2010 Census
The Bureau's Plans for Reducing the Undercount Show Promise, but Key Uncertainties Remain
Gao ID: GAO-08-1167T September 23, 2008
An accurate decennial census relies on finding and counting people-- only once--in their usual place of residence, and collecting complete and correct information on them. This is a daunting task as the nation's population is growing steadily larger, more diverse, and according to the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau), increasingly difficult to find and reluctant to participate in the census. Historically, undercounts have plagued the census and the differential impact on various subpopulations such as minorities and children is particularly problematic. GAO was asked to describe (1) key activities the Bureau plans to use to help reduce the differential undercount and improve participation, (2) the various challenges and opportunities that might affect the Bureau's ability to improve coverage in 2010, and (3) how different population estimates can impact the allocation of federal grant funds. This testimony is based primarily on GAO's issued work in which it evaluated the performance of various Census Bureau operations.
The Bureau's strategy for reducing the undercount and improving participation in the 2010 enumeration appears to be comprehensive, integrated, and shaped by the Bureau's experience in the 2000 Census. If implemented as planned, the various activities the Bureau is developing should position the agency to address the undercount. Key operations include building a complete and accurate address list, implementing an Integrated Communications Campaign to increase awareness and encourage participation, and fielding special enumeration programs targeted toward historically undercounted populations. For example, the Bureau develops its address list and maps over the course of a decade using a series of operations that sometimes overlap to ensure all housing units are included. Among other activities, temporary census workers go door to door across the country in an operation called address canvassing to verify addresses. To help find hidden housing units, the Bureau's workers look for clues such as two mailboxes or utility meters that could indicate additional households. Likewise, the Bureau's communications campaign includes paid media, public relations, and partnerships with national and grassroots organizations, among other efforts, some of which will be targeted toward hard-to-count groups. Despite the Bureau's ambitious plans, a number of challenges and uncertainties remain. For example, the performance of the handheld computers that is critical to address canvassing has technical shortcomings, while the communications campaign faces the historical challenge of converting awareness of the census to an actual response. Further, success will depend in large part on the extent to which the various operations (1) start and finish on schedule, (2) are implemented in the proper sequence, (3) are adequately tested and refined, and (4) receive appropriate staffing and funding. It will also be important for the Bureau to have a real-time monitoring capability to track the progress of the enumeration, target its resources to where they are most needed, and to quickly respond to various contingencies that could jeopardize the accuracy or cost of the count. Our past work indicates that the accuracy of state and local population estimates may have an effect, though modest, on the allocation of grant funds among the states. Many of the formulas used to allocate grant funds rely upon measures of the population, often in combination with other factors. For example, we analyzed the sensitivity of Social Services Block Grants (SSBG) to alternative population estimates, rather than the actual census. We selected SSBG for our analysis because the formula, which was based solely on population, and the resulting funding allocations were particularly sensitive to alternative population estimates. Based on our simulation of the funding formula, 27 states and the District of Columbia would have gained $4.2 million and 23 states would have lost $4.2 million of the $1.7 billion in 2004 SSBG funding.
GAO-08-1167T, 2010 Census: The Bureau's Plans for Reducing the Undercount Show Promise, but Key Uncertainties Remain
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Testimony:
Before the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government
Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate:
United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
For Release on Delivery:
Expected at 10:30 a.m. EDT:
Tuesday, September 23, 2008:
2010 Census:
The Bureau's Plans for Reducing the Undercount Show Promise, but Key
Uncertainties Remain:
Statement of Robert Goldenkoff:
Director, Strategic Issues:
GAO-08-1167T:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-08-1167T, a testimony before the Subcommittee on
Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services,
and International Security, Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate.
Why GAO Did This Study:
An accurate decennial census relies on finding and counting people”only
once”in their usual place of residence, and collecting complete and
correct information on them. This is a daunting task as the nation‘s
population is growing steadily larger, more diverse, and according to
the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau), increasingly difficult to find and
reluctant to participate in the census. Historically, undercounts have
plagued the census and the differential impact on various
subpopulations such as minorities and children is particularly
problematic.
GAO was asked to describe (1) key activities the Bureau plans to use to
help reduce the differential undercount and improve participation, (2)
the various challenges and opportunities that might affect the Bureau‘s
ability to improve coverage in 2010, and (3) how different population
estimates can impact the allocation of federal grant funds. This
testimony is based primarily on GAO‘s issued work in which it evaluated
the performance of various Census Bureau operations.
What GAO Found:
The Bureau‘s strategy for reducing the undercount and improving
participation in the 2010 enumeration appears to be comprehensive,
integrated, and shaped by the Bureau‘s experience in the 2000 Census.
If implemented as planned, the various activities the Bureau is
developing should position the agency to address the undercount. Key
operations include building a complete and accurate address list,
implementing an Integrated Communications Campaign to increase
awareness and encourage participation, and fielding special enumeration
programs targeted toward historically undercounted populations. For
example, the Bureau develops its address list and maps over the course
of a decade using a series of operations that sometimes overlap to
ensure all housing units are included. Among other activities,
temporary census workers go door to door across the country in an
operation called address canvassing to verify addresses. To help find
hidden housing units, the Bureau‘s workers look for clues such as two
mailboxes or utility meters that could indicate additional households.
