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CTPP webinar on using IPUMS to analyze ACS PUMS

by Elaine.Murakami＠dot.gov

We are hosting a short session to train users on using the Minnesota Population Center IPUMS . http://usa.ipums.org/usa/ The IPUMS project provides a user-friendly approach to using decennial Census and ACS Public User Microdata Samples (PUMS) including the newest 2005-2007 ACS file and the Census 2000, and many older decennial census files. These microdata samples are a portion of the full individual records and include all the variables. The data are NOT pre-tabulated. If you need a quick tabulation that is not included in a CTPP or a standard Census file like Summary File 3, or the American FactFinder, then using the microdata may be a solution for you. The PUMS are restricted to larger geographic units (Public Use Microdata Area) to protect individual confidentiality. For example, Nathan Erlbaum from New York State recently wanted to know the the impact of group quarters population on bicycle commuting. I ran a table using Census 2000 (includes group quarters) and 2005 ACS (excludes group quarters). Probably I should have compared 2005 ACS to 2006 ACS! By the way, the answer was that group quarters had a large effect on walking for the mode to work, and not much difference on bicycling. You do not need to have statistical software installed on your PC. The SDA program in IPUMS can run simple tabulations, regressions, and logit models. We will learn basic techniques to select rows and columns, filtering (subsetting), re-grouping variable classifications (very important for continuous variables like travel time, departure time, age, income) and even try a simple regression. The on-line software cannot do as sophisticated variable processing as a system like SAS or S+, but it can provide analysts with a quick way to examine basic patterns that can be used to design more sophisticated analyses. DATE: April 16, 2009 Thursday TIME: 1 - 2:30 p.m. Eastern Pre-registration is required: http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.as… I have reserved 65 slots. Hope to see you there! IPUMS for Census Data Main instructor: Katie Genadek, Minnesota Population Center, IPUMS project. Elaine Murakami FHWA Office of Planning 206-220-4460 (in Seattle)

15 years, 9 months

Alison K Fields/POP/HQ/BOC is out of the office.

by alison.k.fields＠census.gov

I will be out of the office starting 03/17/2009 and will not return until 03/23/2009. If you need immediate assistance please see one of the people acting for me during my absence. Kin Koerber - March 17- March 19 Melissa Chiu - March 20 For all CTPP-related matters please see Melissa Chiu.

15 years, 9 months

John C Joiner/COA is out of the office.

by John C Joiner

I will be out of the office starting 03/10/2009 and will not return until 03/19/2009.

15 years, 9 months

ACS 5-year Federal Register Notice

by Ed Christopher

I am not sure if others are pondering what the recent Federal Register notice on ACS 5-year data products really means but I believe that there are some “key” facts missing. Facts that would allow users’ the ability to asses the true impact of the rules. For example: Rule 7 of the Disclosure Avoidance rules states that “For the residence and workplace tables where means of transportation (mode) is crossed with one or more other variables, there must be at least three unweighted workers in sample for each transportation mode in a given place for the table to be released. Otherwise the data must be collapsed or suppressed and complementary suppression must be applied. There is no threshold on univariate tables.” http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/proposal_acs5yearproducts.pdf While this might sound very straight forward we know from the “statistical collapsing” rules that were applied to the 3-year data that only one collapsing attempt is made of the data and if the table does not pass it is tossed out (suppressed). What we do not know about the current rule is what will the collapsing hierarchy be, and will the Census continue collapsing modes into each other until the threshold is met? Both the Federal Register notice and the rules are silent on this issue. In some recent work done for FHWA by the Census Bureau we do know that at a Tract level a great deal of data will be suppressed under Rule 7. Using 5-year data from five of the ACS test counties, Multnomah, Lake, Broward, San Francisco and Bronx we do know that if all 17 modes (means of transportation) are used only 3 to 8 percent of the Tracts would have enough data to be released. However, if we cut the number of modes down to only 4 including Drove Alone, Carpooled, Transit, and other including work at home somewhere between 5 and 37 percent of the tables will be suppressed. And that is at the TRACT level! If per chance someone wants to go one step up the modal ladder and split out “bike and walk” and make work at home a separate category yielding 6 modal categories, upwards of 80 percent of the TRACT level tables can expected to be suppressed. At the Block Group the suppression will be only worse. -- Ed Christopher Resource Center Planning Team Federal Highway Administration 19900 Governors Drive Olympia Fields, Illinois 60461 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) 708-283-3501 (F)

