Reminder: OER Offers Resources to Help with IES Cost Analysis

The Office of Educational Research (OER) offers resources on its Cost Analysis webpage to help faculty meet the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) requirement for conducting cost analysis as part of their studies.

IES has developed the Cost Analysis Starter Kit, providing a three-phased approach to the basics of cost analysis. IES is hopeful that the starter kit will help counter two common myths about cost analysis. The first is that cost analysis is complex and time consuming and the second is that cost analysis is a separate, distinct process from program evaluation.

IES is providing two additional supports. A cost analysis help desk is now available to assist IES applicants. Researchers can request technical assistance with planning or conducting their cost analysis from the Cost Analysis in Practice (CAP) Project Help Desk.

Another resource designed to facilitate the estimation of costs and cost-effectiveness of educational programs is CostOut® – the CBCSE Cost Tool Kit.