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Federal Equity Initiatives 

Chris Chapman, National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education

Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology Conference – October 2023
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Creating an Equitable Data Ecosystem
White House Equitable Data Working Group - Overview

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Established Interagency Working Group on 

Equitable Data (EDWG) to:

• Provide recommendations and identify 

inadequacies in existing Federal data collection 

programs

• Recommend strategies for addressing 

identified deficiencies

• Support agencies in implementing actions that 

expand and refine the data available to 

measure equity and diversity

• Initiate the Subcommittee on Equitable Data 

(SED)

January 20, 2021:

President Biden issued 

Executive Order 13985 

on Advancing Racial 

Equity and Support for 

Underserved 

Communities Through 

the Federal Government
EDWG Recommendations

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Make disaggregated data the norm while protecting privacy

Catalyze existing federal government infrastructure to leverage 

underused data

Build capacity for robust equity assessment for policymaking and 

program implementation

Galvanize diverse partnerships across levels of government and 

the research community

Be accountable to the American public

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EDWG Timeline (January 2021–August 2023) - Milestones

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2021

• Update from EDWG 

(July 27)

• Agency equity case 

studies inform Equity 

Action Plans 

(Summer 2021–April 

2022)

2022

• EDWG releases A Vision for Equitable 

Data: Recommendations from the EDWG 

(April)

• President Biden signs EO 14074 Advancing 

Effective, Accountable Policing and 

Criminal Just Practices To Enhance 

Public Trust and Public Safety (June 15)

• SED drafts the Progress on 

Implementation of the Recommendations 

of the EDWG (December)

• Release of the Fifth US Open Government 

National Action Plan (December 28)

2023

• SED launches the Equitable Data 

Community of Practitioners 

• SOGI IWG issues Federal Evidence 

Agenda

• SED publishes the Progress on 

Implementation of the Recommendations 

of the EDWG 

• SED subgroup Criminal Justice Statistics 

Interagency Working Group on released the 

Equity and Law Enforcement Data 

Collection, Use, and Transpaney report. 

• SED launches two new subgroups:

• Expanding and Diversifying the 

Federal Data Workforce Working 

Group

• Fast- Track Action Committee on Data 

Infrastructure for Puerto Rico 
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Subcommittee on Equitable Data (SED) - Updates
Subcommittee on Equitable Data (SED)

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Purpose

• Coordinating body for accelerating and tracking agency progress in implementing EDWG 

recommendations

Structure

• Within the Executive Office of the President

• 20 Federal agencies

• 10 organizations

Seven subgroups, at different implementation stages, advance progress on EDWG 

recommendations

March 2023: Progress on Implementation of the Recommendations of the Equitable Data Working Group. 
Subcommittee on Equitable Data (SED) Subgroups

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Sexual Orientation and 

Gender Identity

Equitable Federal 

Funding

Engagement and 

Accountability

Criminal Justice 

Statistics

Equitable Data 

Community of Practice

Expanding and 

Diversifying the Federal 

Data Workforce Working 

Group

Fast- Track Action 

Committee on Data 

Infrastructure for Puerto 

Rico 

7 Subgroups, at different implementation stages, advance progress on EDWG 

recommendations:
Subcommittee on Equitable Data (SED) Subgroups

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Subgroup Stage of 

Impleme

ntation

Deliverables

Sexual Orientation and 

Gender Identity

Emeritus Purpose: Charged with using data to advance equity for LGBTQI+ individuals and families 

Key Deliverables for 2023:

• Report on Federal Evidence Agenda on LGBTQI+ Equity

• Templates and resources to help agencies develop SOGI data action plans

• Monitoring and support of the implementation of SOGI data action plans 

Criminal Justice Statistics Emeritus Purpose: Identify opportunities and barriers to infusing an equitable data framework into 

data collection use and transparency

Key Deliverables for 2023:

• Stakeholder engagement

• Equity and Law Enforcement Data Collection, Use and Transparency report submitted to 

the president

• Event highlighting the report and next steps for public- and private-sector stakeholders
Subcommittee on Equitable Data (SED) Subgroups

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Subgroup Stage of 

Implemen

tation

Deliverables

Engagement and Accountability Emeritus Purpose: Improve production, dissemination, and use of Federal equity-related 

data focusing on underserved communities

Key Deliverables for 2023:

• Listening sessions to support community engagement and accountability

• White paper with case studies of community and research collaborations and 

lessons 

Equitable Federal Funding Maturing Purpose: Engage technical staff involved in the implementation of federal grant 

programs to support them as they work to disaggregate data to identify 

underserved communities that would benefit from these funds.

Key Deliverables for 2023:

• Toolkit of resources for restructuring data and conducting analyses to enable 

scaling across funding programs

• Minimum of seven rapid equity assessments conducted for programs across 

the federal government
Subcommittee on Equitable Data (SED) Subgroups

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Subgroup Stage of Implementation Deliverables

Equitable Data Community of 

Practice

Maturing Purpose: Highlighting and disseminate impactful ways to use 

data for the improvement of outcomes for underserved 

communities. 

Key Deliverables for 2023:

• Equitable Data Solutions Exchange webinar series 

• Development of a continuously evolving shared resource 

repository for federal data practitioners

• Launch of data equity champions program, which will provide 

structured leadership opportunities for data equity leaders 

Data Infrastructure for Puerto 

Rico 

Emerging Purpose: Ensure that as decisions are made about where to 

spend federal investments, they are informed by the best 

available data to produce better decision-making and more 

equitable outcomes.
Subcommittee on Equitable Data (SED) Subgroups

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Subgroup Stage of Implementation Deliverables

Expanding and Diversifying the 

Federal Data Workforce Working 

Group

Emerging Purpose: To provide executive departments and agencies 

a forum to coordinate and facilitate initiatives that 

improve recruitment, upskilling, promotion, and 

retention of data practitioners in federal government 

that represent the diversity of American communities.