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Reporting & Analytics

Inside 8,796 comments on the STATS rule: what higher ed actually told the Department

A 16-section atlas of the "Do No Harm" earnings-rule docket. Who showed up, what they argued, what they fear, what they want, and what is most likely to land before February 2027.

A deep-dive atlas of every public comment on the Department of Education's "Do No Harm" / STATS earnings-accountability proposal. Counts, themes, campaigns, pull-quotes, emotional register, and the implementation changes the sector is asking for before the first February 2027 results.

Wilson BrightJun 2, 202616 mins read

Reporting & Analytics

FVT/GE is ending: what the final 2026 reporting year means for your STATS transition

October 1, 2026 is the last FVT/GE submission. Four moves to make before the first Earnings Premium results in February 2027.

October 1, 2026 is the last FVT/GE submission under the old regime. Here is exactly what carries over to STATS, what does not, and the four things IR teams should do between now and the first Earnings Premium results.

Wilson BrightJun 2, 202610 mins read

Reporting & Analytics

From OBBB to Earnings Premium: how the new Workforce Pell accountability math actually works

The clean line from statute to STATS to the 2-of-3 eligibility math, with a worked example

The One Big Beautiful Bill created a new earnings-accountability regime for higher ed. Here is the line from OBBB to STATS to the Earnings Premium formula, and the 2-of-3 eligibility math, in plain English, with a worked example.

Wilson BrightJun 2, 202610 mins read

Reporting & Analytics

Your STATS exposure map: triage your programs before February 2027

A program-level playbook for the eighteen months between PPD:2026 and ED's first official results

ED publishes the first official Earnings Premium results in February 2027. Here's how to map your program-level exposure now, score, stress-test the two-of-three-years window, and plan substitution paths, before the results land in public.

Wilson BrightJun 2, 202610 mins read

Reporting & Analytics

The 50% rule: how a handful of weak certificates can put your whole institution on provisional status

The institutional-level STATS trigger most administrators haven't priced in

STATS introduced an institutional-level consequence that didn't exist under FVT/GE: if more than 50% of an institution's Title IV funds or recipients sit in failing programs, the entire institution goes on provisional status. Here's how to model your exposure before the cabinet asks.

Wilson BrightJun 2, 20269 mins read

Data Request Management

Six files, 209,321 programs, three join keys: turning PPD:2026 into answers your provost actually asks

The IR analyst's working view of the PPD:2026 dataset, and where the time actually goes

PPD:2026 looks like a single dataset. On disk it's six Excel files joined on opeid6 + credlev + cip4, with mixed-vintage dollars, statistical-noise privacy suppression, and a CIP-4 key that doesn't match the CIP-6 the STATS test will use. Here's where the analyst hours actually go, and how to skip them.

Clema Research TeamJun 2, 202610 mins read

Reporting & Analytics

STATS vs FVT/GE vs PPD: What's the Difference?

Three names, one dataset, and why they keep getting confused

STATS, FVT/GE, and PPD all describe pieces of the same federal accountability regime under OBBBA. Here's a plain-English explainer of what each term means and how they fit together.

Wilson BrightJun 1, 20268 mins read

Data Request Management

Is Your University's Data Request Form Actually Optimized? How Better Design Can Reduce 77% of Clarification Time

An analysis of 18 university data request forms reveals three dominant intake formats, threefold complexity variation, and the design gaps that create hidden work for IR teams

35% of universities have no formal intake process, and 77% of IR offices require extensive clarification before analysis begins. Analysis of 18 university data request forms reveals what the best systems do differently.

Clema Research TeamFeb 25, 20268 mins read

Reporting & Analytics

Who's Growing Through Dual Enrollment? A Side-by-Side Benchmark of Community Colleges and Four-Year Institutions

Scale vs. Speed: How Dual Enrollment Differs Across Sectors Using IPEDS 2023–2024 Data

IPEDS 2023–2024 data reveals four-year institutions growing 3x faster in dual enrollment than community colleges, while community colleges carry 32.4% structural reliance. A full side-by-side benchmark.

Clema Research TeamFeb 25, 20268 mins read

Reporting & Analytics

What IR Teams Really Benchmark — Evidence from 50 Interviews

Four Core Benchmarking Domains and Three Benchmarking Types from 50 IR Director Interviews

Discover what IR teams actually benchmark most often — from student outcomes and faculty metrics to aspirational peer lists — based on evidence from 50 institutional research interviews.

Clema Research TeamFeb 25, 202610 mins read

Data Request Management

What Is the Relationship Between Data Request Intake Quality, Request Intelligence, and Workload in Institutional Research Given That 78% of Requests Require 10+ Follow-Up Questions?

Why IR Teams Lose Capacity Before Analysis Even Begins

Research shows 80% of IR data requests arrive missing critical elements. Learn how Request Intelligence — the quality of requests at intake — determines whether your team spends time analyzing or clarifying.

Clema Research TeamFeb 12, 202610 mins read

Data Request Management

Best Practices for Institutional Researchers to Optimize Data Requests and Reclaim the 60% of Team's Capacity

Data Request Guidelines for Streamlining Self-Service Dashboards

Discover proven strategies from IR leaders to streamline data requests, implement self-service dashboards effectively, and reclaim up to 60% of your team's capacity for strategic work.

Clema Research TeamJan 12, 202612 mins read

Professional Development

Conferences Institutional Researchers in Higher Ed Should Attend in 2026

14 conferences worth your time — from the national flagship to regional gatherings and data-focused events

A guide to the 14 conferences IR professionals should consider in 2026, from AIR Forum to regional and data-focused events.

Wilson BrightMar 28, 202612 mins read

Professional Development

What IR Experts Are Reading and Where They're Finding Community: A Resource Guide Built from 50+ Interviews

Newsletters, listservs, and peer communities that IR professionals actually use to stay sharp

A resource guide built from 50+ interviews with IR professionals — the newsletters they read, the communities they trust, and where peer-to-peer learning happens.

Wilson BrightMar 28, 20268 mins read

Professional Development

What IR Experts Are Listening to and Learning From: Podcasts and Books — A Resource Guide Built from 50+ Interviews

The podcasts, books, and training programs IR professionals recommend for going deeper

Part 2 of our resource guide: the podcasts IR pros listen to on their commute, the books on their desk, and the training programs they recommend.

Wilson BrightMar 28, 202610 mins read