During the pandemic, Congress spent an unprecedented $190 billion to help reopen schools and address learning loss. But new test scores show the investment isn't paying off - fourth and eighth grade reading levels have hit record lows, performing worse than even during COVID's peak. As the Trump administration signals dramatic changes to federal education policy, from eliminating the Department of Education to expanding school choice, questions about federal involvement in education are moving from abstract policy debates to urgent national security concerns.

In part two of our series on education R&D, we explore these developments with Sarah Schapiro and Melissa Moritz of the Alliance for Learning Innovation, a coalition working to build better research infrastructure in education. Drawing on their extensive experience - from PBS Education to the Department of Education's STEM initiatives - they examine how shifting federal policy could reshape educational innovation and America's global competitiveness. Can a state-centered approach maintain our edge in the talent race? What role should the private sector play? And how can evidence-based practices help reverse these troubling trends in student achievement?

Joining them are FAI's Dan Lips and Robert Bellafiore, who bring fresh analysis on reforming federal education R&D to drive better outcomes for American students. This wide-ranging discussion tackles the intersection of education, national security, workforce development and technological innovation at a pivotal moment for American education policy.