Counting Every Child So That Every Child Counts

Counting Every Child So That Every Child Counts – Census 2010 February 16, 2010 Co-hosted by: Center for Public Policy Priorities, Texans Care for Children, and Texas Early Childhood Education Coalition

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION WHAT IS THE 2010 CENSUS? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? WHY ARE KIDS UNDERCOUNTED? WHAT’S THE TIMELINE? WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MY COMMUNITY?

What is the 2010 Census? Count of EVERYONE residing in U. S.

What is the 2010 Census? Required by the U. S. Constitution every 10 years

What is the 2010 Census? Easy Important Safe

It’s EASY. . . 10 Questions, 10 Minutes # of people in house Rent vs. own Contact info Gender Age Hispanic Origin Race Other residence

How is my information used? No individual information is reported. Your information is grouped with everyone else’s from your area. Your Age Median Age for Your City

It’s IMPORANT!! Used to distribute money to communities for schools, hospitals, and programs like job training that help people for the next 10 years!!

What’s At Stake? Federal Funds For every 100 people not counted, a community may lose $1. 2 million over 10 years!

What’s at Stake? $30 BILLION a year and counting!!!!! Medicaid $18. 7 BILLION Special Education Grants $916 M Title 1 Grants to Local School Districts $732 M Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) $556 M Source: Federal Funds for TX in 2008 based on Census Data, October 2009 preliminary data, Brookings Institution

What’s at Stake? $30 BILLION a year and counting!!!!! Head Start $480 M Improving Teacher Quality State Grants $247 M Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) $221 M Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the CCDBG $221 M Source: Federal Funds for TX in 2008 based on Census Data, October 2009 preliminary data, Brookings Institution

What’s at Stake? $30 BILLION a year and counting!!!!! Foster Care Title IV-E $207 M Prevention & Treatment of Substance Abuse $135 M* Social Services Block Grant $132 M Maternal & Child Health Services Block Grant $34 M *ONLY source of public funding in Texas for this program (i. e. , no state funding)

What’s at Stake? Other programs where Census is used for budgetary planning: Food Stamps (SNAP) $2. 6 BILLION WIC $560 M Child Support Enforcement $174 M

Don’t leave money on the table for someone else to take!!

It’s IMPORANT!! Political Representation Texas stands to gain FOUR new Congressional seats Affects drawing district boundaries for Congress State legislature City Council School Boards

It’s SAFE By law, Census Bureau cannot share any individual’s information with anyone, including other federal agencies or any law enforcement entities Unlawful disclosure $250, 000 fine Up to five years imprisonment

UNDERCOUNTED POPULATIONS IN THE CENSUS: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?

Most Undercounted Groups in 2000 Census Minorities Men Renters Young Children and Young Adults

Overcount Undercount Percentage Undercount by Age Source; U. S. Census Bureau, Antonio Bruce, 2002 Population Association of America, Conference Poster Session.

Young Children are the MOST UNDERCOUNTED group Est. 750, 000 young children missed across U. S. in 2000 Lots of young kids in hardto-count areas Minority children missed most often Reduced funding for needy families

www. censushardtocountmaps. org

What’s the Timeline? MARCH Bulk Hiring Begins Households receive forms mid-month 13 -15 million bilingual forms APRIL April 1 st: “Census Day” Mid-April: begin door-to-door counts (Apr-July)

Why should you help? You are a trusted voice in your community! You know your community best. If you’re a nonprofit, you are likely located in a hard to count area. You have an inherent interest to ensure the best for your community.

How can you help? Become a Census Partner!!!! Call Dallas Regional Census Office: (214) 637 -9680 Join a Complete Count Committee Get access to all Census publications and graphics

CENSUS BUREAU URLs Main webpage for the 2010 Census http: //2010. census. gov/ Regional Census Offices http: //www. census. gov/regions/

Help Spread the Word: Kids!! Census Bureau’s Census in Schools Initiative

NALEO Educational Fund: http: //hagasecontar. yaeshora. info Counting Children: Hazme Contar! The National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO) is promoting incorporation and use of U. S. Census Bureau’s Census in Schools curriculum in K-6 districts and schools, to teach children about the importance of the Census and being counted. Provide ya es hora materials to early childhood service providers to directly appeal to parents.

Help Spread the Word: General Information Put out fliers or posters in lobby

Help Spread the Word: General Information Become a Questionnaire Assistance Center or a Be Counted Site

Help Spread the Word: General Information Share NALEO’s bilingual hotline for answering questions about census: 1 -877 -EL-CENSO (1 -877 -352 -3676)

Help Spread the Word: In your communications! • Insert blurb in newsletter • Note to listserv • Link to Census 2010 and other support organizations on your website

Help Spread the Word: Start Conversations! Talk with clients and constituents about the Census during regular services, meetings, trainings, and educational activities.

Help Spread the Word: Jobs!! 84, 000 Census Jobs in Texas $8 -$24/hr http: //2010. census. gov/2010 censusjobs/

The main message is that it’s. . . Easy Important Safe

Help Spread the Word: Web!! Use available resources (don’t reinvent the wheel) Census Bureau 2010 site www. cppp. org/Census 2010 Nonprofits. Count. org Civil. Rights. org/census http: //hagasecontar. yaeshora. info

http: //2010. census. gov/partners/materials

www. nonprofitscount. org

www. civilrights. org/census/

Contact Information Frances Deviney, Ph. D. Texas KIDS COUNT Director Center for Public Policy Priorities deviney@cppp. org Don Smith, Ph. D. Research Director Texas Early Childhood Coalition dsmith@tecec. org Eileen Garcia, J. D. Executive Director Texans Care for Children egarcia@texanscareforchildren. org