Likewise, the Bureau‘s communications campaign includes paid media,
public relations, and partnerships with national and grassroots
organizations, among other efforts, some of which will be targeted
toward hard-to-count groups.
Despite the Bureau‘s ambitious plans, a number of challenges and
uncertainties remain. For example, the performance of the handheld
computers that is critical to address canvassing has technical
shortcomings, while the communications campaign faces the historical
challenge of converting awareness of the census to an actual response.
Further, success will depend in large part on the extent to which the
various operations (1) start and finish on schedule, (2) are
implemented in the proper sequence, (3) are adequately tested and
refined, and (4) receive appropriate staffing and funding. It will also
be important for the Bureau to have a real-time monitoring capability
to track the progress of the enumeration, target its resources to where
they are most needed, and to quickly respond to various contingencies
that could jeopardize the accuracy or cost of the count.
Our past work indicates that the accuracy of state and local population
estimates may have an effect, though modest, on the allocation of grant
funds among the states. Many of the formulas used to allocate grant
funds rely upon measures of the population, often in combination with
other factors. For example, we analyzed the sensitivity of Social
Services Block Grants (SSBG) to alternative population estimates,
rather than the actual census. We selected SSBG for our analysis
because the formula, which was based solely on population, and the
resulting funding allocations were particularly sensitive to
alternative population estimates. Based on our simulation of the
funding formula, 27 states and the District of Columbia would have
gained $4.2 million and 23 states would have lost $4.2 million of the
$1.7 billion in 2004 SSBG funding.
What GAO Recommends:
At this time, GAO is not making any new recommendations.
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-1167T]. For more
information, contact Robert Goldenkoff at (202) 512-2757 or
goldenkoffr@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Mr. Chairman, Senator Coburn, and Members of the Subcommittee:
Thank you for the opportunity to be here today to discuss the
challenges the U.S. Census Bureau (Bureau) faces in improving the
accuracy and coverage of the 2010 decennial Census, and the strategies
the Bureau plans to employ to reduce the undercount. An accurate
decennial census relies on finding and counting people--only once--in
their usual place of residence, and collecting complete and correct
information from them. This is a daunting task as the nation's
population is growing steadily larger, more diverse, and according to
the Bureau, increasingly difficult to find and reluctant to participate
in the census. Coverage improvement involves reduction in overcounting
and undercounting. An undercount occurs when the census misses an
individual who should have been enumerated; an overcount occurs when an
individual is counted in error.
What makes these errors particularly problematic is their differential
impact on various subgroups. Minorities, renters, and children, for
example, are more likely to be undercounted by the census while more
affluent groups, such as people with vacation homes, are more likely to
be enumerated more than once. As census data are used to apportion
seats in Congress, redraw congressional districts, and allocate
billions of dollars in federal assistance to state and local
governments, improving coverage and reducing the differential
undercount[Footnote 1] are critical.
The Bureau has long recognized the importance of reducing the
undercount and, in previous enumerations, has included operations and
programs designed to improve coverage. As the Bureau moves toward 2010,
however, besides such long-standing challenges to an accurate
enumeration as the nation's linguistic diversity and privacy concerns,
it also faces newly emerging issues such as local campaigns against
illegal immigration and a post-September 11 environment that could
heighten some groups' fears of government agencies.
Today's hearing is particularly timely because, in the months that
remain until Census Day, April 1, 2010, the Bureau will launch a series
of operations aimed at reducing the differential undercount including
building a complete and accurate address list, launching an Integrated
Communications Campaign to increase awareness and encourage
participation in the census, and implementing special enumeration
programs targeted toward undercounted groups. Although not an
exhaustive list, I am highlighting these actions in my statement to
help illustrate the range of activities the Bureau employs to improve
coverage at different phases of the census.
As requested, my testimony will describe (1) how the Bureau plans to
use these operations to help reduce the differential undercount and
improve participation, (2) the various challenges and opportunities
that might affect the Bureau's ability to improve coverage in 2010, and
(3) how different population estimates can impact the allocation of
federal grant funds.
My remarks today are based primarily on reports we issued from 2000
through 2008 on the planning and development of the 2010 Census,
lessons learned from prior censuses, and the impact of population
measures on federal funding allocations. Please see the final page of
this testimony for related GAO products. Further, we reviewed recent
documents on the Bureau's outreach and promotion plans as well as other
efforts to reduce the undercount and interviewed Bureau officials about
undercount challenges, plans to improve coverage among hard-to-count
populations, and progress made towards addressing undercount issues
from the 2000 Census.
We conducted our review in accordance with generally accepted
government auditing standards. Those standards require that we plan and
perform the audit to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide
a reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit
objectives. We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable
basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives.
In summary, the Bureau has developed a wide variety of plans and
programs to position it to address the differential undercount.
