Electronic AIR Volume 26, Number 50 (11/8/2006) E-AIR ALERT 23 - UPDATE 4: NCES Requests Comments on Proposed Changes to the IPEDS Data Feedback Reports http://www.airweb.org/page.asp?page=1027 _________________________________________________________________ TITLE: NCES Requests Comments on Proposed Changes to the IPEDS Data Feedback Reports PREPARED: November 8, 2006 Action Needed: Comments Requested by *November 29, 2006* AUTHOR: Kent A. Phillippe _________________________________________________________________ SUMMARY The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) annually produces an Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Data Feedback Report for every postsecondary education institution that submits IPEDS data. These reports are designed to provide data collected on the IPEDS back to institution executives in a format that they can use, and to hopefully improve the quality of data submitted. The reports include institutional data and data for a comparison set of institutions. The data are also available on the Web-based Executive Peer Tool (ExPT). Following the input of a Technical Review Panel, NCES implemented changes to the reports for 2006, and is seeking comments on the additional suggested changes to the report items, ExPT, comparison group criteria, and promotion of the reports by AIR by *November 29, 2006*. The 2005 and 2006 reports are available online at http://nces.ed.gov/ipedspas/ (Follow the link to Executive Peer Tool, agree to the data usage terms, enter your institution's name and select the "next step" button. Both reports should be available at the top of the page under the heading "IPEDS Data Feedback Report Downloads") CURRENT STATUS Modifications were made to the 2006 reports that were sent to IPEDS keyholders in September and by US Mail to CEOs in early October, based on recommendations of a Technical Review Panel (TRP). These are listed on the proposed change Web-page ( http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/trp16.asp) More substantive changes are being proposed for the 2007 reports. These changes include: * Allow ExPT users to replicate the original reports in PDF format * Develop new figures for the ExPT that include more detailed information * Refine the default comparison groups using Carnegie Classification codes * Work with AIR to promote wider distribution of the reports The NCES is seeking comments on the proposed changes to the 2007 reports. Address your comments and suggestions to Elise Miller, IPEDS Program Director, at mailto:Elise.Miller@ed.gov by *November 29, 2006*. Please include the following in the e-mail subject line: IPEDS Data Feedback Reports: 2007 and Beyond TRP - Proposal Comments. IMPLICATIONS FOR INSTITUTIONS The proposed changes will not significantly alter the reports sent to institutions. Most of the changes will be seen on the ExPT application. However, not all of the measures under consideration for inclusion in the ExPT will be relevant to institutions in all sectors, and therefore not available to all sectors. As with previous iterations, some of the variables and comparison groups on the IPEDS Data Feedback Report may not be appropriate for all institutions. Institutions may want to review the information in the reports to see if the measures are relevant to them, and suggest other measures s if these are not. Many of the suggested changes make the ExPT more useful at the institutional level. It will provide users with greater ability to manipulate and extract data based on their comparison groups. It will also provide better opportunities for colleges to select and upload a comparison group for the IPEDS Data Feedback Reports. TIMELINE *November 29, 2006* - Comments due to NCES on proposed changes. *Fall, 2006* - Third print version of the NPEC IPEDS Data Feedback Report mailed to institutional CEOs *March 27-28, 2006* - IPEDS Technical Review Panel (TRP) was held in Alexandria, VA, to review the 2005 IPEDS Data Feedback Report and suggest changes for future years' versions. *Fall, 2005* - Second print version of the NPEC IPEDS Data Feedback Report mailed to institutional CEOs *Fall, 2004* - First print version of the NPEC IPEDS Data Feedback Report mailed to institutional CEOs PREVIOUS RELATED AIR ALERTS AIR Alert #23-Update #3, April 17, 2006: NCES Provides Instructions for Creating Custom Comparison Groups for 2006 IPEDS Data Feedback Report AIR Alert #23-Update #2, January 20, 2006: NCES Seeks Comments on IPEDS Data Feedback Report AIR Alert #23-Update #1, February 21, 2005: The NCES Seeks Comments on NPEC IPEDS Data Feedback Report and Executive Peer Tool AIR Alert#23, August 6, 2004: NPEC Data Feedback Project ADDITIONAL RESOURCES The NCES notice requesting comments for the 2006 Data Feedback Reports is available at http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/dfr06.asp Complete information about IPEDS is available at: http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds ========================================================== Coordinated by the Higher Education Data Policy Committee. All opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Association for Institutional Research. ========================================================== ________________________________________________________________ Electronic AIR Volume 26, Number 50 (11/8/2006) Editor: Meihua Zhai, University System of Georgia (mailto:meihua.zhai@usg.edu) Associate Editor: Marne Einarson, Cornell University (mailto:mke3@cornell.edu) Current Subscribers: 6411 Next Issue Copy Deadline: 11/22/2006 Next Issue Target Publication Date: 11/27/2006 Get Back Issues at: http://www.airweb.org/page.asp?page=173 Please send your news submission to Meihua Zhai ________________________________________________________________ Send a note to Gail Fishman gfishman@mailer.fsu.edu to subscribe or unsubscribe. ________________________________________________________________ Electronic AIR is the electronic newsletter of the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) serving Institutional Research professionals and those engaged in Management Research, Policy Analysis & Planning