There is established in the Institute a National Center for Education Research (in this part referred to as the "Research Center").
The mission of the Research Center is-
(1) to sponsor sustained research that will lead to the accumulation of knowledge and understanding of education, to-
(A) ensure that all children have access to a high-quality education;
(B) improve student academic achievement, including through the use of educational technology;
(C) close the achievement gap between high-performing and low-performing students through the improvement of teaching and learning of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and other academic subjects; and
(D) improve access to, and opportunity for, postsecondary education;
(2) to support the synthesis and, as appropriate, the integration of education research;
(3) to promote quality and integrity through the use of accepted practices of scientific inquiry to obtain knowledge and understanding of the validity of education theories, practices, or conditions; and
(4) to promote scientifically valid research findings that can provide the basis for improving academic instruction and lifelong learning.
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