Clearinghouse Establishes Equity in Research & Analytics Unit

The Clearinghouse has established the Equity in Research and Analytics unit, residing in the Research Center.

The unit will investigate, establish, and drive forward the principles for an equitable, unbiased, and inclusive approach to data collection and analytics at the Clearinghouse. The unit will also champion the organization’s learning agenda for data and analytics to better reflect equity considerations.

The Clearinghouse recognizes that how we work with data must reflect our values, including that equity should be at the center of any data collection, acquisition, or usage. Furthermore, our data should not be used internally or externally by others in ways that may lead to inequitable outcomes for any group of individuals or contribute to power imbalances in society.

Current & Future Activities

The Clearinghouse will be intentional about equity implications of collecting certain data elements or findings from our existing research and convey those implications explicitly. We will review and revise our data submission guidelines, documentation on metrics delivered through different platforms as well as our publications.

Placing equity at the center, the Research Center will expand our research agenda using industry credentials as well as non-credit course data and short-term credentials. This new research will be about college and career pathways and will shed light on potential pathways from credentials to postsecondary degrees to employment outcomes of different pathways. This new knowledge will contribute to the equity discourse by establishing long-term understanding of who is on a credentials’ pathway and their other educational and employment outcomes.

Finally, while the unit resides in the Research Center, the expertise on equity in data and analytics will be distributed across the Clearinghouse. Through investigating best practices and establishing internal processes in equity and bias management, the unit will establish a Center of Excellence for Equity in Data and Analytics. The new Center will bring together representatives from across the Clearinghouse for broader implementation and larger positive impact on all learners and institutions.

“The Clearinghouse recognizes that how we work with data must reflect our values, including that equity should be at the center of any data collection, acquisition, or usage.”

Additional Resources:

• Watch the recording of our “Opening the Door to Equity in Education” panel discussion

• Review our research