1. What is the census?
The census is a count of every person who lives in the United States and its territories. It happens every 10 years. The census asks questions of people in homes and group living situations, including how many people live or stay in each home, and the sex, age and race of each person. The goal is to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place.
2. How much federal funding is derived from census data?
Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are based on population totals and breakdowns by sex, age, race and other factors. Communities benefit the most when the census counts everyone. More than $675 billion per year in federal funds spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other vital programs.
3. What NYS educational programs receive funding from census data?
- Federal Pell Grant Program: $1,775,000,000
- Title I Grants to LEAs: $1,140,729,371
- National School Lunch Program: $697,620,000
- Special Education Grants: $777,387,531
- Head Start: $630,497,247
- School Breakfast Program: $220,054,000
- Supporting Effective Instruction Grants: $207,421,113
- Career & Technical Ed Grants to States: $51,322,979
4. What census resources are available for educators?
Using the Statistics in Schools (SIS) resources in your classroom during the 2019-2020 school year will support efforts to make sure EVERY child is counted in the 2020 Census. The SIS website offers lessons, activities, maps, videos & visualizations to support instruction aligned to many different curricular areas including math, social studies, geography & ELA.
5. Are there other teaching tools available to support census instruction?
Yes! NOVELNY gives communities across New York State online access to K-12 databases that contain credible, current and relevant information about the census. Students, teachers and families can use the search terms "census" or "census 2020" to get information from Kids Infobits, Gale Middle School, Opposing Viewpoints, Britannica School & Esoclar!
6. Are there library standards that support census instruction?
- AASL standards: "Learners will share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society"
- NYS ESIFC standards: "Learners will demonstrate civic resposibility, respect for diverse perspectives, collaboration and digital citizenship"
7. How else can I help promote the 2020 census in my school library?
Be creative! Create census-related book displays or use social media to get the message out there! Work with teachers and administrators to develop authentic and relevant lessons and projects such as student created PSAs and/or census related makerspace activities! Read the ALA Libraries Guide to the 2020 Census and connect with your public library colleagues to learn how they are working to promote census completion!