Update on the American Community Survey and Plans for the Future

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Update on the American Community Survey and
Plans for the Future

• Presentation to the Pennsylvania State Data
  Centers 2009 Annual Data User Conference
• September 10, 2009
• Susan Schechter
• Chief, American Community Survey Office

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Overview of Todays Talk

• 2008 ACS Release
• ACS Language Program and Other Research
  Activities
• ACS Education and Training
• Future Improvements to the ACS Program

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2008 ACS Data Release Schedule

• September 22, 2009 2008 ACS 1-year data
• October 27, 2009 2006-2008 ACS 3-year data

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• New Economic Briefs
• Enhanced usability of downloads from American
  FactFinder
• Restoration of Quality Measures on the ACS
  website
• Improvements to the 2008 Questionnaire
• Changes to the 2008 Data Products

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• Ten Economic Briefs
• Percentage of People In Poverty in the Past 12
  Months
• Median Household Income in the Past 12 Months
• Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months of
  Full-Time, Year-Round Workers 16 and Older by Sex
• Percentage Employed in Construction, Extraction,
  Maintenance, and Repair Occupations Among the
  Civilian Employed
• Percentage of Workers Who Drove Alone
• Home Values
• Housing Costs of Mortgaged Owners
• Food Stamp Receipt in the Past 12 Months
• Labor force participation rate of people 65 years
  and over
• Work status of employed people 65 years and over

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• Enhanced usability of downloads from American
  FactFinder
• /- sign in the Margin of Error column will be
  removed for downloads only
• Column header will still be labeled Margin of
  Error (/-)
• Responds to user requests to simplify
  calculations when using download tables
• Does not change American FactFinder table
  presentation

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• Restoration of Quality Measures on the ACS
  website
• ACS website will have user-friendly version for
  national and state quality measures for 2007 and
  2008
• Quality measures will continue to be available at
  the nation, state, and for selected measures, at
  the county level on American FactFinder in the
  B98 series of Detailed Tables

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• Improvements to the 2008 Questionnaire
• Tenure question and basic demographic questions
  are consistent with 2010 Census including change
  in format of the mail questionnaire for
  demographic questions from grid to sequential
• Changes to existing questions and new questions
  added based on the results of the 2006 ACS
  Content Test

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• Improvements to the 2008 Questionnaire Five
  housing topics were revised
• Year Built
• Rooms and Bedrooms
• Plumbing and Kitchen Facilities, Telephone
  Service
• Food Stamp Benefit
• Property Value

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• Improvements to the 2008 Questionnaire Seven
  population topics were revised
• Citizenship
• School Enrollment
• Educational Attainment
• Residence One Year Ago (Migration)
• Disability
• Employment Status Series
• Weeks Worked

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• Improvements to the 2008 Questionnaire Three new
  topics were added
• Health Insurance Coverage
• Marital History
• Veterans Service-connected Disability Rating

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2008 ACS Data ReleaseNew and Notables

• Changes to the 2008 ACS Data Products
• More than 100 new tables
• About 50 modified tables
• Nearly 100 tables removed
• Many changes are due to new or revised content
• Others are part of our annual process

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• ACS Language Program
• and Other Research Activities

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ACS Language Program What Do We Do Today?

• Mail
• Provide a message on front of the form
• Respondents can call to request a Spanish paper
  questionnaire
• Average monthly number of requests 138
• Average monthly number of completed Spanish
  questionnaires returned 65
• Telephone and Personal Visit
• Expanding pool of bilingual staff to conduct
  interviews in many languages.
• Translated Questionnaires
• English and Spanish versions available (mail and
  automated)

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ACS Language Program Supporting Materials

• Translated materials (introductory letter, thank
  you letter, and informational brochures)
  available for use by personal visit interviewers

• Additional letters for reluctant respondents in
  Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, and Vietnamese

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Language Program Resources in the Telephone
Centers

• 21 unique languages supported in the Telephone
  Centers
• 184 bilingual interviewers in the Telephone
  Centers

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Language Program Resources in Field Data
Collection
Number of
Interviewers
Interviewers
Languages
Spanish
209
Chinese
Chinese
24
4
4
Korean
Korean
Vietnamese
9
Vietnamese
9
Russian
8
8

• 54 unique languages supported in the regional
  offices
• 368 bilingual interviewers in the regional
  offices

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Language ProgramFuture Work

• Cognitive testing to improve the Spanish
  questionnaire
• Continue tracking needs for bilingual
  interviewers
• Development is underway for paper language
  guides of the questionnaire in Chinese and
  Korean Russian and Vietnamese to follow next
  year.

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FY09 Methods Panel TestMulti-lingual brochure in
mail materials

• English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian
• Over 600,000 households received brochure
• Just over 100 telephone calls were received in
  response to the brochure
• Final results expected this fall

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FY09 Methods Panel TestFifth mailing to mail
nonrespondents

• Postcard or third questionnaire packet sent to
  households that do not respond by mail and cannot
  be included in telephone non-response follow up
• About 40,000 households received additional
  mailing
• Initial results show increase in response
• Final results expected this fall

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FY09 -- FY11 ACS Methods Panel Projects2010
Content Test

• Interagency Committee for the ACS provides
  structure and process for identifying needs for
  new and revised content
• Cognitive testing completed Field test scheduled
  for late 2010
• New and Revised Questions
• New Internet and Computer Usage (FCC)
• New Parental Place of Birth (Census)
• Change in Food Stamps Program Name (USDA)
• Change in Veteran Identification and Period of
  Service (VA)
• Revised automated versions of income questions
  (HHS)
• Also testing the use of computer audio recorded
  interviewing to conduct behavior coding on a
  sample of interviews
• Results will be shared Fall 2011 Implement
  January 2013