Further, the Bureau's efforts are designed to reinforce one another, so
that a household missed in one operation--say, address canvassing--can
be picked up in a subsequent activity such as nonresponse follow-up. At
the same time, the Bureau's plans reflect lessons learned from the 2000
Census.
Still, a number of hurdles and uncertainties remain, and success will
depend in large part on the extent to which the various operations (1)
start and finish on schedule, (2) are implemented in the proper
sequence, (3) are adequately tested and refined, and (4) receive
appropriate staffing and funding. It will also be important for the
Bureau to closely track the progress of key census-taking activities,
target its resources to where they are most needed, and ensure that it
has the ability to quickly respond to various contingencies that could
jeopardize the accuracy of the count.
Background:
The Bureau puts forth tremendous effort to conduct an accurate count of
the nation's population. However, some degree of coverage error in the
form of persons missed or counted more than once is inevitable. Two
types of errors that can affect the accuracy of the enumeration are the
omission of persons who should have been counted and erroneous
enumerations of persons who should not have been counted.
Historically, undercounts have plagued the census, although, according
to the Bureau, they have generally diminished since 1940. For the 2000
Census, for the first time in its history, the Bureau reported a slight
net overcount of approximately 0.5 percent or about 1.3 million people.
However, as shown in figure 1, coverage errors were not evenly
distributed through the population. For example, there was an overcount
of non-Hispanic Whites, and an undercount of non-Hispanic Blacks.
Nevertheless, figure 1 also shows the strides the Bureau made in
reducing the undercount in the 2000 Census compared to 1990.
Figure 1: Comparison of Percent Net Undercounts, 1990 and 2000
Censuses:
[See PDF for image]
This figure is a horizontal bar graph depicting the following data:
Race/Hispanic Origin: American Indian/Alaska Native off reservations;
1990 Census percent net overcount/undercount: [Empty];
2000 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +0.62.
Race/Hispanic Origin: American Indian/Alaska Native on reservations;
1990 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +12.22;
2000 Census percent net overcount/undercount: -0.88.
Race/Hispanic Origin: Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander;
1990 Census percent net overcount/undercount: [Empty];
2000 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +2.12.
Race/Hispanic Origin: Asian (Non-Hispanic);
1990 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +2.36;
2000 Census percent net overcount/undercount: -0.75.
Race/Hispanic Origin: Hispanic origin;
1990 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +4.99;
2000 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +0.71.
Race/Hispanic Origin: Black (Non-Hispanic);
1990 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +4.57;
2000 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +1.84.
Race/Hispanic Origin: White (Non-Hispanic);
1990 Census percent net overcount/undercount: +0.68;
2000 Census percent net overcount/undercount: -1.13.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Note: A negative number indicates an overcount. In 1990, Asian (Non-
Hispanic) included Pacific Islanders.
[End of figure]
Importantly, the national net overcount of about 0.5 percent does not
mean that 99.5 percent of the population was counted correctly in 2000.
In fact, the number of persons who were counted twice in the census was
partially offset by the number of persons who were missed by the
census. We have long maintained that the sum of these numbers--known as
gross error (rather than the difference between the two numbers or net
error)--provides a more comprehensive measure of total error in the
census.
Participation in the census, as measured by the mail return rate, also
affects the accuracy of census data. The Bureau calculates mail return
rates as the percentage of questionnaires the Bureau receives from
occupied housing units in the mail-back universe.[Footnote 2] Although
individuals who fail to mail back their census forms might be counted
by an enumerator during a subsequent operation called nonresponse
follow-up, high mail return rates are critical to quality data. A
Bureau evaluation of the 2000 Census found that responses from mail
returns tend to be more accurate than those obtained during nonresponse
follow-up.
Historically, return rates have declined. According to the Bureau, in
1970, for example, the overall mail return rate was 87.0 percent; in
1980, 81.3 percent; and in 1990 and 2000, 74.1 percent. Importantly, as
shown in figure 2, during the 2000 Census, differentials existed in the
mail return rates of different demographic groups. For example, Whites
had a higher mail return rate (77.5 percent) than the rate for all
groups (74.1 percent), while nearly every other demographic group had
lower return rates than the overall mail return rate. The lowest mail
return rates were those of Pacific Islanders (54.6 percent) and those
of two or more races (57.7 percent). Maintaining or increasing mail
return rates, especially minority return rates, represents an important
opportunity for the Bureau to improve the quality of census data.
Figure 2: Return Rates by Race/Ethnic Groups during 2000 Census:
[See PDF for image]
This figure is a vertical bar graph depicting the following data:
Return Rates by Race/Ethnic Groups during 2000 Census:
Race/Ethnicity: White;
Percent return rate: 77.5%.
Race/Ethnicity: Black;
Percent return rate: 59.7%.
Race/Ethnicity: American Indian;
Percent return rate: 64.5%.
Race/Ethnicity: Asian;
Percent return rate: 69.8.
Race/Ethnicity: Pacific Islander;
Percent return rate: 54.6%.
Race/Ethnicity: Other race;
Percent return rate: 58.7%.
