The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research (AEI) is a private, nonpartisan institute dedicated to research and education on issues of government, politics, economics, and social welfare. AEI sponsors research and conferences and publishes books, monographs, and periodicals. Its Education Policy Studies Program, directed by Frederick M. Hess, addresses some of the most controversial issues in education, including school financing and parental choice, the No Child Left Behind Act, educational accountability, teacher quality, and urban school reform.