Student Records
Policies Governing the Handling of Student Records
Federal Guidelines for Reporting Ethnicity and Race Data
The U.S. Department of Education requires all states to collect information on the
race and ethnicity of students and staff. Data is also collected directly through
the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The federal government has developed
a new way to report ethnicity and race that includes new categories with the idea
that these changes should provide a more accurate picture of the nation's ethnic and
racial diversity. One change is that students may report more than one category from
those listed under race.
Students report whether they are Hispanic or not and report their race by choosing
from this list:
- American Indian or Alaskan Native
- Asian
- Black or African American
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
- White
At Des Moines Area Community College students who wish to change their ethnicity codes must submit requests in writing. For questions, call 515-964-6800 in the Des Moines/Ankeny area or 800-342-0033 toll free.