15 years, 10 months

CB Federal Register Notice: ACS 5-year data products proposal

by Murakami, Elaine

Dear Everyone: Today, the Census Bureau issued this Federal Register notice. The 5-year ACS is the first ACS product for small area geography, e.g. census tracts and block groups. I have extracted KEY POINTS that will GREATLY IMPACT data availability for transportation tables and result in a lot of DATA SUPPRESSION at the tract and block group level. As this FR was just issued today, we have not had a chance to estimate the amount of suppression that would occur given these proposed conditions. We are currently working on profile sheets using the 2005-2007 ACS (3-year data) that was released in December 2008. We are finding many tables to be suppressed. So, even with the population threshold of 20,000 for the 3-year ACS data, there is considerable suppression on the current ACS standard table production, at least those tables of key interest to transportation planners. As most of you know, the first CTPP using ACS is a planned 3-year accumulation from ACS 2006-2008. The table list will be re-submitted by AASHTO to the Census Bureau in a few weeks. The next CTPP product is envisioned as a 5-year accumulation from ACS 2006-2010. Because of the many rules the CB has established to protect individual confidentiality not just for the ACS Standard tables, but also for custom tabulations like the CTPP, we believe that the 5-year CTPP for small area tabulation (e.g. TAZs) will need to rely on synthetic data generated inside the CB using the ACS microdata records. _________________________________________________________ *Federal Register Notice: The 5-Year ACS Data Products Release Plan Today the U.S Census Bureau published its data release plan for the ACS 5-year data products in the Federal Register (E9-4803). Beginning in late 2010, the Census Bureau plans to introduce 5-year data products covering the January 2005 through December 2009 data collection period. The release of the 5-year estimates will achieve the goal of the ACS to provide small area data similar to the long-form sample data published after Census 2000. The Census Bureau is proposing to modify its current line of data products to accommodate the 5-year estimates and is requesting comments from current and potential users of ACS data products to help guide this modification. We invite you to review the 5-Year ACS Data Release Plan and provide your response to the contact listed in the Federal Register notice. Please follow this link to the Federal Register notice (PDF files) posted in the Highlights section on the ACS Main page: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/ Comments are due to the contact listed in the Federal Register notice by April 20, 2009 >From the Census Bureau's pdf document: 2. Detailed tables with more than 100 cells cannot be released at the block group level. 5. For the Selected Population Profiles, there must be at least 50 unweighted sample cases over the 5-year period in the universe (specific population subgroup) in a given geographic area for the profile to be released. 6. For workplace tables, there must be at least 50 unweighted or 300 weighted workers in sample over the 5-year period in a given workplace for the table to be released. 7. For the residence and workplace tables where means of transportation (mode) is crossed with one or more other variables, there must be at least three unweighted workers in sample for each transportation mode in a given place for the table to be released. Otherwise the data must be collapsed or suppressed and complementary suppression must be applied. There is no threshold on univariate tables. Elaine Murakami FHWA Office of Planning elaine.murakami(a)dot.gov Note: please update my contact information. My previous email address will likely expire on March 11. 206-220-4460

15 years, 10 months

John C Joiner/COA is out of the office.

by John C Joiner

I will be out of the office starting 03/05/2009 and will not return until 03/09/2009.

15 years, 10 months

Re: [CTPP] CB Federal Register Notice: ACS 5-year data products proposal (Out of Office Reply)

by Nathan Erlbaum

I am out of the office from Mon 3/2 - Fri 3/6 , returning possibly 3/9 weather permitting. If you have an IT issue, please carbon Bob Curtis as he will proxy for me in my absence. If you have a GIS issue please contact Aaron Westcott, I will have limited e-mail access but will be monitoring my messages. If it is a technical question I'll get back to you upon my return.

15 years, 10 months

Diana Portillo is out of the office.

by Diana Portillo

I will be out of the office starting 03/05/2009 and will not return until 03/11/2009.