Race/Ethnicity: Two or more races;
Percent return rate: 57.7%.
Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic;
Percent return rate: 64.5%.
Race/Ethnicity: Non-Hispanic;
Percent return rate: 75%.
Return rate for all groups: 74.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
[End of figure]
A Number of Census Operations Are Aimed at Improving Coverage:
In designing the 2010 Census, the Bureau recognized the importance of
including a number of operations aimed at improving coverage and
reducing the differential undercount. Three such efforts that I will
highlight in my remarks today are (1) a complete and accurate address
list, (2) an Integrated Communications Campaign to increase awareness
and encourage participation, and (3) special enumeration programs
targeted toward historically undercounted populations. These
activities, along with a number of others planned for 2010, will
position the Bureau to reduce the undercount. At the same time, each
faces particular challenges and uncertainties that I will describe
later in my statement.
Building a Complete and Accurate Address List:
The foundation of a successful census is a complete and accurate
address list and the maps that go with it. The Bureau's Master Address
File (MAF) is the inventory of the nation's roughly 133.7 million
housing units. In so far as it is used to deliver questionnaires as
well as to organize the collection and tabulation of the data, the MAF
serves as the basic control for the census.
The Bureau develops its address list and maps over the course of the
decade using a series of operations that sometimes overlap to increase
the accuracy of the list of all housing units are included. These
operations include partnerships with the U.S. Postal Service and other
federal agencies; state, local, and tribal governments; and local
planning organizations.
Three operations that can help include the hard-to-count are the
Bureau's Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program, address
canvassing, and Group Quarters Validation.
Local Update of Census Addresses:
The LUCA program gives state, local, and tribal governments the
opportunity to review and update the list of addresses and maps that
the Bureau will use to deliver questionnaires within those communities.
According to Bureau officials, LUCA helps identify hard-to-count
populations and "hidden" housing units such as converted basements
because local governments might know where such dwellings exist and
have access to local data and records. In October 2008, the Bureau is
scheduled to complete its reviews of participants' LUCA submissions and
update the MAF and a related geographic database used for maps.
Address Canvassing:
In the address canvassing operation, thousands of temporary Bureau
employees known as listers verify the addresses of all housing units--
including those addresses provided by localities in LUCA--by going door
to door across the country. As part of this effort, listers add
addresses that might not be in the Bureau's database. To help find
hidden housing units it might otherwise miss, listers ask if there is
more than one residence at a particular address, or to look for clues
such as an outbuilding or two mailboxes or utility meters that could
indicate additional households. Indeed, as shown in the picture on the
left in figure 3, someone could be living in what appears to be a
storage shed. Likewise, in the picture on the right, what appears to be
a small, single-family house could contain another apartment as
suggested by its two doorbells.
Figure 3: Address Canvassing Can Help Locate Hidden Housing Units:
[See PDF for image]
This figure contains two photographs. The first photo includes the
following caption: Housing unit or storage shed?
The second photo includes the following caption: Two doorbells could
indicate two housing units.
Source: GAO.
[End of figure]
Group Quarters Validation:
While the vast majority of U.S. residents live in residential housing
units such as single-family houses, apartments and mobile homes, the
2000 decennial enumerated over seven million people living in group
situations such as college dormitories, nursing homes, migrant labor
camps, prisons, and group homes, collectively known as "group
quarters". Some group quarters, such as seasonal and migrant labor
camps, can be difficult to locate because they are sometimes fenced-in
or in remote locations away from main roads. The Bureau encountered a
number of problems when enumerating group quarters during the 2000
Census. For example, in 2000, communities reported instances where
students in college dormitories were counted twice and prison inmates
were counted in the wrong county. Additionally, group homes are
sometimes difficult for census workers to spot because, as shown in
figure 4, they can look the same as conventional housing units.
Figure 4: Group Quarters or Single-Housing Unit?
[See PDF for image]
Photograph of a residential dwelling.
Source: GAO, 2004.
[End of figure]
Since 1970, the Bureau has conducted a separate operation to enumerate
the group quarters population. For 2010, the Bureau has plans to
conduct Group Quarters Validation to validate the addresses found in
the Address Canvassing operation and collect information about the type
of group quarters.
Encouraging Participation through the Integrated Communications
Campaign:
The Bureau's Integrated Communications Campaign is designed to increase
the mail response rate, improve cooperation with enumerators, enhance
the overall accuracy of the census, and reduce the differential
undercount. The Bureau estimates it will spend $410 million on the
Integrated Communications Campaign for the 2010 Census.
In September 2007, the Bureau awarded its communications contract to
DraftFCB, a communications firm hired to orchestrate a number of
communications activities for the 2010 Census. DraftFCB's approach
includes a specific focus on undercounted populations. As one example,
the contractor worked with the Bureau to segment the nation's
population into distinct "clusters" using socioeconomic, demographic,
and other data from the 2000 Census that are correlated with a person's
likelihood to participate in the census. Each cluster was given a hard-
to-count score and the Bureau's communications efforts are to be
targeted to those clusters with the highest scores. The four clusters
with the highest hard-to-count scores made up 14 percent of the
nation's occupied housing units based on data from the 2000 Census, and
included the following demographic characteristics: renters,
immigrants, non-English speakers, persons without higher education,
persons receiving public assistance, and persons who are unemployed.
