2020 Census: Easy, Safe & Important To Our Schools

2020 Census: Easy, Safe & Important To Our Schools
Posted on 04/01/2020
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It's important that we all take the time to complete the U.S. 2020 Census. The U.S. Constitution mandates that a census of the population, all people living on American soil, be conducted once every ten years (Article 1, Section 2). Census data is used to reapportion Congressional representation among the states and to determine how billions in federal funds are distributed to states and local communities every year for services and infrastructure, including health care, jobs, schools, roads, and businesses. Census data is also used for drawing political boundaries for local, state, and federal elections

We’re all responsible for an accurate census count – our education systems rely on it. Accurate census data enable schools to receive the funding they need to serve their students. Census data determine the distribution of funds to special education grants, Title I grants, the National School Lunch Program, and the Head Start preschool program.

How will you fill out the 2020 Census? 

By April 1, 2020, every street address within the City of Boise will receive a postcard invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Once you receive the postcard, you’ll have the option to complete the census online, by phone or by mail. 

The census consists of 10 questions and completing the form will take approximately 10 minutes. Additionally, the information you share is completely confidential for up to 72 years. This means that no one can access or identify any personal information you shared about yourself or members of your household until long after this census is documented. More importantly, the information you share helps ensure our state receives approximately $1,475 annually, or $14,750 over a decade, for each person counted in the census. Learn more about the U.S. 2020 Census and how to participate: www.2020census.gov or www.treasurevalleycensus.com.

 

Did you know?

  • Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau undertakes a mammoth task: counting all the people residing in the United States. Responding to the U.S. 2020 Census is our civic duty and affects the allocation of funding for our community’s public resources, how we plan for the future, and our voice in government. 
  • Children count in the census, too. From newborns up to high schoolers, make sure to count your children on your census form. Even if the living arrangement is temporary at your household, count your child where they stay the most.
  • An estimated 5 percent of kids under the age of 5 weren’t counted in the 2010 Census. That’s about 1 million young children, the highest of any age group. When children aren’t counted, community programs like the National School Lunch Program and the Children’s Health Insurance Program miss
    out on funding. Learn more about the importance of U.S. 2020 Census and how to participate: www.2020census.gov.
  • A census undercount could cost Idaho $1,473 per person, annually. This means fewer resources for your family and community through federal funding programs such as Federal Direct Student Loans, health centers, highway planning and construction, and many more. Idaho can’t afford an undercount. To learn how funding from the census impacts you and your community, visit www.2020census.gov.
  • It’s worth your time – about $800 billion worth. Once every 10 years, the U.S. Constitution requires a census, or count, of the American population. These data are used to determine congressional representation, inform research, and to allocate federal investments across the country. To learn how
    funding from the census impacts you and your community, visit www.2020census.gov.
     
  • Your responses to the 2020 Census are safe, secure, and protected by federal law. Your answers can only be used to produce statistics – they can’t be used against you in any way.