AIR Urges NCES to Treat IPEDS Data Quality as a Shared Responsibility

On August 14, AIR submitted comments on IPEDS Technical Review Panel (TRP) #72, urging NCES to recognize that high-quality IPEDS data depend on both strong institutional practices and federal reporting processes that set institutions up for success.

Drawing on AIR’s research and lessons from the recent IPEDS Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS), the comments call for consistent training and technical assistance, stable and timely documentation, sufficient lead time for new requirements, effective validation processes, and meaningful opportunities for institutional feedback. AIR also emphasized the disproportionate challenges faced by smaller, two-year, and technical institutions when reporting systems and support fall short.

Through this advocacy, AIR works to make data practitioners’ experiences more visible to federal officials and urges them to consider those perspectives when developing reporting requirements, processes, and support.