Targeting the Bureau's communications campaign to hard-to-count
populations will help the Bureau use its resources more effectively.
This will be important because in constant 2010 dollars, the Bureau
will be spending less on communications for the 2010 Census ($410
million) compared to the 2000 Census ($480 million).
The campaign strategy will be based on the theme "It's In Our Hands".
According to the Bureau, this approach reflects a marketplace trend
where communications are becoming more two-way or participatory, and
can be seen, for example, in people creating their own content on the
World Wide Web. The goal of the strategy is to encourage personal
ownership and involvement that spreads the word about the census. The
Bureau believes this approach will be more effective than if the
message came from the government talking to the public. Further, the
generic theme will be tailored to specific groups. For example,
outreach targeted to families might carry the message, "The education
of our children...It's in our hands," while the economically
disadvantaged might receive "The power to matter...It's in our hands."
The communications campaign consists of (1) paid media including
national, local, outdoor, and online advertisements; (2) earned media
and public relations such as news releases, media briefings, special
events, podcasts, and blogs; (3) Census in Schools, a program designed
to reach parents and guardians through their school age children, and
(4) partnerships with key national and local grassroots organizations
that have strong connections to their communities.
Although the effects of the Bureau's communication efforts are
difficult to measure, the Bureau reported some positive results from
its 2000 Census marketing efforts with respect to raising awareness.
For example, four population groups--non-Hispanic Blacks, non-Hispanic
Whites, Asians, and Native Hawaiians indicated they were more likely to
return the census form after the 2000 Census Partnership and Marketing
Program than before its onset. However, the Bureau also reported that
the 2000 Census Partnership and Marketing Program had mixed success in
favorably impacting actual participation in the census.
Of the various campaign components, the Census in Schools and
partnership programs are specifically aimed at hard-to-count
populations. The Census in Schools program provides curriculum and
teaching materials that introduce students to the purpose and
importance of the census as well as census activities and products. The
program is also designed to engage students to encourage their parents
to complete and return their census questionnaires.
According to Bureau officials, although the Census in Schools program
is not as extensive as the one conducted in the last decennial, they
made a number of changes based on lessons learned from the 2000 Census.
For example, the program will spend less on printing and base their
2010 Census materials on materials used for the 2000 Census rather than
create new materials from scratch. Moreover, similar to 2000, the
Bureau is not reaching out to all schools but instead plans to target
schools with large hard-to-count populations. Lower grades will be
targeted as well, as Bureau officials believe their message has more
traction with younger students.
Under the partnership program, the Bureau plans to hire specialists to
collaborate with local individuals and organizations, leveraging their
knowledge and expertise to increase participation in the census within
their communities. Partnership specialists are to be trained in, and
help implement, various aspects of the census, as well as to reach out
to key government and community leaders and gain commitments from
community organizations to help the Bureau execute the enumeration.
Reaching Out to Undercounted Populations Using Special Enumeration
Activities:
The Bureau operates a wide range of special enumeration programs--such
as Be Counted, Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC) and Service-Based
Enumeration--that target hard-to-count populations. Other activities,
such as offering in-language questionnaires and replacement
questionnaire mailings for nonresponding households, can help increase
participation in non-English speaking populations as well as residents
in areas with historically low responses rates.
Be Counted program and Questionnaire Assistance Centers:
The Bureau developed the Be Counted program to enumerate people who
believe they did not receive a census questionnaire, or were otherwise
not included in the census. The Be Counted form is a questionnaire
intended to be placed in public locations such as stores, libraries,
and other places where people congregate (see figure 5). QAC staff help
people complete their Be Counted forms as well as other census forms.
Census officials reported that approximately 560,000 people were
enumerated through the Be Counted program in 2000 that might have
otherwise been missed. Additionally, a Bureau evaluation found that Be
Counted forms were more likely to include members of minority groups
and children--two traditionally undercounted populations--when compared
to the traditional mail forms. Plans for the 2010 decennial include
30,000 QAC sites (a 25 percent increase over the 2000 Census) and
40,000 Be Counted sites, which are oftentimes co-located with QACs but
can be stand-alone sites. Partnership specialists are to help determine
the location of the sites, which are to be operational for 4 weeks
during the 2010 Census. The Be Counted forms are to be available in
English, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Figure 5: Be Counted Sites and Questionnaire Assistance Centers Can
Help Improve Coverage:
[See PDF for image]
Photographs of Be Counted Sites and Questionnaire Assistance Centers.
Source: GAO.
