AIR Joins Postsecondary Data Collaborative Letter on ACTS to U.S. Department of Education

The Association for Institutional Research (AIR) has joined a coalition of 34 organizations in signing a formal letter submitted to the U.S. Department of Education regarding the proposed Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) component of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

Coordinated by the Postsecondary Data Collaborative (PostsecData) and submitted to the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, the letter recognizes steps the Department has taken to clarify ACTS reporting requirements but raises ongoing concerns about data quality, field engagement, and technical support.

Key points highlighted in the coalition letter include:

• Outstanding technical questions about data definitions and reporting guidance that remain unresolved, which could affect the consistency and comparability of ACTS data.

• Concerns about the accelerated rollout timeline and insufficient engagement with practitioners to answer complex reporting questions before data collection begins.

• The need for strengthened technical assistance to support institutions facing unprecedented reporting burdens under the new supplement.

AIR’s participation in the letter underscores our commitment to ensuring that national data collections such as IPEDS maintain high standards of data quality, reliability, and usefulness for institutional research professionals and policymakers. By engaging in collaborative advocacy efforts like this, AIR continues to elevate institutional perspectives in federal policy discussions affecting data reporting and transparency.

In addition to these comments, read AIR’s recent feedback to the Department of Education on the ACTS proposal.