ED Proposes Major Expansion of IPEDS for Admissions Data
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has proposed a significant expansion of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The aim is to collect detailed, race- and sex-disaggregated data on applicants, admits, and enrollees at selective four-year institutions. This move follows the Supreme Court's decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College.
The proposal seeks data on various aspects, including GPA, test scores, application round, family income, Pell Grant eligibility, first-generation status, financial aid, and graduation outcomes. ED estimates this will require over 740,000 burden hours. The data will be collected for six years retrospectively (2020-21 through 2025-26).
Public comments, due by October 14, 2025, reveal broad support for increased transparency but strong opposition to the specifics. Concerns include excessive reporting burdens, feasibility challenges, privacy risks, lack of standardization, and a compressed timeline. ED is seeking input on the scope and definitions of covered entities and data elements. Heightened enforcement and audits, focusing on Title VI compliance, are anticipated.
The ED's proposal, if implemented, will provide a comprehensive look at admissions and scholarship practices at selective four-year institutions. However, institutions and the public have raised significant concerns that ED is addressing through the comment period. The data collected could potentially uncover unlawful practices and promote fairness in admissions.
