We are pleased to present resources and information on changes in the reporting of race and ethnicity groups to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). These changes conform to the revisions of the standards for classification of federal data on race and ethnicity promulgated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in October 1997.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND

implementation of the new race and ethnicity standards

timeline
recommended steps for implementation

Implications of the change in Race & Ethnicity reporting standards

Frequently asked Questions

Online resources

Implementation of New Race and Ethnicity Standards

Postsecondary institutions will be required to report data using the new race and ethnicity standards through IPEDS to the U.S. Department of Education for the 2010-2011 academic year. Although not required, postsecondary institutions already collecting individual-level data in the manner specified by the Department’s guidance are encouraged to immediately begin reporting the data in accordance with the guidance. Challenges in making comparisons between institutions will be obvious as campuses make the change to the new standards at different times over the next three years.

Timeline

2008-09 and 2009-10 Collection Years

Using the new standards for reporting race and ethnicity is voluntary (optional) for all five related IPEDS components (Fall Enrollment, Human Resources, Completions, 12-Month Enrollment, and Graduation Rates). Postsecondary institutions have the option to report data using any of the following approaches (referred to as the “5+7+2 format”):

• Exclusively use the seven new race and ethnicity categories for everyone at the institution,
• Exclusively use the current five race and ethnicity categories for everyone at the institution, or
• Use "mixed reporting" – five current categories for some individuals and seven new categories for others. (The Department anticipates that few institutions will select this option since it is the most complex.)

Postsecondary institutions are not mandated to use a single approach across all five related IPEDS components.

2010-11 Collection Year

Using the new standards for reporting race and ethnicity is:

• Mandatory for two related IPEDS components - Fall Enrollment and Human Resources.
• Voluntary (optional) for three related IPEDS components - Completions, 12-Month Enrollment, and Graduation Rates. Data in these three components will be collected using the 5+7+2 format. Postsecondary institutions are not mandated to use a single approach across all three components.

2011-12 and Beyond Collection Years

Using the new standards for reporting race and ethnicity is mandatory for all five related IPEDS components (Fall Enrollment, Human Resources, Completions, 12-Month Enrollment, and Graduation Rates). Postsecondary institutions will be required to collect and report using only the new race and ethnicity standards.

Recommended Steps for Implementation

Information Dissemination and Statewide Implementation Plan

State postsecondary data coordinators are encouraged to disseminate the information contained on these web pages to the appropriate personnel at each college and university in the state to ensure awareness and compliance.

It is recommended that the state postsecondary data coordinator lead efforts to develop a shared statewide implementation plan that at a minimum addresses the following:

1. The approach that each postsecondary institution will implement in 2008-09 and 2009-10 for collecting and reporting data on all five IPEDS related components,
2. The approach that each postsecondary institution will implement in 2010-11 for collecting and reporting data on three of the IPEDS related components (Completions, 12-Month Enrollment, and Graduation Rates),
3. Whether or not each postsecondary institution will re-survey students and employees prior to the Fall 2010 mandatory implementation; and if re-surveying will occur, will it occur each registration or only at one specific time and how will each institution handle students/employees absent on the day of the re-survey,
4. Whether or not each institution and/or the state will map (convert old categories to new categories) or bridge (convert new categories to old categories) for trend analyses; and if mapping or bridging will occur, by what means, and how will the process be documented and noted,
5. Whether or not the state-level postsecondary database (if one exists) will be changed to reflect the new standards or if the state will require institutions to report in the current format. If changes are made to the state-level database, crosswalks from the old legacy coding to the new race and ethnicity coding will need to be developed. Such crosswalks will need to be coordinated with the state’s postsecondary institutions to ensure accuracy and consistency, and
6. The plan or notation that will be used to communicate these changes to other state agencies, legislators, reporters, and other interested parties (particularly in research, reports, or responses to requested information).

Database Changes

Admissions, financial aid, and human resources forms (both hard copy and on-line) will have to be changed to conform to the new standards.

State and institutional databases may need to be restructured and programmed to support multiple ethnic/race categories for each individual. Additionally computer programs used to generate reports related to ethnicity/race may need to be modified these new data structures and new reporting formats. States and institutions should begin working with their student information systems vendors immediately to ensure that any required changes will be made in accordance with the IPEDS timeframe.

Mapping and Resurveying Recommendations for Current and Prior Students and Employees

Although mapping and resurveying students and employees prior to Fall 2010 is not required, it is encouraged. If a postsecondary institution does not map data, all continuing students and employees will be “Unknown” when the transition to the new standard occurs, unless the institution re-surveys. If the institution re-surveys and has not mapped data first, non-respondents for whom the institution previously had data will be "Unknown."

It is suggested that mapping data be done prior to re-surveying. As part of the re-survey process, an institution can show the student or employees the race/ethnic data currently recorded for them and ask them to update. With that approach, institutions can assume non-respondents do not wish to change their old data. If an institution re-surveys prior to mapping, the institution could be over-writing the respondent’s most recent preferred category with an older one.

The Office of Management and Budget has released a report entitled “The Bridge Report: Tabulation Options for Trend Analysis,” which can be accessed through the following link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/re_app-ctables.pdf.

The Association for Institutional Research recommends using the following table. All single-category old codes will map “reasonably” well except the Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders embedded in the current "Asian or Pacific Islander" category will be incorrectly assumed to be Asian.

Postsecondary institutions do not have to survey students who have left the institution as re-surveying is not required for any cohort. Re-surveying dropouts and/or early graduates can be done; however, using mapped data for those who left the institution prior to the transition to the new standards is sufficient for GRS cohorts, particularly since many of their addresses (e-mail or otherwise) may no longer be valid.

Postsecondary institutions should not use the data collected in the re-survey process to update race/ethnicity for the GRS cohorts who entered prior to the transition to the new standards. The Association for Institutional Research suggests that institutions map old categories to new ones for the cohorts that matriculated before the transition but do not over-write those data with re-surveyed data because not all students will have had an opportunity to be re-surveyed (e.g., students who dropped out or graduated before the re-survey).