Epstein said that one of the biggest problems in education is a “misalignment” between how student learning is assessed and “what we actually care about.” An expanded R&D unit, he said, could help develop better ways to conduct assessments, like testing students on the skills and capabilities they need in today’s society.
A new research division would also help schools overcome the “collective action problem” they currently face when deciding which technology or product to invest in, Epstein said.