[End of figure]
Service-Based Enumeration program:
The Bureau developed the Service-Based Enumeration program (SBE) for
the 2000 Census to provide the homeless and others without conventional
housing an opportunity to be included in the census. The program
involves visiting selected service locations such as shelters, soup
kitchens and regularly scheduled mobile food vans that serve people
without conventional housing. The Bureau reported that during the 2000
Census, the large percentages of historically undercounted populations
were among the 171,000 people in emergency and transitional shelters
enumerated through the program. For 2010, the Bureau plans to conduct
address list updates of SBE locations by obtaining information about
SBEs from the Internet and soliciting information from government
agencies and advocacy organizations.
In-Language Questionnaires and Other Efforts:
The Bureau intends to notify respondents through the Integrated
Communications Campaign that if a questionnaire in one of the 5
languages other than English (Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, or
Vietnamese) is needed, the respondent should call the number provided
on the questionnaire. The Bureau plans to provide language assistance
guides for 59 languages, an increase from 49 languages in 2000. New in
2010, the Bureau plans to send bilingual questionnaires to
approximately 13 million households that are likely to need Spanish
assistance, as determined by analyzing recent data from the American
Community Survey (a related Bureau survey program). Moreover, for 2010,
the Bureau plans a multi-part approach for replacement mailings that
includes a blanket mailing of approximately 25-30 million replacement
questionnaires to census tracts with low response rates several weeks
after the initial questionnaire mailing.
Challenges and Opportunities to Reduce Undercount:
Although each of the operations I've described can position the Bureau
to address the undercount, they also face challenges and uncertainties
that, if not adequately resolved, could reduce the effectiveness of the
Bureau's efforts.
For example, with respect to address canvassing, the Bureau plans to
provide listers with GPS-equipped handheld computers (HHC) to verify
and correct addresses. Consequently, the performance of the HHCs is
critical to the accurate, timely, and cost-effective completion of
address canvassing. However, the Bureau's ability to collect and
transmit address and mapping data using the HHC is not known. For
example, the 2008 Dress Rehearsal--which was an opportunity for the
Bureau to conduct development and testing of systems and prepare for
the 2010 Census--revealed a number of technical problems with the HHC
that included freeze-ups and data transmission issues. The problems
with the HHC prompted the Bureau to make major design changes, and a
limited field test is scheduled for December 2008 (GAO is making plans
to observe this test). However, if after this test the HHC is found to
be unreliable, the Bureau will have little time to make any
refinements.
Operations that were not tested during the Dress Rehearsal also
introduce risks. These operations include the Be Counted program,
Service-Based Enumeration, and Group Quarters Enumeration. Although the
Bureau employed these operations during the 2000 Census, the Dress
Rehearsal afforded the Bureau an opportunity to see how they might
perform in concert with other activities planned for 2010, as well as
identify improvements that could enhance their effectiveness.
The Integrated Communications Campaign faces its own set of challenges,
chief among which is the long-standing issue of converting awareness of
the census to an actual response. As a rough illustration of this
challenge, various polls conducted for the 2000 Census suggested that
the public's awareness of the census was over 90 percent. Yet, as noted
earlier, (1) the actual return rate was much lower--around 74 percent
of the nation's households, and (2) the Bureau's evaluation of the 2000
Census Partnership and Marketing Program found that it only had mixed
success in encouraging actual participation.
With respect to the partnership program, the Bureau plans to have 144
partnership staff, including specialists, on-board nationwide by the
end of September 2008, and ramp up to 680 partnership staff by 2010.
According to Bureau officials, although this level of staffing is about
the same as for the 2000 Census, the Bureau believes it is sufficient,
and plans to deploy the partnership specialists more strategically by
allocating more partnership specialists to regions with large hard-to-
count populations. For example, the Atlanta region, (which includes
Florida, Alabama, and Georgia), had 50 partnership specialists in 2000,
but is to receive more than 70 partnership specialists in 2010.
Although the strategic deployment is a reasonable approach, the impact
of the reallocation on those regions that will receive fewer
partnership specialists is unclear.
Our evaluation of the 2000 Census Partnership Program found that there
were mixed views regarding the adequacy of specialists staffing levels.
[Footnote 3] Although partnership specialists we spoke to generally
agreed that the Bureau hired enough specialists to carry out their
activities, the managers of local census offices we interviewed noted
that the partnership specialists' heavy workload may have limited the
level of support they were able to provide. In 2010, to the extent that
partnership specialists in regions with lower staffing levels wind up
working with as many or more groups compared to 2000, or need to cover
large geographic areas, they could find themselves thinly spread.
Our observations during the 2000 Census highlighted some best practices
that appeared to be key to successful partnership engagements, and
might help the Bureau refine its partnering efforts in 2010.[Footnote
4] For example, best practices for partners include (1) identifying
'census champions' (i.e., people who will actively support the census
and encourage others to do so), (2) integrating census-related efforts
into partners' existing activities and events, and (3) leveraging
resources by working with other partners and customizing census
promotional materials to better resonate with local populations. For
the Bureau, best practices include (1) providing adequate and timely
information, guidance, and other resources to local partners on how
they can support the census; (2) maintaining open communications with
partners; and (3) encouraging the early involvement of partners in
census activities.
