The AREA Act reauthorizes three major federal education laws: the Education Sciences Reform Act, the Educational Technical Assistance Act, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act, all of which shape how the Department of Education conducts research, collects statistics, and supports schools nationwide. The bill restructures the Institute of Education Sciences and its research centers, emphasizing the use of scientifically valid, evidence-based practices and improving how research findings are communicated to teachers, school leaders, and policymakers. It creates new grant programs for statewide longitudinal data systems and data innovation, expands support for underrepresented researchers and institutions like HBCUs and Tribal colleges, and strengthens privacy protections for student data. The legislation also reorganizes technical assistance centers and regional education laboratories to reduce duplication and better serve schools' needs, while updating the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) testing schedule for reading and math. Funding is authorized through fiscal year 2029, with the bill also adding restrictions barring funds from going to institutions that receive money from certain foreign adversary nations or that violate civil rights protections related to antisemitism.