Feasibility of a Student Unit Record System Within the Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System

This report describes the feasibility of collecting individual enrollment and financial aid information for each student in postsecondary education. The National Center for Education Statistics held three public meetings with key stakeholders from institutions, states, and other interested parties on issues such as burden, cost, and privacy, and to solicit information on other technical aspects of developing such a unit record system. This report details issues discussed at those meetings. It discusses the problems that may be encountered and the issues to be addressed if the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System was redesigned to replace five Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System surveys with a unit record system.