Background information on the relationship between educational laboratories, research and development (R&D) centers, and the National Institute of Education (NIE) is presented. Attention is directed to: (1) the authorizing legislation for and the subsequent creation of the laboratories and centers; (2) a chronology of selected major events affecting the laboratories and centers from their inception in the mid-1960s to July 1978; (3) a description of the labs and centers currently funded by NIE and of the Council for Educational Development and Research; and (4) NIE's organizational structure for coordinating lab and center activities and the current status of the process being used to define and develop institutional relationships between individual labs/centers and NIE. A 1978 analysis showed that both laboratories and centers vary in the degree of coherence of their mission statements, management structures, the percentage of their total funding coming from NIE, the range of research topics they address, and the types of activities they conduct. Information is provided for eight laboratories and nine centers on the year established, location, institutional status, governance and policy structure, mission, areas of concentration, and projects underway with NIE funding. An annotated bibliography is appended. (SW)