SDC Annual Training Conference Minutes

April 9-11, 2018

Page 2

- • Economic Census –will hear about this a little later
- • Census Budget
- o FY18 dollars, $50 million contingency secretary ask for o FY18 dollars, $50 million contingency secretary ask for
- o billion extra for FY 19 – budget trick – rolled 1 billion into 18 with parameters, to o billion extra for FY 19 – budget trick – rolled 1 billion into 18 with parameters, to smooth funding
- o communication activities o communication activities
- o understand it takes money for Census o understand it takes money for Census
- o request from secretary for citizenship question o request from secretary for citizenship question
- § Same question as on the American Community Survey (ACS), hasn’t been tested as decennial question
- § 18 states involved in lawsuit
- § Have to print forms – so need to have a decision by early 2019
- § From a communications standpoint –Need to communicate that the information is confidential and that the Census Bureau cannot share the information with any agency, etc. Trusted voices will be important.
- • Questions:
- o Virden: Is it a mandatory question? o Virden: Is it a mandatory question?
- § Stephen: By law all questions are mandatory, if left blank we will follow-up. Details in the secretary’s memo. Potentially use administrative records to fill in.
- o Zhang: What geographic level is the summary file going to be released at? o Zhang: What geographic level is the summary file going to be released at?
- § Stephen: Block level but still discussing how to be rolled out – will be working with data product team
- o Willrodt: Is there a minimum number of questions answered to be counted? o Willrodt: Is there a minimum number of questions answered to be counted?
- § Stephen: we want info on all questions. During non-response follow up (NRFU), there will be verification of incomplete forms. Will trigger follow-up in person
- o to have enough staff for in person NRFU? o to have enough staff for in person NRFU?
- § Stephen: Too early to tell impact. Response pattern with ACS – not a big drop off in response with citizenship question.
- o Guthrie: next steps? Budget implications? o Guthrie: next steps? Budget implications?
- § Stephen: not sure it’s going to cost more. Always been a mistrust of government. If we do our job right, maybe we can keep response rate on target. 2000 and 2010 hit response rates. We are working with you to provide support and answer questions but can’t do it alone. Four times as many responses in testing than in 2010. Focus groups are probing the citizenship question. We will release the creative and media message asap.
- o Vink: can you speak to what congress is doing? o Vink: can you speak to what congress is doing?
- § Stephen: At the end of March we submitted the questions to congress. Delegated authority through title 13. Congress has time to review question.
- o Schenker: internet responses, are you able to skip questions and submit if not o Schenker: internet responses, are you able to skip questions and submit if not filling in all questions?
- § Stephen: Yes – there will be hard edits and soft edits. Some questions can be skipped after several reminders. Expect demo when online instrument is finalized. Still in testing. Will work with partners to get count in areas without internet connectivity.

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