Another challenge lies in staying on schedule. In order to meet legally
mandated data reporting requirements, census activities need to take
place at specific times and in the proper sequence. For example, the
Group Quarters Validation operation needs to be completed after the
Address Canvassing operation; the Questionnaire Assistance Centers need
to be properly staffed, equipped, and opened by a particular date;
advertising needs to be synchronized with various phases of the
enumeration; and the questionnaires and replacement mailings all need
to be carried out at the right time. Given the tight deadlines, small
glitches could cascade into significant problems with downstream
operations.
Another challenge will be to develop management information systems
capable of tracking key operations to enable the Bureau to quickly
address trouble spots. The Bureau did this successfully in 2000 with
the system it used to track local census offices' progress in meeting
their recruiting goals. At those offices where recruiting was found to
be lagging, the Bureau was able to quickly raise pay rates and take
other actions that enabled the Bureau to meet its goal. Less successful
was the management information system used to track the Bureau's
partnership efforts in 2000, which was found to be slow and not user-
friendly, among other shortcomings, which limited its use as an
effective management tool. For 2010, the Bureau intends to use a Web-
based system that will enable it to manage the partnerships in real-
time and determine, among other things, whether staff need to be
redirected or reallocated.
Potential Impact of Undercounts on Federal Funding:
Our past work indicates that the accuracy of state and local population
estimates may have an effect, though modest, on the allocation of grant
funds among the states.[Footnote 5] Many of the formulas used to
allocate grant funds rely upon measures of population, often in
combination with other factors. In our June 2006 report, we analyzed
the sensitivity of Social Services Block Grants (SSBG) to alternative
population estimates, such as those derived by statistical methods that
incorporate the number of people that were overcounted and undercounted
in the census, rather than the actual census.
To analyze the prospective impact of estimated population counts on the
money allocated to the states through SSBG, we recalculated the state
allocations using statistical estimates of the population that were
developed for the 1990 and 2000 Censuses in lieu of the actual census
numbers. We used the population estimates, which are based on the 2000
Census counts, and then adjusted these population estimates by the
difference between the 2000 official population counts and the
statistical estimates of the population.
We selected SSBG for our analysis because the formula for this block
grant program, which was based solely on population, and the resulting
funding allocations, were particularly sensitive to such alternative
population estimates. In short, as shown in figure 6, in 2004, 27
states and the District of Columbia would have gained $4.2 million and
23 states would have lost $4.2 million of the $1.7 billion in SSBG
funding. Based on our simulation of the funding formula for this block
grant program, the largest percentage changes were for Washington,
D.C., which would have gained 2.05 percent (or $67,000) in grant
funding, and Minnesota, which would have lost 1.17 percent (or
$344,000). While the shifting of these funding amounts may not seem
significant in total, using an inaccurate count to allocate grant funds
could adversely impact some states' ability to provide services to
their residents. Reducing the undercount will alleviate this
potentially adverse impact to states.
Figure 6: Estimated Social Services Block Grant Percentage Change in
Grant Funding Using Statistical Population Estimates for States:
[See PDF for image]
This figure is a horizontal bar graph depicting the following data:
Estimated Social Services Block Grant Percentage Change in Grant
Funding Using Statistical Population Estimates for States:
District of Columbia: +2.05;
Montana: +0.94;
Nevada: +0.91;
Alaska: +0.75;
Virginia: +0.73;
Georgia: +0.71;
Maryland: +0.70;
Hawaii: +0.67;
California: +0.58;
Texas: +0.51;
New Mexico: +0.48;
Colorado: +0.45;
Louisiana: +0.38;
Arkansas: +0.37;
Utah: +0.37;
North Carolina: +0.32;
Oklahoma: +0.27;
Washington: +0.25;
New York: +0.21;
Arizona: +0.16;
Delaware: +0.16;
Alabama: +0.13;
Oregon: +0.12;
South Carolina: +0.11;
Idaho: +0.07;
Wyoming: +0.07;
Tennessee: +0.06;
Mississippi: +0.05;
Kentucky: -0.01;
New Jersey: -0.04;
Florida: -0.14;
Connecticut: -0.27;
West Virginia: -0.27;
Nebraska: -0.33;
Pennsylvania: -0.44;
Michigan: -0.47;
Massachusetts: -0.53;
New Hampshire: -0.63;
Vermont: -0.64;
Rhode Island: -0.64;
Maine: -0.70;
Kansas: -0.79;
Ohio: -0.79;
South Dakota: -0.80;
Missouri: -0.85;
Illinois: -0.92;
Iowa: -0.96;
North Dakota: -0.97;
Wisconsin: -1.00;
Indiana: -1.15;
Minnesota: -1.17.
Source: GAO analysis of data from the Department of Commerce and the
Department of Health and Human Services.
[End of figure]
This simulation was done for illustrative purposes only--to demonstrate
the sensitivity of government programs to alternative population
estimates that incorporate the number of people that were overcounted
and undercounted in the census. Only the actual census numbers should
be used for official purposes. This illustration further emphasizes the
importance of an accurate decennial count.
