IHEP Responds to Technical Review Panel Implementing New Federal Race and Ethnicity Standards
Published Jan 17, 2025
Washington, DC (January 17, 2025) – The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) submitted a letter in response to the request for comments on recommendations from the Technical Review Panel #71 “Implementing SPD 15 in IPEDS: Revised Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Race/Ethnicity Data.” These revisions to the Office of Budget and Management’s (OMB) over two-decade-old standards provide a crucial opportunity for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to improve data collection practices, providing a more nuanced and accurate representation of a vastly diverse population and making data collection systems more reflective of student identities and experiences. However, the effectiveness of these changes in supporting equitable access and success for all students depends on how the data are collected, reported, published, and utilized.
IHEP recommends that ED:
- Collect and Publish Disaggregated Race and Ethnicity Data on Multiracial and Multiethnic Students: Ensure public access to detailed data on multiracial and multiethnic students through IPEDS, rather than combining them into a “two or more races” category.
- Clarify Impacts of New Reporting Methods: Provide clear and accessible guidance on how the updated SPD 15 standards and resulting data will impact eligibility for Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) designations.
- Enhance Institutional Capacity: Offer resources and training to institutions in order to improve and support the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of updated data collection and reporting.
Read the full letter.
