PEER Center Comments: U.S. Department of Education EDGAR Grantmaking Regulations

The U.S. Department of Education proposed regulations in August 2026 related to federal grantmaking. In this comment, we focus on two areas of the proposed rules that have the potential to damage future federal research efforts, and urge the Department not to move forward with either provision.

First, the proposed rules would broaden the Department’s authority to cancel grants mid-award, for “convenience,” with little due process. Doing so could interrupt important research part-way through a multi-year grant, and limit the availability and dissemination of evidence on what works.

Second, the proposed regulation would allow unspecified, non-governmental entities to determine whether proposed interventions meet quality standards for evidence-based practices (including “promising,” “moderate,” and “strong” evidence). The proposed changes would meaningfully impact the Department’s ability to enforce rigorous methodological standards.