How Do States Handle Nonconforming Data Received from School Districts?

All states were asked how they handled racial/ethnic data obtained from school districts that did not conform to the categories used by their states, i.e., the five standard federal categories for the large majority of states or the modified categories used by eight states. Nonconforming data could include missing or unreported data. In 36 states, respondents reported that the data they receive from school districts always conform because their systems of data collection do not permit any variation from these categories (Table 5). Twelve states reported that when nonconforming or unreported data are received, the school or school district is contacted and asked to correct the data by putting them either into the five standard federal categories or into a state-approved additional category. Kansas and Oregon submit the nonconforming or unreported data to the federal government as "missing," "unidentified," or "other." Alaska first asks schools to correct the data; if that fails, data are reported as "missing," "unidentified," or "other."