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HR 8975

All Students Count Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Ed Case and 12 co-sponsors

Requires state report cards to use the same Census race/ethnicity categories, standardizing data for better comparability and transparency in student equity reporting.

Introduced in House
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 8975

Overview

HR 8975, introduced in the 119th Congress, would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to require that annual State report cards incorporate the same race and ethnicity categories used by the decennial census of population. The bill aims to align state-reported student demographic data with Census categories, potentially affecting how school performance and equity metrics are reported to the public.

Purpose and Intent

  • Align annual State report cards with the demographic grouping framework used by the decennial census.
  • Improve consistency and comparability of demographic data across federal and state education reporting.
  • Enhance visibility of student groups for equity-focused accountability and policy decisions.

Key Provisions and Changes

  • Modification to ESEA: The bill amends provisions governing annual State report cards (which summarize school and district performance, accountability, and other metrics) to require that race/ethnicity categories mirror those used by the decennial census.
  • Demographic Reporting: State report cards would need to collect, present, and disaggregate student data according to the same race groups as the Census, rather than using any alternate or differing categories.
  • Data Transparency: By standardizing categories, data across years and jurisdictions should be more directly comparable, aiding analyses of trends and disparities among student subgroups.

Affected Parties and Scope

  • Students: All enrolled K-12 students in states receiving federal education funding under ESEA programs.
  • States and Local Education Agencies (LEAs): States would be required to implement reporting aligned with Census categories in their annual report cards; LEAs would report data under these categories as part of state reporting pipelines.
  • Federal Stakeholders: U.S. Department of Education and offices administering ESEA grant programs and accountability systems would oversee and enforce compliance with the amended reporting requirements.
  • The Public: Parents, policymakers, researchers, and the general public would have access to standardized demographic data in annual state report cards.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce (as of 2026-05-21); introduced in the House on the same date.
  • Implementation Timeline: The bill text would specify a effective date and any phased timeline for states to transition to Census-aligned categories. (Note: The provided information does not include explicit dates or effective dates.)
  • Compliance and Oversight: Likely provisions would require federal guidance, state plan adjustments, and possible reporting deadlines consistent with existing ESEA reporting cycles.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Data Consistency: Enhanced comparability of race/ethnicity data across years and between states due to uniform Census-based categories.
  • Equity Analysis: Improved ability to identify and address achievement gaps among specific demographic groups using standard categories.
  • Transition Challenges: States may need to adjust data collection systems, reporting templates, and staff training to adopt Census-aligned categories.
  • Privacy and Disclosure: As with any demographic data, considerations around data privacy and appropriate granularity in public reporting.

Summary

HR 8975 seeks to tighten alignment between federal education reporting and demographic categorization by requiring annual state report cards to use the same race/ethnicity categories as the decennial census. If enacted, states would adjust their data collection and reporting processes to ensure Census-consistent race groups are used in accountability reports, enhancing comparability and transparency for stakeholders analyzing student achievement and equity.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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