Over the past few decades, there have been federal and state investments in innovative education programs, policies, and tools. Many private organizations--both corporate and philanthropic--also have fueled the development and piloting of novel education ideas. Yet major gaps and challenges remain to develop and scale the impact of ground-breaking programs, products, and technologies. The problem stems from an inadequate and often disjointed approach to education research and development (R & D). Effective research and development is a cycle. In education, the research part should focus on discrete questions that address pressing challenges for schools, teachers, students, and parents. That research should produce insights that can help create new tools, technologies, or solutions. Unfortunately, many education research efforts fail to address the most pressing needs of students, teachers, and school leaders--and the findings may not lend themselves to the creation of relevant tools or solutions. Federal R & D efforts work in many fields, but the current funding and structure of federal support for education research do not adequately address the challenges of developing and scaling innovative and effective solutions in this field. Washington's support for R & D in education pales in comparison to that of other fields. In 2017, the U.S. Department of Education invested less than 1 percent of what the Department of Health and Human Services invested in R & D. Effective research and development in education requires a focused, robust federal investment that generates an ongoing cycle between coordinated research and intentional development. Toward this end, the federal government should significantly increase funding for education research and development and create a new initiative to fuel bold, scalable, and equitable ideas with the potential to transform education. This policy proposal offers a constructive solution: a R & D initiative dedicated to improving student outcomes for students of all backgrounds.