15 years, 10 months

ACS Commuting Data

by Ed Christopher

I received this in my email but thought answering it would be relevant to the larger CTPP group. ----------- Garth wrote: Elaine/Ed: Has there been any county-to-county commuting data yet from the American Community Survey? Unless I've missed it somewhere, I don't think there has been since not all counties are available yet. Will county-to-county commuting flow data be available in the next ACS/CTPP multi-year product? If so, are we still looking at 2011 for the release of such data? I'd appreciate any clarifications/references you could provide. Thanks, Garth ----------- The short answer is that there has not been any county-to-county commuting data yet and the Census Bureau has been mute on the question of ever producing any as part of their standard tabulation program. Using "Magic 8 ball" speak one could speculate that "it is doubtful" if they ever would. However, all is not lost! The transportation community has been very vocal that "We NEED Flows." As such the AASHTO CTPP Oversight Board is positioning itself to request a set of tables which will include flows. The request is set to get to the Census Bureau by April 1, 2009. Currently, a task force is working on the tables and ironing out a few bumps in terms of what tables to ask for and the modal collapsing schema that might pass disclosure rules. The task forces is very close to done. (The December newsletter talks about the disclosure hurdles http://www.trbcensus.com/newsltr/sr1208.pdf). Once we get the tables pinned down in the next few weeks we will certainly be circulating them to our large community. In terms of tables, the request will go to the Census Bureau by April 1st and then the Disclosure Review Board will have to rule and then cost estimates will need to firmed up and contracts written. If all goes well, the tables would use the 2006, 2007 and 2008 ACS data with possible receipt of some data by 2010/2011. We have been told that the actual production of the tables can go quite quickly once we get over all the stuff at the front end. Right now, a lot has to fall in place but the message has been heard that, FLOW DATA is MUST. Right now the only reference is the letter that was sent from the Oversight Board on February 9th stating that we are working on a 3-year ACS data table request. I have attached it. Stay tuned..... Ed Christopher 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) FHWA RC-TST-PLN 19900 Governors Dr Olympia Fields, IL 60461

