Census 2020: The Count Starts Now

Census 2020: The Count Starts Now

November 10, 2016


Bob Tracy, DirectorPublic Policy & Communication

Arturo Vargas,Executive Director

Joan Naymark,Executive Director

The importance of the Census & ACS Bob Tracy, Minnesota Council on Foundations

How it works and what’s changingJoan Naymark, Minnesotans for the American Community Survey

Getting involvedJoan Naymark & Bob Tracy

Getting to work and getting it right. Arturo Vargas, National Association of Latino Elected Officials – Education Fund

Discussion / Q&A



THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CENSUS & ACS

Bob Tracy, DirectorPublic Policy & Communication



Promote inclusion and equity through full participation in the decennial Census and American Community Survey to ensure fair representation and allocation of resources, and access to complete and reliable data to support community engagement, planning and economic development.




HOW IT WORKS AND WHAT’S CHANGING

Joan Naymark,Executive Director



Decennial Count -- from 1790 to present• Short form and long-form questions through 2000• Short form only in 2010

American Community Survey (The new long-form) • Conducted & published annually since 2005 • Most recent data available for 2015 – TIMELY!!• Only source of detailed information on income,

occupation, education/skills, veterans, housing, health insurance, and much more

Decennial Census Has Two Parts


The Census Has Evolved ! ! !

• 1790 - Federal marshals on horseback counted the population for the first census.

• Census has evolved to count the growing and changing

population.• Census methods continue to evolve: computers and punch cards, mail response, etc.

• 2020 Census will be the first to offer an internet response option.



Goals

To count everyone once, only once, and in the right place

At a cost no higher than the 2010 census . . . while maintaining high quality







What Does This Mean for Minnesota?

• Internet response option – projected to be nearly 50% of all responses• Without broadband, Greater Minnesota will need to rely more on mail and

phone options.• Higher costs to count the population in MN as a result, more non-response

follow-up with census enumerators, more burden on households, continuation of the differential undercount.

• Language assistance centers – more languages is a plus. • Partnership effort provides options for local groups

• Local “trusted voices” make sure everyone knows that responding to the census important and safe

• Engage early to “get out the count”.• Complete Count Committees will begin to be formed in the year before

Census Day April 1, 2020


Complications: Feds Not Coming Through with the Funding

Without adequate and timely funding Census 2020 and the ACS are at risk:

• Higher costs (+$5 B more than necessary)

• Inadequate testing resulting in lower quality data

• Loss of data products• Data security risks• Less confidence in the data

“Census won’t be fair and accurate without funding.”

Final 2017 Census Bureau Funding Decisions Loom


GETTING INVOLVED

Joan Naymark

Bob Tracy


Federal• Policy to implement 2020• Appropriations• Beyond 2020 – ACS & 2030

State• Tech prep• Mobilization – communication plan and

implementation




implementation


Mobilizing full 2020 Census participation

Advocacy Community Philanthropy

Activities

MN for the American Comm

Survey

Census Mobilization Partnership

ADVOCACYPLANNING DEPLOY $


Community

Philanthropy




implementation


National Census Stakeholders

• Diverse voices working together to support the 2020 Census and ACS

• Sharing strategy, timing, and actions

• Coordinating letters, meetings, and outreach to Congress

• Hundreds of national stakeholders engaged

www.thecensusproject.org


Who are MACS Supporters?• Founded 2013 to combat Congressional threats to data• Broad, diverse base of 180 supporters across MN -- all sectors of civic and economic life

What has been done? • Relationships developed with all 10 members of MN

Congressional delegation• Action taken by senators and representatives in DC on

behalf of a full and accurate Census and ACS

What’s next? Organize for 2020 Census partnership and outreach programs (mobilization)

.

Mission: Educate Minnesota’s Congressional Delegation and the Public about the critical importance of Census data for Minnesota’s economic health and the well-being of all Minnesotans.



Connect Through MACS! Join MACS!

• Become a MACS Supporter -- no cost, no time commitment, just lend your name to show our growing and state-wide support for census data to drive sound decisions for a better Minnesota. Join a meeting with a member of Congress in your district

• Share your story about how census data improves your organization and your community.

