Other factors could include the number of unwed mothers living in a county or the number of children living in poverty, she said. That's about 15 percent of the county' public health budget, said Julie Ring, community health management specialist for the Minnesota Department of Health. It' a noticeable part. State-administered Medicaid programs also are based on Census data. Education focus Census results will help determine how much federal funding school districts receive for programs such as Title I, a program that helps educationally disadvantaged children build reading and math skills.
Federal funds make up a small part of most school districts' budgets.
The U.S. Department of Education uses formulas based in part on Census income data to determine Title I entitlements. Census 2000 data probably will not be used in calculating Title I funds until 2002 or 2003. I entitlement has decreased since 1997-98, Currey said. She expects that to continue even once Census 2000 figures are used. Job program ties Formulas for federal funding of job-related programs won't be based on new Census numbers until July 2002, said Larry Eisenstadt, employment and training program coordinator in the state Department of Economic Services.