Advancing the Federal Statistical Ecosystem TODAY!

A ‘how-to’ session for supporting the FSS

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Session H-5: Advancing the Federal Statistical Ecosystem TODAY!

Organizer: Jennifer Nielsen, National Center for Education Statistics

Chair: Jennifer Nielsen, National Center for Education Statistics
FCSM: A brief overview of FCSM and ways you can get 

involved

Jennifer Nielsen, National Center for Education Statistics

Darius Singpurwalla, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

Ellen Galantucci, Federal Maritime Commission

Agenda:

• Welcome

• Mission of the FCSM

• Activities of the FCSM

• How to get involved with the FCSM
FCSM: A brief overview of FCSM and ways you can get 

involved

Jennifer Nielsen, National Center for Education Statistics

Mission of the FCSM

• Inform and advise OMB and the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP) on methodological and 

statistical issues that affect the quality of federal data; 

• Compile, assess, and disseminate information on statistical or survey methods and practices for federal 

statistical programs;

• Provide recommendations on issues of statistical methodology such as measurement, analysis, survey 

methods, survey errors, data collection methods and technologies, use of administrative and third-party 

data, record linkage, disclosure limitation, data visualization and dissemination of information that affect 

federal statistical programs and improve data quality, including transparency, timeliness, accuracy, relevance, 

utility, accessibility, and cost effectiveness; 

• Provide a forum for statisticians in different federal agencies to discuss issues affecting federal statistical 

programs; and 

• Promote and support cooperative research across agencies on issues relevant to federal statistical activities. 
FCSM: A brief overview of FCSM and ways you can get 

involved

Darius Singpurwalla, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

Activities of the FCSM

• Meets as a whole group at intervals and sites designated by the Chair(s).

• Establishes subcommittees to study particular issues, form temporary program committees, or sponsor 

ongoing interest groups focused on a particular statistical or methodological topic. 

• Creates and disseminates reports, working papers, guidance, or recommendations through publication and 

through its website.

• Facilitates the dissemination of statistical and methodological research conducted or sponsored by federal 

agencies, federal interagency working groups, and other cross-agency bodies.

• Sponsors seminars, workshops, conferences, or other events. 

• Arranges for projects to be jointly sponsored by the federal agencies and may participate in the 

administration of the projects.
FCSM: A brief overview of FCSM and ways you can get 

involved

Darius Singpurwalla, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

How to get involved with the FCSM

• FCSM Conference Planning Committee

• The conference planning committee is involved in all facets of putting together the annual research and policy 

conference. The conference planning committee handles the logistics of the conference as well as building the 

conference program.

• Subcommittees 

• Subcommittees are established to explore some particular aspect of statistical methodology and produce a specific 

product within a set period of time. Products may include reports, working papers, guidance, or recommendations.

• Data Quality Subcommittee 

• Federal Statistical System Research Subcommittee

• Subcommittee on Updating Statistical Methods for Safeguarding Protected Data (Data Protection Toolkit; DPT)

• Nonresponse Bias Working Group Subcommittee 

• Equity Toolkit Project

• Building Trust and FAIRness into the Process for Finding and Using Government Data Project (Joint CDOC-FCSM 

committee)
FCSM: A brief overview of FCSM and ways you can get 

involved

Ellen Galantucci, Federal Maritime Commission

How to get involved with the FCSM via Interest Groups

• Interest Group on Innovating Data Collection (Adaptive Design Interest Group)

• Provides a vehicle to share information about the use of innovative data collection techniques, strategic 

data collection management efforts in Federal surveys, and other relevant topics. Examples of topics 

relevant to this interest group include adaptive or responsive survey design, survey paradata, 

interviewer monitoring, program evaluation, and participant recruiting options.

• Computational Statistics and the Production of Official Statistics Interest Group (CSPOS)

• Focuses on sharing information on new and emerging computational statistics methods, sharing best 

practices for implementation and maintenance of statistical software, and training on emerging 

programming languages such as R and Python.

• Manages the GASP! Conference

• Geospatial Interest Group

• Facilitates information sharing on geospatial methodologies, classifications, standards, and criteria in the 

context of producing federal statistics.
FCSM: A brief overview of FCSM and ways you can get 

involved

Ellen Galantucci, Federal Maritime Commission

How to get involved with the FCSM via Interest Groups

• Measuring Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Research Group

• Explores the best practices of the measurement of SOGI in the context of Federal information 

collections. The Group provides ongoing opportunities for individuals interested in statistical methods or 

data quality related to SOGI to interact, exchange information, and explore issues related to this topic.

• Confidentiality and Data Access Committee (CDAC)

• Focuses on issues related to statistical disclosure limitation (de-identification) and controlled access to 

confidential data.

• Metadata Interest Group

• Being formed to build standards for the improvement of data catalogs that convey metadata about data 

inventory contents to help evaluate fitness for use.
CNSTAT: Helping Improve Federal Statistics, Methods, 

and Practices for Over 50 Years

Melissa Chiu, CNSTAT
COPAFS: Advancing and Promoting Understanding of 

Federal Statistics and Federal Statistical Agencies

Paul Schroeder, COPAFS
WSS: Live or work in the metropolitan Washington, DC area? 

Use statistical or data science methods or data? If the 

answers to these questions are "yes," join the Washington 

Statistical Society (WSS)

Erin Tanenbaum, NORC at the University of Chicago
ASA: Promoting the Practice and Profession of 

Statistics®

Steve Pierson, American Statistical Association
Discussion