Resource Center: Proposed IPEDS ACTS Survey

AIR Response to Proposed IPEDS ACTS Survey

Voices from the Field

To ensure campus voices are heard, AIR partnered with AACRAO, ACE, APLU, and NAICU to survey higher education professionals about the proposal.

More than 580 colleagues shared candid feedback on the feasibility, challenges, and potential value of ACTS. Their input highlights where the proposal needs refinement, which data elements are easiest and hardest to report, and what kind of support institutions will need.

As the membership association for data professionals, AIR is committed to both advocating for institutions in federal policy discussions and equipping our members with the tools and training to respond effectively.

Community Survey Results: Feedback on the ACTS proposal

• Full Report
• Executive Summary

AIR’s Official Comments

AIR’s comments (PDF) submitted to the Federal Register on 10/14/2025

Inside Higher Education Op-Ed: Proposals Risk Making Admissions Data Unreliable (opinion) Bryan Cook & Christine Keller

Resources from the U.S. Department of Education

Links

• Proposal:Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2024–25 through 2026–27 [ED-2025-SCC-0382]
  
  
• 60-day public comment period. The 60-day comment period closed on October 14, 2025.
  
  

Other Resources

ACTS Metrics Summary

A summary* of the proposed ACTS data metrics is provided here to support feedback and input. The notice indicates the following metrics will be reported for the 2025-26 academic year and the past five academic years.

Undergraduate Students

• Race-sex pairs: Number of undergraduate students by race-sex pairs (e.g., Black-Female, White-Male).
• Admission test score quintiles: Within each race-sex pair, number of undergraduate students by score quintile
• GPA quintiles: Within each race-sex pair, number of undergraduate students by GPA quintile
• Family income ranges: Within each race-sex pair, number of undergraduate students by family income bracket
• Pell Grant eligibility: Within each race-sex pair, number of undergraduate students by Pell eligibility or not
• Parental education levels: Within each race-sex pair, number of undergraduate students by parental education categories
• Applied, Admitted & Enrolled: For each of these cohorts (cohort status), report the following:
  • High school GPA (average) by race-sex pairs
  • Admission test score quintile (average) by race-sex pairs
• Admission Type: For the three following metrics, report the count of students by race-sex pairs and cohort status (applied, admitted, enrolled):
  • Early Action
  • Early Decision
  • Regular Admissions
• Newly Enrolled Students: Report the count of students and average grant amount for the following metrics by race-sex pairs. In addition, data must be further disaggregated by test score quintile, GPA quintile, family income range, and admission type (Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Admissions):
  • Any institutional grant aid
  • Merit-based institutional grant aid
  • Need-based institutional grant aid
  • Any local, state, or federal government aid
• Academic & Financial Metrics (Overall): Report the following metrics by race-sex pairs and disaggregated by admission test score quintiles, ranges of high school GPA, ranges of family income, and admission type (Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Admissions):
  • Average cumulative GPA at end of academic year
  • Average cost of attendance
• Graduation Outcomes: Report the following metrics disaggregated by admission test score quintiles and ranges of high school GPA.
  • Graduation rates
  • Final cumulative GPA of graduates
• Additional (Optional): Potential collection on remedial or noncredit coursework for newly enrolled students

Graduate Students

Collect the same data elements as for undergraduates, but additionally disaggregate by broad field of study/CIP Codes:

• Arts & Humanities: 4, 5, 16, 23, 24, 30, 38, 39, 50, 54
• Education: 13
• Public Service: 25, 42, 43, 44
• Agriculture, Consumer Services & Trades: 1, 3, 9, 10, 12, 19, 31, 46, 47, 48, 49
• Business: 52
• Other Social Sciences: 45.01, 45.02, 45.03, 45.04, 45.05, 45.07, 45.09, 45.11, 45.12, 45.13, 45.14, 45.99
• Economics/Political Science: 45.06, 45.10
• STEM: 11, 14, 15, 26, 27, 28, 29, 40, 41
• Health: 51
• Medical Residencies: 60.02, 60.04, 60.05
• Other Residency Programs: 60.01, 60.03, 60.06
• Law: 22

*Note: The summary represents AIR’s interpretation of the metrics cited in the notice and is not intended to reflect the official position or intent of the Department.

Articles from AIR