Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data

A student or staff member's "racial/ethnic group" is the racial/ethnic group to which the student or staff member belongs or with which he or she most identifies.

Race and ethnicity data have always been collected and reported to the U.S. Department of Education. The reports are required for federal eligibility and accountability reports. The federal Office for Civil Rights collects data to assist with its enforcement of laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race and national origin The federal government published guidance on 10/19/07 that will significantly affect how these data are collected and reported. The guidance calls for self-identification in multiple-racial categories plus an ethnic category.

Final Guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) on "Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data" requires significant changes for school districts and the WI DPI. WI DPI is in the process of developing a plan to implement the changes outlined in the federal guidance, which must be in place by the fall of 2010 for the 2010-11 school year. As DPI finalizes plans for implementation at the state level, we will post additional detail to this page.

Final Guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) on "Maintaining, Collecting, and Reporting Racial and Ethnic Data"

Current Racial/Ethnic Groups reported to the USDE

Race-Ethnicity FAQ

Sample letter from districts to parents

Sample letter from districts to educators

Managing an Identity Crisis: Forum Guide to Implementing New Federal Race and Ethnicity Categories. (2008). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.

DPI tutorials on new federal race and ethnicity guidelines

Each tutorial is less than 10 minutes in length, and special software should not be needed to play them. Simply click on the links below to run each tutorial.

1. Collecting race/ethnicity data by districts and schools
   • Mediasite recording
   • Presentation slides
2. Identification by district or school staff
   • Mediasite recording
   • Presentation Slides
3. Reporting race/ethnicity data
   • Mediasite recording
   • Presentation Slides

DPI Race/Ethnicity Crosswalk

For questions about this information, contact Kay M. Ihlenfeldt (608) 266-3108

Last updated on 9/22/2009 10:44:15 AM