Research recommendations on policy issues that have national scope and significance and that are appropriate for research and development centers supported by the National Institute of Education (NIE) are offered to the director of NIE. Five mission statements are presented for the following areas: policy and pupil performance, policy and school personnel, policy on education and employment, governance and educational policy, and translating research into educational improvement. The mission statements include information on the following: the nature of the problem and its probable short- or long-term duration, the type of research that is indicated for each mission, potential research topics and themes, research agendas, audiences and consumers for the center's research and development, challenges for policymakers over the next decade, new research that will be needed over the next decade, resources and institutions that will be necessary to do the research, issues pertaining to different levels of government, and public-private issues. Organizational concerns pertaining to the centers are also briefly discussed. In addition, two papers on technology and education are appended: "The Transfer of Knowledge," by the Study Group for Educational Policy, and "Why Will the Computer Become the Dominant Educational Delivery System?" by Alfred Bork. (SW)