November 2024

On November 4, AERA and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) submitted comments to inform the development of the 2025 National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG), conducted by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) within the National Science Foundation. The NCSG examines the relationship of degree field and occupation in addition to other characteristics of college-educated individuals, including work activities, salary, and demographic information.

The comments commended the inclusion of questions on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) to better understand the representativeness and experiences of LGBTQI+ students in STEM in the forthcoming iteration of the Survey of Earned Doctorates. Both organizations have sought the inclusion of such questions in SED for a number of years. The November 4 comments urged the inclusion of similar questions in the 2025 NSCG.

The letter stated, “Given the well-documented reliability of SOGI questions, we recommend NCSES incorporate these items immediately, without further exhaustive testing. The need for robust, inclusive data outweighs delays, especially given the extensive research and evidence supporting the quality of SOGI data within social science research.”

These new comments are the most recent in a series of letters and comments on the inclusion of SOGI data in NCSES surveys. Past letters include a 2022 response to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Request for Information on a Federal Evidence Agenda for LGBTQI+ Equity; a 2020 letter on the proposed data collection for the 2021 National Survey of College Graduates; and a 2018 letter on the proposed data collection for the 2019 Survey of Doctorate Recipients.