# § 9531. Establishment
**(a)** **Establishment** There is established in the Institute a National Center for Education Research (in this part referred to as the “Research Center”).
**(b)** **Mission** 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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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 107–279, title I, § 131, Nov. 5, 2002, 116 Stat. 1954.)