The Rising Price of Objectivity: Philanthropy, Government, and the Future of Education Research

In The Rising Price of Objectivity, Michael J. Feuer describes what he sees as a
perfect storm
gathering in the sea of education research. He notes the convergence of three important trends: first, the rise in strategic education philanthropy; second, the decline in federal funding, in part due to ideologically contested priorities; and third, the growing influence of nonacademic think tanks operating outside the constraints of university-based research. Together, he cautions, the combination of these forces threatens scientific research generally, and in particular, jeopardizes the effort to generate independent, credible evidence that is needed to inform and guide our efforts to improve education.

Feuer proposes a series of measures for countering the drift toward ideology over inquiry and ensuring that private foundations, the so-called advice industry, and the federal government protect the reliability and credibility of education research for the advancement of the public good.

The author’s thoughtful, fair-minded, and engaging analysis offers a unique perspective on the distinctively American approach to funding new knowledge in education.