FASEB Provides Input on Federal Evidence Agenda on Disability Equity

By: Yvette Seger
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
On July 10, FASEB submitted feedback in response to a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) seeking input to inform the development of the Federal Evidence Agenda on Disability Equity. As part of Executive Order 14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, OSTP was directed to coordinate recommendations of the National Science and Technology Council’s Equitable Data Working Group. A separate working group—the Disability Data Interagency Working Group—was established to develop a Federal Evidence Agenda on Disability Equity and improve the federal government’s ability to advance equity for the disability community in a data-driven manner.

The RFI sought public feedback on disparities that could be better understood through federal statistics and data collection, existing datasets for which improved disability data collection could help advance the assessment of disparities faced by individuals with disabilities, and practices that federal agencies engaged in disability data collection should follow to safeguard privacy, security, and human rights. FASEB’s comments focused on the first two topics, with responses highlighting the need for more consistent data definitions and collection instruments to understand disability prevalence and impact on life and work. Similarly, the comments highlighted the need for data to understand the effects of physical workspaces and professional culture has on disability equity. FASEB’s feedback also noted limitations of existing data sources to understand disability among individuals working in STEM research fields.