Newsletter Archive
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The Legal Pathway for Disposing Federal Data Assets and What You Can Do About It
February 20, 2026by Chris MarcumRead MoreBoth dataindex.us and the Data Rescue Project care deeply about the preservation and public accessibility of federal data. While much of our attention has focused on making these data assets available to the public, motivated by the threat of data loss, we might also ask: how could agencies properly dispose of data assets under the law?
Federal data assets are, ultimately, federal records of information. The Federal Records Act (FRA) of 1950 is the principal statute governing how federal agencies must manage records throughout their lifecycle, including their final disposition. The FRA requires agencies to establish record management programs and to work with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to ensure that records documenting agency functions are retained and properly disposed of. It covers the creation, maintenance, and disposal of Federal records, whether in paper or digital/electronic form.
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Take Action! National Special Education Spending Study and More
February 18, 2026by Meghan MauryRead MoreStudy of the Week: National Special Education Spending Study. This new study will produce estimates for what is spent on special education services for students with disabilities (SWDs), both overall and by disability category, including expenditures made by states, districts, and schools. The NSSES also will provide policymakers and special education administrators with an up-to-date understanding of the key factors that influence special education spending, what this spending pays for, and to what extent federal appropriations from the IDEA cover special education spending.
Comments due March 30.Every time the government makes a change to a survey or a form — or introduces a new survey or form — you have the right to weigh in on that decision. The Take Action! newsletter highlights surveys or forms the government is changing, renewing, or introducing. Click the links to tell the government what you think about the changes they are making.
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Invitation to Participate in a Survey on Changes to the Federal Statistical System
February 17, 2026Read MoreThis past year brought a number of challenges to users of federal statistical data. We are supporting an effort by researchers at SSRS with funding from the Knight Foundation and with advisory support from the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) and the Association of Public Data Users (APDU) to try to capture how these changes have impacted a wide range of users of public data.
We would greatly appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to complete a short survey to share your experiences as a user of federal data. All responses are confidential and will be reported only in aggregate form.
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Register for Rapid Response Data Briefing: 2026 Census Test
February 13, 2026Read MoreDid you know that planning for the 2030 Census is already underway, and a critical test – the 2026 Census Test – has been announced. Unfortunately, many of the plans for that test have been scaled back. The Federal Register Notice — accepting public comments until March 5, 2026 — offers an important opportunity to weigh in on that test.
Join our Rapid Response Data Briefing to learn what's in the 2026 Census Test, why it’s important, the risks it’s facing, and how you can support this essential step toward the 2030 Census.
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Take Action: American Community Survey
February 11, 2026by Beth Jarosz, Chris Dick, Meeta Anand, and Mark MatherRead MoreDid you know that there are revisions planned for the largest annual survey in the nation–including significant changes to how the country collects data on race and ethnicity?
The U.S. Census Bureau has been fielding the American Community Survey (ACS) and its companion, the Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS), for more than two decades. To stay current, the Census Bureau periodically adjusts questions, fielding methods, and other survey details. As just one example, the word “smartphone” didn't appear on the survey until 2019.