Dear Brookings Metro readers,
Data is an essential component of smart policymaking, giving leaders insight into trends and challenges as they work to help communities and residents. But surprisingly, good and reliable data is now under threat, as the Trump administration removes federal data sets and scrambles the people and agencies responsible for collecting accurate statistics.
This week, Brookings Metro published a new report outlining how data challenges have uniquely affected one group in particular: Native Americans. Poor sample sizes, data inaccessibility, and a lack of Tribal input in data sets all make it harder for policymakers to measure the populations and conditions of Native Americans, which ultimately harms their community and individual well-being.
It’s a case study of how bad data leads to bad governance—and a worrying signal of what may be to come if federal government data is further compromised. Fortunately, the report recommends ways that regional and state governments can step in to fill emerging gaps with data that’s accurate, relevant, and can help build prosperous, inclusive communities.
Best,
Robert Puentes
Brookings Metro Vice President and Director
