We all know that April 1 is April Fool's Day, but did you know that every 10 years it is also Census Day? Today we celebrate the counting of all people living in the United States in order to fulfill a requirement of the U.S. Constitution. Without a proper counting, it would be impossible to uphold the ideals of our representative democracy and all of the benefits, especially to public education, that come with it.

The 2020 Census faces a hurdle this year as the nation progressively shuts down due to the novel coronavirus. The U.S. Census Bureau has delayed the timeline and rollout of communications to individuals in order to keep human-to-human contact to a minimum. Fortunately, for the first time ever, the census questionnaire can be completed online. As of yesterday, the U.S. census response rate is 36.2% and the Texas response rate is 31.3%, with the majority of responses completed online. While Texas ranks quite low across the nation in response rate, we also have vast expanses of land and many households and individuals with limited internet access. Check out the map below to explore current census response rates in Texas and the nation.

Though the timeline has been adjusted due to the pandemic, every household should receive an invitation by today. Likewise, the Census Bureau expects to get population counts to the president and to states on schedule, which are important for U.S. House seats and redistricting purposes. Unfortunately, those living in group quarters (college students, nursing homes, etc.), experiencing homelessness, or living in remote areas or areas without an address will be contacted or counted in person later in the year. This delay in timing to hand-delivery of packets and in-person counts could deal a hard hit to Texas, as a large portion of the state relies on this method of contact to be counted.

Initial contact modes for 2020 Census in Texas. (source)

The census is no joke! As explained in this earlier post on Teach the Vote, the 2020 Census is crucial to public education funding for low-income students and students with special needs, as well as many other federally-funded programs that help to support families and children. Census-statistic derived funding also helps to support entire communities as it drives dollars to public necessities such as roads and emergency services. While participating in online meetings and classes, virtual happy hours, and digital chats with friends and family, make sure to mention the census. By pushing online and completion by phone options, we can stay on track to get an accurate count.

Looking for more resources to use with your colleagues, friends, family, and students? The U.S. Census Bureau website is a great resource for learning about how to respond to the census. Additionally, the website has been updated to address new concerns such as college students who are now home due to school closures (they should be counted as if they were still at their college, FYI). For lesson content, educators can download free lesson materials and activities, created by teachers for teachers, on this site. Find more information and FAQs on responding to the census, check out this post previously featured on Teach the Vote.

Before we go and prank the dog (since there is nobody else around), please be aware of these reminders:

• You don't have to receive an invitation to go ahead and complete your census questionnaire online or by phone.
• There is NO citizenship question.
• Your response to the census, by law, cannot be shared with law enforcement and is only used for statistical purposes.

Happy Census-ing!