• Sign up for MACS Newsletter Join our efforts to get-out-the-count for the 2020 Census.

• Spread the word that the ACS is important for Greater Minnesota.

www.minnesotansforacs.org

http://minnesotansforacs.org/?page_id=174

http://minnesotansforacs.org/?page_id=174

http://minnesotansforacs.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c3ff735a880c56291e117312d&id=180bf17084


Connect Through MACS! Join MACS!

Contact Joan Naymark, Executive Director Minnesotans for the American Community [email protected]

Learn more about Minnesotans for the American Community Surveywww.minnesotansforacs.org

Sign up to be a MACS Supporter: www.minnesotansforacs.org


GETTING IT TO WORK AND GETTING IT RIGHTPRIORITIES, IMPLICATIONS, WHY IT MATTERS

Arturo Vargas,Executive Director


Remember! Why It Matters

• The Census determines distribution of public funds, resources, political representation and is needed for sound policymaking

• Every omission in the Census, every error, every overcount has consequences for local communities

• An accurate and complete 2020 Census is now most at risk than ever, with many unknowns

• The 2020 Census is here, we need your engagement now


Potential Implications! Implications of Proposed Changes and New Approaches

Internet response as primary response option

• Bureau must conduct the 2020 Census at a lower cost per household than 2010.

• Bureau is testing changes and new approaches which all have important implications for vulnerable communities:

Use of administrative records and other third-party data for address canvassing and non-response follow up (NRFU)

Reduction in number of field staff, field “presence”

Re-design of questions on Hispanic origin and race


Implications! Redesign of Questions on Hispanic Origin and Race

Goals of Re-design

• Increase responses to race and ethnicity questions

• Increase reporting in the OMB race and ethnic categories

• Increase accuracy and reliability of results, including detailed information on national origin and sub-groups


Implications! Proposed Format for Combined Questionson Hispanic Origin and Race


Implications! Redesign of Questionson Hispanic Origin and Race

• 2015 National Content Test (NCT) initial results have been released, full analysis expect before the end of the year

• The NCT included both separate Hispanic origin and race questions, and combined Hispanic origin and race questions

• Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) Category: MENA is placed among response options for selecting a major race or ethnic category

• Instruction Wording: Old and new instruction wording tested to help improve clarity of question

• Terminology: Alternative terms to describe the concepts and groups in the question stem, instructions, and examples

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau


Remember! Administrative and Legislative Issues

Several organizations leading advocacy to ensure that the Bureau has sufficient funding for Census 2020 preparations and the ACS:

• Maintain pressure on Congress -- Census budget must continue to increase significantly as 2020 approaches.

• Congress did not pass FY 2017 appropriations legislation by start of the fiscal year - Census is operating at FY 2016 funding level, which is insufficient for “ramp up” to Census 2020.

• Next opportunity for increased Census FY 2017 funding is during enactment of Omnibus appropriations bill in December “lame duck” session.


Remember! Funding for the Census/ACS

• The election means new leadership will take over implementation of the Census, with a new Secretary of Commerce, Undersecretary for Economic Affairs, and a new Census Bureau Director

• The new make up of the House and Senate will have implications for the Census Bureau

• Fully expect renewed efforts to add questions to exclude undocumented immigrants from apportionment, by adding questions on citizenship or legal status to the decennial form.

• Fully expect renewed Congressional efforts to weaken or eliminate the ACS


Remember! Why It Matters

• The Census determines distribution of public funds, resources, political representation and is needed for sound policymaking

• Every omission in the Census, every error, every overcount has consequences for local communities

• An accurate and complete 2020 Census is now most at risk than ever, with many unknowns

• The 2020 Census is here, we need your engagement now


Rosalind GoldSenior Director, Policy, Research and [email protected]

Laura MaristanyDirector of Policy and Legislative AffairsDC Office [email protected]

Erin HustingsSenior Policy [email protected]

Jazmin GarciaStaff [email protected]

NALEO Educational Fund Policy Contactswww.naleo.org

mailto:[email protected]





HOW CAN WE PROCEED?Q&A / DISCUSSION

Arturo Vargas

Joan Naymark

Bob Tracy


Thank you!

Census 2020: The Count Starts Now

Technology