2023 FCSM Research and Policy Conference

October 26, 2023

Paul Schroeder

Executive Director
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COPAFS Mission

The Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics 

(COPAFS) is devoted to educational activities and to preserving the 

public good represented by federal statistical collections.

Since 1980, COPAFS has provided an open dialog between those who 

use federal statistics in professional contexts and the Federal statistical 

agencies that produce those statistics for the public good. Supporting 

organizations include professional associations, businesses, research 

institutes, and others that help to produce and/or use federal statistics.
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Two Objectives

1. Awareness: Increase the level and scope of knowledge about 

developments affecting Federal statistics

2. Engagement: Foster discussion within and among COPAFS 

members to respond to important issues in Federal statistics and 

bring the views of members to bear on decisions affecting Federal 

statistical programs. Ensure the data producers receive input from 

the data users.

Our Goal: Advancing Excellence in Federal Statistics.
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COPAFS helps:

1. Professional associations and other organizations obtain and 

share information about developments affecting federal statistical 

programs

2. Federal agencies to disseminate information on developments of 

interest to the professional community and to obtain advice about 

professional societies’ concerns and priorities

3. Congressional offices to clarify issues and questions about the 

federal statistical system, to plan hearings related to federal 

statistical programs, and to identify experts to testify

4. The public to learn more about the federal statistical agencies, to 

communicate views of data users concerning federal statistical 

activities, and to obtain a better understanding of how policy and 

budget are likely to affect the availability of federal statistics.
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Activities

1. Obtain information on developments in statistics through 

discussions with officials, attendance at congressional hearings and 

advisory committee meetings, and exchanges of documents;

2. Disseminate information and encourage discussion and action on 

developments in federal statistics through correspondence and 

presentations at Council and professional association meetings; and

3. Plan and present educational programs on uses of statistics in 

policy formulation, public and private decision-making, research, the 

distribution of products, and the allocation of resources.
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Quarterly Meetings

• Held the first-ish Friday of March, June, September, and December

• Features presentations by:

 OMB

 Principal Statistical Agencies

 Data Users

 Other Stakeholders

• Topics include policy information, new research and methodologies, 

agency updates

• Serves as a networking opportunity for attendees and the agencies

• Past meeting recordings available in Members Only section at copafs.org
Agenda – Sept 8th Quarterly Meeting

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9:00 – 9:10

Welcome

Felice Levine, Chair, COPAFS Board

9:10 – 9:20 COPAFS Update

Paul Schroeder, Executive Director, COPAFS

9:20 – 10:00 Updateon the Federal Statistical System

Karin Orvis, Office of Management and Budget

10:00 – 11:00 Health of the Federal Statistical System

Claire Bowen, Connie Citro, Nancy Potok & Jonathan Auerbach

11:00 – 12:00 Introducing Census’ Annual Integrated Economic Survey 

Blynda Metcalf & Jenna Morse, U.S. Census Bureau

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch Break

1:00 – 2:30 Probability Panel Science – Where are we now?

David Dutwin, NORC & Michael Link, Ipsos

2:30 – 3:00 COPAFS Business Meeting – Member Ideas and Input

3:00 Adjourn
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Save the Date!

The Next COPAFS Quarterly 

Meeting is on . . .

Friday, December 1, 2023

This will be a virtual meeting.
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2023 FCSM Research and Policy Conference

October 24-26, 2023

College Park Marriott Conference Center

Building Toward the Future: Strengthening and Expanding 

the Capacity of the Federal Statistical Ecosystem

COPAFS serves as Operational Manager for the Conference on 

behalf of FCSM.
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COPAFS Initiatives

• NSOPF Working Group

• National Study of Postsecondary Faculty

• Last conducted in 2004 by NCES

• Growing demand for these data by education researchers

• Session on the need for NSOPF at the 2022 FCSM conference

• NSF grant awarded to conduct a pilot study

• Confidentiality and Data Access Webinar Series

• Held 8 webinars over 5 months in 2020 with federal and industry 

experts on data privacy

• Included focus on risk assessment, disclosure avoidance, and 2020 

Census Data Products
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COPAFS Initiatives

• DDI Metadata Standards Webinar

• Held in March, 2022

• Dan Gillman (BLS) explained what the Data Documentation Initiative 

(DDI) Metadata Standards are and how they support transparency in 

federal statistics

• Implications for data linkages for inter-agency collaborations

• Tiered Access Workshop

• Held in January, 2020

• Supported by Sloan Foundation

• Produced a Report and Recommendations
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COPAFS Public Policy Agenda

1. Increase Spending for Statistical Agencies

2. Highlight the Work of Statistical Agencies

3. Protect the Independence and Integrity of Federal Statistics

4. Ensure a Fair and Accurate Decennial Census

5. Support Data Modernization Initiatives
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COPAFS Members (selected) • American Association for Public Opinion Research • American Association of University Professors • American Economic Association • American Educational Research Association • American Psychological Association • Association of Public Data Users • Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management • American Sociological Association • American Statistical Association • International Association for Social Science Information Services and Technology • Justice Research and Statistics Association • National Association for Business Economics • American Institutes for Research • Georgetown University • ICF International • Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan • Ipsos • Joint Program for Survey Methodology, University of Maryland • Mathematica Policy Research • The Nielsen Company • NORC at the University of Chicago • RTI International • Social & Decision Analytics Division (SDAD), University of Virginia • Urban Institute • Westat
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Connect with COPAFS

www.copafs.org

@copafsk

linkedin.com/company/copafs

@copafs.bsky.social

Email me directly at paul.schroeder@copafs.org