In an effort to assist Minnesota districts in providing targeted programs and services to help all students succeed, districts are required by law to request more detailed student ancestry or ethnic origin information based on Minnesota’s largest groups, beyond what has been collected on enrollment forms under federal law since 2008.

As a result of the new law, you are asked to report your child’s information. Starting with the 2019-20 school year, all schools in Minnesota will collect this information using these updated categories. The Minnesota Department of Education will continue to incorporate feedback from the public into this form.

Parents or guardians are not required to answer the federal questions (labeled required) on the Ethnic and Racial Demographic Designation Form for their children. However, if you choose not to answer the federal questions (labeled required), federal law requires schools to complete for you. State questions are labeled as “Optional” and schools will not fill in this information for you. Refusal to respond will not impact enrollment in the school.

You may choose to not indicate any of the more detailed selections by marking the "decline to indicate" option(s). You may also choose to mark an "other" option if you do not see your group represented. School staff are not required to assign students to these detailed groups.