Released: April 7, 2026
The Race and Ethnicity fields have been updated to align with the latest federal data collection standards, introducing a new unified structure based on Race Categories and Subgroups. This replaces the previous two-step process—where users first selected Ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino) [user-race-hispanic] and then Race [user-race-categories]—with a single, comprehensive field group [user-race-ethnicity-root].
The new structure enables institutions to collect both high-level race categories and more granular subgroup data within one experience, ensuring better alignment with federal reporting expectations. Institutions can transition to this new model on their own timeline, as existing Race and Ethnicity fields will remain available until they choose to adopt the new Race Categories and Subgroups field group.
⚠️ Note: Not all SIS or external systems currently support the data structure required for these new federal standards.
If you leverage exports or integrations—including Element451 managed integrations—confirm compatibility before updating forms or applications to the new field group.
New Race Categories field introducing the following federally aligned primary categories:
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
Middle Eastern or North African
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Expanded Subgroups available under Race Categories for more detailed identification, including:
American Indian or Alaska Native subgroups (e.g., Navajo Nation, Cherokee, etc.)
Asian subgroups (e.g., Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, etc.)
Black or African American subgroups (e.g., African American, Jamaican, Haitian, Nigerian, Ethiopian, Somali, etc.)
Hispanic or Latino subgroups (e.g., Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Salvadoran, Dominican, etc.)
Middle Eastern or North African subgroups (e.g., Lebanese, Iranian, Egyptian, Syrian, Moroccan, etc.)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander subgroups (e.g., Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Chamorro, Tongan, Fijian, etc.)
White subgroups (e.g., German, Irish, English, Italian, Polish, etc.)
Replaced legacy two-step flow that separated Ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino) and Race
Unified field group combining race categories and subgroup selection in a single experience
Flexible adoption allowing institutions to transition when ready
Improved data structure for more consistent and compliant reporting
This update simplifies how race and ethnicity data is collected while improving accuracy and compliance with federal standards. By combining Race Categories and Subgroups into a single, structured model, institutions can capture more meaningful demographic data with less ambiguity. The flexible rollout ensures no disruption to current processes, while enabling a smoother transition to a more comprehensive and standardized approach as IPEDS and other federal reporting standards transition through the final adoption slated for March 2029.
