National Center for Education Statistics

Public Schools’ Student and Teacher Race/Ethnicity Data: 

Findings from the School Pulse Panel 

Rebecca Bielamowicz

Josh De La Rosa

Ryan Iaconelli 

National Center for Education Statistics

Institute of Education Sciences

U.S. Department of Education

2023 FCSM Research and Policy Conference

October 26, 2023
National Center for Education Statistics

Introduction

• Public K-12 schools will face challenges in adhering to changes in federal race and 

ethnicity (R/E) data collection and reporting requirements

• Most public K-12 schools:

• Collect teacher and student R/E data at initial entry in school district

• Do not already collect data on whether students and teachers are Middle Eastern or 

North African (MENA)

• Do not already collect more detailed R/E data beyond what is required 
National Center for Education Statistics

Overview

Background and Motivation

Data – School Pulse Panel

Findings – Students and Staff

Summary of Key Findings
National Center for Education Statistics

Background and Motivation
National Center for Education Statistics

Background and Motivation

• U.S. Department of Education surveys and administrative data collections receive 

data on students’ and teachers’ race and ethnicity through multiple avenues 

depending on the design and goals of the collection

• Self-identification: ex., High School Longitudinal Study of 2009

• Parent-reported: ex., 2019 National Household Education Surveys Program

• Aggregation to the School Level: ex., Private School Survey, Common Core 

of Data
National Center for Education Statistics Source: 2019-20 Private School Survey Questionnaire

School-based Establishment Surveys 
National Center for Education Statistics

Reporting Chain – Public K-12 Administrative Data Collections

EDFacts

Common 

Core of Data

NAEP

NTPS

HS&B

SPP

ED

57 statelevel entities

> 15,000 local 

education agencies 

(school districts)

> 100,000 public K-12 

schools
National Center for Education Statistics

Background and Motivation

• 1997: revisions issued

• 2000: OMB guidance to implement revisions issued

• 2007: final guidance from ED Secretary issued

• 2010-11: first year that all state education agencies were able to report to ED using 

the 1997 guidelines

• In response to the proposed revisions to SPD 15, NCES was interested in 

understanding the extent to which public K-12 schools already collected the 

information in line with the proposed changes
National Center for Education Statistics

Data – School Pulse Panel
National Center for Education Statistics

Data – School Pulse Panel

• Executive Order 14000 directed the Department of Education to collect data 

needed to understand COVID-19 education effects

• The American Rescue Plan Act provided funds and additional direction to 

collect and report information about COVID-19 and education to IES

• Unique data collection for NCES when IES directed NCES to undertake

• First collection in September 2021; conducted monthly from January 

2022 through December 2022

• Web only

• Primary source of information on school, teacher, and student experiences 

in public schools, as reported by school administrators

• Congress provided funds directly to NCES to continue SPP with new 

collections
National Center for Education Statistics

Data Source

11

Experimental data products are innovative statistical products that may not meet all NCES quality standards but are of sufficient

benefit to data users. NCES clearly identifies experimental data products upon their release.

School Pulse Panel

Collection window:

February 21 – March 7, 

2023

Respondents: 

1,060 Public K-12 

schools

Data:

Experimental
National Center for Education Statistics

Data – School Pulse Panel

• Estimates are weighted – adjusted for nonresponse and coverage

• Estimates are disaggregated by:

• School Level: elementary, middle/combined, high school

• School Neighborhood Poverty: low- and high-poverty neighborhoods

• Percentage of Students of Color in School: <25%, 25%-75% percent, >75% 

students of color

• Locale: city, suburb, town, rural

• Region: Northeast, South, Midwest, West

• School Size: 0-299, 300-499, 500-999, and 1,000 or more students

• All significance is at the p<.05 level; not all significant findings are shown
National Center for Education Statistics

Findings – Students 
National Center for Education Statistics

When is information about the race or ethnicity of students at your 

school usually obtained? Select all that apply.

• Upon initial registration at any 93% school in the district

23% • On an annual basis

• When a student changes schools 13% within the district

1% • Other

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023)
National Center for Education Statistics

Collected on an annual basis, by school characteristics

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023) 15

23 22

27 24 24 22 22 23 26 25 24 23

16

22

18

34

26

13

21 24

31

0

25

50

75

100

Percent Students of 

Color

School Neighborhood 

Poverty Level

School Level School Size Locale Region

Percent
National Center for Education Statistics

How does your school collect information about the race or ethnicity 

of its student population? Select all that apply. 

• Parents or guardians are asked to report race and 93% ethnicity for their child(ren)

• Students are asked to report race and ethnicity for 8% themselves

• This information is not collected at the school, but 5% at the central district office or some other entity

• A teacher or administrator assigns the student to a 2%! race or ethnicity category based on observation

2% • Some other procedure is followed

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023) ! Interpret with caution. The coefficient of variation for 

this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
National Center for Education Statistics

Do your student records or student information systems already include 

information about whether a student is Middle Eastern or North African?

11% • Yes

62% • No

27% • Don’t know

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023)
National Center for Education Statistics

Student records or information systems include student MENA data, 

by school characteristics

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023)

11 10 13 10 9

14

10

14 11 11 11 11 10! 11 11

6!

13

8!

13 11 13

0

25

50

75

100

Percent Students of 

Color

School Neighborhood 

Poverty Level

School Level School Size Locale Region

! Interpret with caution. The coefficient of variation 

for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.

Percent
National Center for Education Statistics

Do your student records or student information systems collect information 

about students’ race/ethnicity that is more detailed than the five required 

race categories and whether the student is Hispanic/Latino?

21% • Yes

63% • No

16% • Don’t know

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023)
National Center for Education Statistics

Findings – Teachers 
National Center for Education Statistics

When is information about the race or ethnicity of teachers and staff 

at your school usually obtained? Select all that apply.

• Upon initial hire at any school 91% in the district

5% • On an annual basis

• When the staff member changes 2% schools within the district

6% • Other

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023)
National Center for Education Statistics

Do your teacher and staff records already include information about 

whether a teacher or staff member is Middle Eastern or North African?

8% • Yes

60% • No

32% • Don’t know

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023)
National Center for Education Statistics

Do your teacher and staff records collect information about staff 

members’ race/ethnicity that is more detailed than the five required race 

categories and whether the staff member is Hispanic/Latino?

14% • Yes

63% • No

23% • Don’t know

Estimates Represent: All Public Schools (February 2023)
National Center for Education Statistics

Summary of Key Findings

• Most public schools collect R/E data from students and teachers upon initial entry 

in the school district

• Student R/E data are predominately reported by parents

• As of early 2023, most public schools did not have records or information systems 

that included whether students or staff were MENA

• 11 percent of public schools indicated that they had MENA data for students

• 8 percent of public schools indicated that they had MENA data for staff
National Center for Education Statistics

Summary of Key Findings

• As of early 2023, most public schools did not collect more detailed R/E data on 

students or teachers beyond what is currently required by OMB

• 21 percent of public schools indicated that they collected detailed information on 

students’ race/ethnicity

• 14 percent of public schools indicated that they collected detailed information on 

teachers’ race/ethnicity
National Center for Education Statistics

Thank you!

Rebecca Bielamowicz, PhD

Rebecca.Bielamowicz@ed.gov