On October 22, the Association of Public Data Users (APDU) http://apdu.org/  hosted a webinar on Census Bureau activities related to the 2020 Census.

Deirdre Bishop, Senior Advisor, Administrative Records and Data Linkage at the Census Bureau spoke. 

The main objective is for the 2020 Census to cost LESS per housing unit than the 2010 Census, while retaining data quality.

To do this, the Census Bureau identified the major cost drivers and has identified 4 key targets:

1. Address canvasing

a. Goal is to limit the field work to checking of only 20% of housing unit addresses, with the remaining 80% done using computer (Internet) resources and other shared files

b. Want to use files from local governments, tribes, and/or third party commercial vendors

c. Hope to save $1 Billion compared to 2010

2. Increasing self-enumeration

a. 2010 Census did not promote internet response.  Internet response will be very important for the 2020 Census. Estimate 55% will use Internet response, based on current response to ACS

b. Estimated saving of $548 million, not having to do data capture of paper forms

c. Questions that need to be addressed:

i. Can people respond without having a unique ID code sent to them in advance (type in their address on the computer)

ii. Can people provide to the CB their preferred contact mechanism in advance, e.g. email, text

iii. Can addresses be submitted by respondents and have real time matching and geocoding

3. Using Administrative records

a. Hope that using administrative records can remove vacant and deleted housing unit addresses in advance, and reduce Non-Response Follow Up (NRFU) by 12%.

b. Estimate $1.23 Billion in savings

c. Questions that need to be addressed:

i. Will CB get permissions to use these (various) administrative records as part of decennial census

ii. What about proxy responses? E.g. neighbors

iii. What will the public perception be if administrative records are used

4. Reengineering field operations

a. Plan to reduce the number of personal visits from 6 to 3 visits per housing unit address.

b. Plan for 75% of enumerators to use their own device (BYOD) for enumerating

c. Supervisors will have electronic access to enumerator workloads and be able to adjust

d. Considering alternatives to field staff structure

APDU has always been a great resource, especially on decennial census and American Community Survey activities, especially for those of us who do not attend the American Statististical Association (ASA) meeting at the Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM). This webinar is one of the benefits of APDU membership.  I encourage you to become involved and JOIN APDU!  As members, you also have access to previously conducted and recorded webinars. 

APDU gave me permission to share my notes with the CTPP listserv!

Elaine Murakami

206-220-4460 (in Seattle)