Two research organizations brought a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education, challenging measures affecting the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) and its affiliated centers. IES, under the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA), is responsible for gathering, evaluating, and disseminating educational data to enhance both the scope and quality of information on U.S. education policies and practices. The plaintiffs allege that the Department’s actions—including terminating the majority of IES contracts with independent contractors and implementing a nearly 50% workforce reduction—interfere with its statutory responsibilities. These actions followed a presidential executive order directing the Department to take steps, to the extent permitted by law, toward a potential closure. The plaintiffs claim that the Department exceeded its statutory authority, acted arbitrarily and capriciously in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, and contravened separation of powers principles.
