President Trump on Thursday directed the U.S. Department of Education to require colleges and universities to submit granular admissions data disaggregated by race and sex—including applicants’ test scores and GPAs—to check whether schools are skirting the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that largely barred the consideration of race in admissions. Education Secretary Linda McMahon immediately directed NCES to include this data as part of their regular reporting process and conduct accuracy checks on what schools report. [The Associated Press; POLITICO]

Why it matters: The order marks a significant expansion of federal oversight of college admissions. Supporters see it as a way to increase transparency and enforce the high court’s ruling. Critics caution it could discourage race-neutral efforts to build diverse student bodies and raise student privacy concerns. [Inside Higher Ed; The New York Times, subscription model] 

By the numbers:

  • The data will cover applicants, admitted students and enrollees, broken down by race and sex.
  • Additional reporting will include standardized test scores, GPAs, and other academic qualifications.
  • Current federal reporting generally includes only racial demographics of enrolled students.

Catch up quick: The administration has tied similar data demands to restoring research funds at elite universities and is separately pushing DOJ guidance that deems many race-targeted scholarships and programs unlawful. 

What to watch:

  • NCES will develop the new reporting requirements for the 2025–26 admissions cycle, which come after the center had massive layoffs earlier this year. [Inside Higher Ed]
  • Potential legal challenges could focus on student privacy and the extent of executive authority to mandate such reporting.

The bottom line: The new reporting rules will create a more detailed federal record of admissions data, setting the stage for future debates over how colleges pursue diversity within the bounds of the law.

This article is sourced from Whiteboard Notes, our weekly newsletter of the latest education policy and industry news read by thousands of education leaders, investors, grantmakers, and entrepreneurs. Subscribe here.