Concluding Observations:
The Bureau's strategy for reducing the differential undercount appears
to be comprehensive, integrated, and based on lessons learned from the
2000 Census. If each of the various components is implemented as
planned, they will likely position the Bureau to address the
differential undercount. Still, the various programs we examined are
generally in the planning or early implementation stages, and a number
of uncertainties and challenges lie ahead as the activities become
operational. Indeed, past experience has shown how the decennial census
is an enormous and complex endeavor with numerous moving parts, and any
shortcomings or missteps can have significant consequences for the
ultimate cost or accuracy of the enumeration.
With this in mind, the success of the Bureau's efforts aimed at the
hard-to-count will depend in large part on the extent to which they (1)
start and finish on schedule, (2) are implemented in the proper
sequence, (3) are adequately tested, and (4) receive appropriate
staffing and funding. It will also be important for the Bureau to have
a real-time monitoring capability to track the progress of the
enumeration, target the Bureau's resources to where they are most
needed, and to quickly respond to various contingencies that could
jeopardize the accuracy or cost of the count. In the months ahead, it
will be important for Congress and the Bureau to continue to focus on
these issues, as well as to be alert to newly emerging challenges.
Chairman Carper, Senator Coburn, and Members of the Subcommittee, this
concludes my prepared statement. I would be happy to respond to any
questions you may have.
If you have any questions on matters discussed in this testimony,
please contact Robert Goldenkoff at (202) 512-2757 or by email at
goldenkoffr@gao.gov. Other key contributors to this testimony include
Ronald Fecso, Chief Statistician; Signora May, Assistant Director;
Nicholas Alexander; Thomas Beall; Sarah Farkas; Richard Hung; Andrea
Levine; Lisa Pearson; Sonya Phillips; Timothy Wexler; and Katherine
Wulff.
[End of section]
Related GAO Products:
2010 Census: Census Bureau's Decision to Continue with Handheld
Computers for Address Canvassing Makes Planning and Testing Critical.
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-936]. Washington,
D.C.: July 31, 2008.
2010 Census: Plans for Decennial Census Operations and Technology Have
Progressed, But Much Uncertainty Remains. [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-886T]. Washington, D.C.: June
11, 2008.
2010 Census: Bureau Needs to Specify How It Will Assess Coverage Follow-
up Techniques and When It Will Produce Coverage Measurement Results.
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-414]. Washington,
D.C.: April 15, 2008.
2010 Census: Population Measures Are Important for Federal Funding
Allocations. [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-08-
230T]. Washington, D.C.: October 29, 2007.
2010 Census: Diversity in Human Capital, Outreach Efforts Can Benefit
the 2010 Census. [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-
1132T]. Washington, D.C.: July 26, 2007.
2010 Census: Census Bureau Has Improved the Local Update of Census
Addresses Program, but Challenges Remain. [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-736]. Washington, D.C.: June
14, 2007.
2010 Census: Redesigned Approach Holds Promise, but Census Bureau Needs
to Annually Develop and Provide a Comprehensive Project Plan to Monitor
Costs. [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-1009T].
Washington, D.C.: July 27, 2006.
Federal Assistance: Illustrative Simulations of Using Statistical
Population Estimates for Reallocating Certain Federal Funding.
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-567]. Washington,
D.C.: June 22, 2006.
2010 Census: Planning and Testing Activities Are Making Progress.
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-465T]. Washington,
D.C.: March 1, 2006.
2010 Census: Basic Design Has Potential, but Remaining Challenges Need
Prompt Resolution. [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-
9]. Washington, D.C.: January 12, 2005.
Decennial Census: Lessons Learned for Locating and Counting Migrant and
Seasonal Farm Workers. [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-
bin/getrpt?GAO-03-605]. Washington, D.C.: July 3, 2003.
Decennial Census: Methods for Collecting and Reporting Data on the
Homeless and Others without Conventional Housing Need Refinement.
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-227]. Washington,
D.C.: January 17, 2003.
2000 Census: Review of Partnership Program Highlights Best Practices
for Future Operations. [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-
bin/getrpt?GAO-01-579]. Washington, D.C.: August 20, 2001.
[End of section]
Footnotes:
[1] Differential undercount describes subpopulations that are
undercounted at a different rate than the total population.
[2] The mail return rate differs from the mail response rate in that
the mail response rate is calculated as a percentage of all the housing
units in the mail-back universe, including those that are later
discovered to be nonexistent or unoccupied. The Bureau uses this
percentage as an indicator of its nonresponse follow-up workload.
[3] GAO, 2000 Census: Review of Partnership Program Highlights Best
Practices for Future Operations. [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-
bin/getrpt?GAO-01-579] (Washington, D.C.: Aug. 20, 2001).
[4] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-01-579].
[5] GAO, 2010 Census: Population Measures Are Important for Federal
Funding Allocations. [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-
08-230T] (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 29, 2007) GAO, Federal Assistance:
Illustrative Simulations of Using Statistical Population Estimates for
Reallocating Certain Federal Funding. [hyperlink,
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-06-567] (Washington, D.C.: Jun.
22, 2006).
[End of section]
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