A federal judge on Friday pushed back the Department of Education’s deadline for colleges to submit new applicant-and-admit data by one week, moving it to March 25 as litigation proceeds. U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV said the extra time will allow the court to consider a motion from 17 Democratic attorneys general challenging the data-collection rule tied to the 2023 Supreme Court ruling on race in admissions. The plaintiffs argue the collection is a “fishing expedition” and seek to bar the Education Department from using already-submitted information to open investigations or levy penalties. The Education Department defended the exercise as necessary to verify compliance with the court’s decision and the August memo from the White House that expanded IPEDS reporting requirements.