15 years, 10 months

CENSUS NEWS BRIEF 2-24-2009

by Ed Christopher

CONGRESS SET TO FINISH 2009 FUNDING BILL; CENSUS FULLY FUNDED FOR CURRENT YEAR Plus: President Reportedly Will Name New Commerce Secretary; and more. Congressional appropriators are set to consider this week an omnibus funding bill (H.R. 1105) to pay for most non-defense federal programs for the remainder of FY2009, which ends September 30, 2009. The $410 billion measure allocates the full budget request of $3.14 billion for the Census Bureau, well more than double the 2008 appropriation of $1.26 billion. The bill is expected to go directly to the House floor, without a committee vote, and then on to the Senate. The Bush Administration originally requested $2.635 billion for the Census Bureau this year, but amended its request last spring after problems with the large contract for GPS-equipped handheld computers forced the bureau to revise the way it will collect information from households that do not mail back a census form next year. The 2010 census “replan” issued in 2008 could increase the lifecycle cost of the decennial count by up to $3 billion. The FY2009 appropriations measure includes $2.906 billion for Periodic Censuses and Programs, the overall account that covers the decennial census and American Community Survey. The bill carries forward previous legislative language prohibiting the Census Bureau from eliminating the “Some Other Race” option on the census race question and from instituting a sweepstakes to encourage census participation. The bill also encourages spending on “promotion, outreach, and marketing activities.” “Periodics” funding also covers the quinquennial (every five years) economic and government censuses. The joint explanatory statement accompanying the bill notes that Congress is providing full funding for the decennial census “to return the 2010 Census to a more reliable, paper-based operation, with the expectation that the new Administration will focus the requisite oversight to ensure a successful Decennial.” The report says that a “lack of critical oversight” and “lack of attention” in the previous Administration “significantly increased the risk of failure” for the census. The committee report highlights the importance of paid media in promoting the census, especially in minority communities and communities with limited English proficiency. Appropriators directed the Census Bureau to reevaluate its communications program in light of the revised plan for nonresponse follow-up and to submit a comprehensive communications plan for 2010 to Congress. They also expressed support for “robust partnership and outreach efforts … with specific focus on hard-to-reach populations.” Other issues highlighted in the committee’s statement are language assistance programs for both the decennial census and American Community Survey (ACS); the importance of reliable census and ACS data for numerically small populations, such as Asian, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander subgroups; and Census in the Schools program, for which the committee directed the Census Bureau to spend at least $10 million on competitive grants and adult education materials in support of the 2010 census. The Census Bureau has already launched final preparations for the 2010 census. Key operations in FY2009 include: •opening and staffing 150 “early” local census offices; •canvassing all neighborhoods and rural areas to verify addresses (on the Master Address File) and geographic locations (in the TIGER system); •finalizing data capture, data processing, and telecommunications systems; •printing hundreds of millions of census questionnaires and other forms; •developing a national advertising campaign; •hiring additional national and regional staff to oversee field operations; and •implementing a nationwide Partnership Program to engage government officials, civic leaders, community organizations, businesses, and other “gatekeepers” in support of the census. Economic and demographic statistics: The 2009 spending bill includes $233.6 million for Salaries and Expenses, the account covering ongoing collection of demographic and economic statistics. House committee report language allocates $45.7 million of that amount -- $486,000 more than the previous Administration requested -- for the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), to maintain a sample size of 45,000 households and improve the survey over the next several years. The appropriations bill provides $90.6 million for the Commerce Department’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA), which houses the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in addition to the Census Bureau. The allocation is $500,000 more than the budget request. BEA produces key economic statistics, including Gross Domestic Product, that support U.S. monetary and fiscal policies, trade negotiations, business planning, and personal savings and investment decisions. Congressional appropriations process: In the coming days and months, the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations will approve final funding levels for FY2009, and hold hearings and “mark-ups” to consider the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget request for federal departments and agencies. The President will send his FY2010 budget to Congress on Thursday. The Appropriations Subcommittees on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies have jurisdiction over the Census Bureau and BEA. House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Democrats Republicans H-309 The Capitol 1016 Longworth H.O.B. Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515 Alan Mollohan (WV) Frank Wolf (VA) (Chairman) (Ranking Minority Member) Patrick Kennedy (RI) John Abney Culberson (TX) Chaka Fattah (PA) Robert B. Aderholt (AL) Adam Schiff (CA) Jo Bonner (AL) Mike Honda (CA) Jerry Lewis (CA) (ex officio) C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger (MD) Peter J. Visclosky, (IN) José E. Serrano, New York David Obey (WI)(ex offico) Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Democrats Republicans SD-144 Dirksen S.O.B. SH-123 Hart S.O.B. Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 Barbara Mikulski (MD) Richard Shelby (AL) (Chairman) (Ranking Minority Member) Patrick Leahy (VT) Judd Gregg (NH) Herb Kohl (WI) Mitch McConnell (KY) Tom Harkin (IA) Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) Byron Dorgan (ND) Sam Brownback (KS) Dianne Feinstein (CA) Lamar Alexander (TN) Jack Reed (RI) Thad Cochran (MS) (ex officio) Frank Lautenberg (NJ) Daniel Inouye (HI)(ex officio) New Commerce Secretary reportedly chosen: President Obama is prepared to nominate former Washington State Governor Gary Locke (D) to be Secretary of Commerce, a position that will give the nation’s first Chinese American governor a significant role in overseeing the 2010 census, according to Administration sources quoted in several major newspapers. Governor Locke, now a Seattle-based lawyer, is the President’s third nominee for the top Commerce post after two previous nominees, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and New Hampshire Senator Judd Gregg, withdrew from consideration. Mr. Locke served two terms as governor of Washington; he also served as a deputy prosecutor in King County (which includes the City of Seattle), member of the Washington House of Representatives, and King County chief executive. Washington State was involved in a census lawsuit following the 1990 count. With encouragement from Congress, the Census Bureau included members of the armed forces and federal civilian personnel stationed abroad in the state population totals used to apportion seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The overseas population shifted a congressional seat from Massachusetts to Washington. Massachusetts unsuccessfully challenged the Census Bureau’s decision to include overseas military and federal personnel in a case that went to the U.S. Supreme Court (Franklin v. Massachusetts, 505 U.S. 788, 1992). The Court found that the Commerce Secretary’s decision to include members of the military stationed overseas in the apportionment totals could not be reviewed as a “final agency action” under the Administrative Procedure Act. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, writing for a unanimous court, also wrote that including overseas government personnel was a reasonable interpretation of the intent of the Constitution’s census clause (Article I, section 2) to count people at their “usual place of residence.” Washington State intervened as a party in support of the Commerce Department’s position. The Administration also announced the nomination of April Boyd to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, a position that requires Senate confirmation. Ms. Boyd is the chief of staff to Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) and previously held positions with Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and in the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. General Services Administration. ----------- Census News Briefs are prepared by Terri Ann Lowenthal, an independent legislative and policy consultant working with a wide range of census stakeholders to promote an accurate 2010 census. All views expressed in the News Briefs are solely those of the author. Please direct questions about the information in this News Brief to Ms. Lowenthal at TerriAnn2K(a)aol.com. -- Ed Christopher 708-283-3534 (V) 708-574-8131 (cell) FHWA RC-TST-PLN 19900 Governors Dr Olympia Fields, IL 60461

15 years, 10 months

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