Arnold Jackson

1
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• Arnold Jackson
• Associate Director for the Decennial Census
• Association of Public Data Users (APDU)
  Conference
• September 24, 2008

2
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• MAF/TIGER Accuracy Improvement Program
• The Census Bureau has completed the MAF/TIGER
  Accuracy Improvement Project with the upload to
  the MAF/TIGER database of enhanced data for the
  3,232 United States counties.

3
2010 Decennial Census Program Update
2008 Dress Rehearsal Status (Census Day May 1)

• Completed operations
• Local Update of Census Addresses
• Address Canvassing
• Group Quarters Validation
• Coverage Measurement Independent Listing
• Telephone Questionnaire Assistance
• Mail-out, check-in, and data capture of mail
  returns
• Simulated delivery of Nonresponse Followup
  Universe and Late Mail Returns
• Coverage Followup activities
• Completed down-scoping of other operations
• Ongoing Operations
• Processing of Data
• Planning for Count Review, prototype
  redistricting data products

4
2010 Decennial Census Program Update
2010 Census Preparations

• Local Update of Census Addresses
• About 29 of jurisdictions agreed to participate,
  covering about 92 of housing units.
• Shipped materials to all participants.
• We have received input from 78 of participants.
• As of August 12, integrated edits from 58 of
  submissions.
• Regional Census Center and Early Local Census
  Office space acquisition and build out
• All 12 RCCs (plus the Puerto Rico Area Office)
  are open and functional.
• Have signed leases for 98 of 150 ELCOs as of
  August 1 ELCOs open beginning October 1.

5
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• 2010 Census Preparations
• 2010 Census Questionnaire Wording
• We have done much testing of questionnaires
  throughout the decade. This includes
• Census 2000 AQE (Alternative Questionnaire
  Experiment)
• 2003 and 2005 National Census Tests
• 2004 and 2006 Census Tests
• Wide-ranging cognitive testing
• Stakeholder Input We held a special joint
  meeting of all our advisory committees on
  November 30, 2006 to review our proposed two-part
  question series for Hispanic origin and race,
  without a separate ancestry question. This
  resulted in a decision to adopt those proposed
  questions.
• Final wording was announced in January 2007.
• Additional tests planned as part of 2010 Census
  Alternative Questionnaire Experiment

6
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• 2010 Census Preparations
• Alternative Strategy for FDCA
• Alternative strategies required for FDCA due to
  the high risk and rising cost of Harris Re-plan.
• The new strategy uses Harris for near term
  operations including Address Canvassing,
  infrastructure, and development.
• Other FDCA operations will be replaced by Census
  and under other contractors.
• The strategy seeks to reduce risk and shift work
  and direct control of FDCA to Census as the
  systems integrator.

7
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• 2010 Census Preparations
• Language Program
• Goal To identify the most effective way to
  provide the opportunity to respond to the 2010
  Census in languages other than English.
• Will mail English/Spanish bilingual form to
  tracts with a high concentration of "Spanish
  Assistance" households, that is, those in which
  no person aged 15 reports speaking English "very
  well
• Will deliver bilingual form in Update/Leave areas
  if feasible operationally
• 2010 Census short form translated into five
  languages--Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese,
  and Russian
• - Available on request by calling the Telephone
  Questionnaire Assistance (TQA) line.

8
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• 2010 Census Preparations
• Language Program (continued)
• Be Counted Forms translated into these five
  languages are available at Questionnaire
  Assistance Centers and Be Counted locations.
• Telephone Questionnaire Assistance also to be
  provided in those five languages.
• Language assistance guides available in 50
  languages via the Internet and in 22 languages by
  calling TQA line.

9
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• 2010 Census Partnership Program
• The 2010 Census Partnership Program is a part of
  the overall 2010 Integrated Communications
  Program and includes both National and Local
  components.
• The goal of the Census Bureaus partnership
  program is to combine the strengths of local
  governments, community-based organizations,
  faith-based organizations, schools, media,
  businesses, and others to ensure a complete and
  accurate 2010 Census.
• The Census Bureau will provide promotional
  materials, regular updates, and data assistance
  to partners to assist in this effort.
• The 2010 Census National Partnership Program has
  started.
• Regional partnership staff reach into all
  communities, with a focus on hard-to-count
  populations, such as renters, those living in
  poverty, and those living in both dense urban
  neighborhoods and sparsely populated rural areas
  of our nation. We now have 120 regional
  partnership specialists and will be hiring an
  additional 460 in January 2009.

10
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• 2010 Census Partnership Program (continued)
• There are many ways that your organization can
  get involved and support the 2010 Census. For
  example
• Sign a Partnership Agreement and pass a
  resolution/proclamation in support of the Census.
• Appoint a liaison to work with the Census Bureau.
• Help us recruit job candidates and distribute and
  display recruiting materials.
• Mobilize your local chapters/affiliates to help
  us promote the Census by
• Organizing and/or serving on a local Complete
  Count Committee.
• Providing space to test and train job applicants.
• Working with the relevant Regional Census
  Centers.
• Providing space for the Be Counted sites and
  Questionnaire Assistance Centers.
• In 2010, encourage your membership/community to
  complete and mail their questionnaires.

11
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• 2010 Census Communications Plan
• The campaigns goals are to
• Increase mail response.
• Improve overall accuracy and reduce the
  differential undercount.
• Improve cooperation with enumerators.
• The campaign will include
• National TV, radio, and print.
• Local radio and print.
• Interactive media and recruitment efforts.
• DraftFCB subcontracted with GG an
  SBA-certified, small advertising agency with
  expertise in the American Indian, Alaska Native,
  and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders
  populations. GG also developed the advertising
  and marketing for the Census 2000 AIAN effort.

12
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• Next Steps
• We are counting on your assistance, not only in
  the Count Review program after we have completed
  the field work, but to get the word out to
  everyone that the 2010 Census is around the
  corner.
• Its in Our Hands

13
2010 Decennial Census Program Update

• American Community Survey
• ACS replaces the long form
• 2008 Data Release
• Income, earnings, and poverty data - August 26
  (areas and groups of 65,000 or more)
• Remaining 1-year data - September 23
• First 3-year data - December (areas and groups of
  20,000 or more)
• New 2008 questionnaire has been fielded with
  three new questions
• Health Insurance
• Marital History
• Veterans Administration service-connected
  disability rating
• 2009 questionnaire will add two questions
• Duration of Vacancy
• Field of College Degree