Newsletter Archive

• Take Action! Civics Assessment Framework for the NAEP and More

  February 23, 2026

  by Meghan Maury

  Survey Framework of the Week: Civics Assessment Framework for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP Civics Assessment measures students’ knowledge and skills in democratic citizenship, government, and American constitutional democracy and asks questions about their opportunities to learn and their engagement with civics in and outside of school.  In preparation for a potential update, ED is requesting input on whether the framework needs updating, why updates might be needed, and what a revision should include.
  Comments due March 27.

  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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• The Legal Pathway for Disposing Federal Data Assets and What You Can Do About It

  February 20, 2026

  by Chris Marcum

  Both 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, 2026

  by Meghan Maury

  Study 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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• Register for Rapid Response Data Briefing: 2026 Census Test

  February 13, 2026

  Did 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, 2026

  by Beth Jarosz, Chris Dick, Meeta Anand, and Mark Mather

  Did 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. 

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