time to talk with your colleagues• What’s new? David Sweet will stop by to

discuss the FY11 RFA.

Common Questions

• Annual Report: Why is it due before the end of my first project year?– Continuation funding decision

• First and second no-cost extensions:– When do I make a request?– How do I make a request?– No new activities can be proposed

Annual Reports

– You should receive email notification when the annual report package for your grant has been activated in e-Grants (usually 30 days before due date).

– All annual reports must be uploaded to e-Grants.• (However, please also send me a copy via email).

– Due 90 days before the end of the project period. This gives me time to review it and recommend continuation of funding for the next year.

Content of Annual Reports

• The format is the same across all Department of Education grants, not specific to IES grants.

• “Tips for Filling Out Annual Reports” document.• Follow the format of the objectives in your performance agreement for

the project period.• Describe how you have addressed each objective in the past year.• Budget: if you are NOT on track with spending (either over or under)

submit a budget that summarizes expenditures. Also include an explanation.

• Please send publications (both in-process and in print), and other reports from your grant.

• Updated IRB is required.

Final Reports

• Due 90 days after the end of the project.• Grant money can only be used for

expenditures during the project period.

Let me know….

• When you submit an administrative request (e.g., change in personnel, no-cost, etc.) send me an email alerting me that you have done so.

• I usually get an automated message from e-Grants, but not always.

The NCER Postsecondary Portfolio

– FY07: 3– FY08: 6– FY09: 3– FY10: 4 (first round)

– No Scale-Up Studies

Exploration

Development

Efficacy

Measurement

Common Challenges

• Access to schools• Access to data

Questions?

Introductions

• Your name and institution• A 60 second overview of your project

– Access, persistence, and/or completion?

Small Group Topics

• Using National Student Clearinghouse Data• Procuring and cleaning datasets• Analytic challenges (such as selection bias in

observational studies; missing data)• Increasing the impact of developments and

findings in the field.