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FY09FY11 ACS Methods Panel ProjectsInternet
Response Option Test

• Develop ACS Internet form in English and Spanish
• Experimentally test various ways of offering the
  Internet option to maximize Internet response
• Four treatments, two that offer and two that push
• Sample will be stratified by tracts more likely
  to use the Internet versus those less likely
• Test scheduled for 2011

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Research Related to 2010 CensusMinimizing
Confusion Among ACS Respondents

• Changes in ACS production beginning in January
  2010
• Revised letters
• Revised envelopes
• New Frequently Asked Questions about the ACS and
  2010 Census
• Telephone Questionnaire Assistance
• Interactive Voice Recognition System
• Field Representatives
• New flyer for use by Field Representatives
  conducting personal visit non-response follow up
  interviews

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Research Related to 2010 CensusMinimizing
Confusion Among ACS Respondents

• Text added to ACS Prenotice
• The American Community Survey is a separate part
  of the 2010 Census program. Some households,
  including yours, will receive both the American
  Community Survey and the 2010 Census this year.
  Your response to both is required by U.S. law.

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Research Related to 2010 CensusMinimizing
Confusion Among ACS Respondents

• Text added to ACS Prenotice
• In their own way, the American Community Survey
  and the 2010 Census provide an important picture
  of America. They show not only the number of
  people who live here, but how we live as a Nation
  our education, housing, jobs and more. The
  information you provide helps community leaders
  decide where schools, highways, hospitals, and
  other services are needed.

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Research Related to 2010 CensusMinimizing
Confusion Among ACS Respondents

• Text added to ACS Initial Letter
• Some households, including yours, will receive
  both the American Community Survey and the 2010
  Census this year. Your response to both is
  required by U.S. law. The Census Bureau is
  required by U.S. law to keep your answers
  confidential.

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Research Related to 2010 CensusMinimizing
Confusion Among ACS Respondents

• Text added to ACS Replacement Letter
• We realize that you may have recently answered
  the 2010 Census. Some households, including
  yours, will receive both the 2010 Census and the
  American Community Survey this year. Answering
  both is important and is required by U.S. law.
  Your response is so important that a Census
  Bureau field representative may attempt to
  contact you by telephone or personal visit if we
  do not receive your questionnaire. The Census
  Bureau is required by U.S. law to keep your
  answers confidential.

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2009 ACS Prenotice Envelope(control)
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2010 ACS Prenotice Envelope (test version 1)
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2010 ACS Prenotice Envelope (test version 2)
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2009 ACS Questionnaire Envelope (control)
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2010 ACS Questionnaire Envelope (test version 3)
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2010 ACS Questionnaire Envelope (test version 4)
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2010 Changes for ACS Production
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Research Related to 2010 CensusMatch Study
Using ACS and Census 2010 Records

• Matching 2010 Census data with ACS data collected
  from March through May 2010
• Matching will include both housing unit match and
  person match
• Will compare household composition and
  characteristics of the person's matched
• Results available early 2012

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ACS Education and Training
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ACS Education and TrainingCompass Products
Handbooks

• General Audiences
• Business Community
• Congress
• High School Teachers
• Federal Agencies
• Media
• State and Local Governments
• PUMS Users

• Puerto Rico Community Survey Users
• Researchers
• Users of Data for Rural Areas
• Users of Data for American Indians and Alaska
  Natives
• forthcoming in Spanish
• forthcoming soon

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ACS Education and Training

• Congressional Tool Kit
• Hard copies and online
• www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/congress_toolkit/to
  olkit.htm
• Design and Methodology Report
• Reflects ACS Program up to December 2007
• Will be updated on a regular basis
• Hard copies and online
• http//www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/desgn_meth.h
  tm

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ACS Education and TrainingCurrently In
Development

• New and improved ACS website
• Better navigation
• Easy to find what you are looking for
• E-tutorial
• Revised schedule projects early 2010 release
• Will include a future module on the first 5-year
  data release
• Additional Compass Presentations
• Case Studies
• How to access ACS data in American FactFinder
• Annual ACS Data Users Workshop

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Future Improvements to the ACS
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Future Improvements ACS Frame

• Every year, there are two samples selected
• Main Sample
• Selected in the fall
• Sample is assigned to all 12 months of the year
• Target Universe All residential addresses on
  the Master Address File
• Supplemental Sample
• Selected in January/February of the collection
  year
• Sample is assigned to the last 9 months of the
  year
• Target Universe Residential addresses new to
  the Master Address File

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Future Improvements ACS Frame

• With respect to coverage, ACS address frame will
  begin to improve with the January/February 2010
  ACS Supplemental Sample
• Sample Selection for 2010
• Main Sample Will not include 2010 Census
  Address Canvassing and Group Quarters Validation
  updates
• Supplemental Sample Will include 2010 Census
  Address Canvassing and Group Quarters Validation
  updates

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Future Improvements Use of Population Controls
Based on the 2010 Census

• 2009 ACS, 2007-2009, and 2005-2009 ACS will use
  controls based on Census 2000
• 2010 ACS, 2008-2010 ACS, and 2006-2010 ACS will
  use controls based on 2010 Census
• ACS always uses controls from the most recent
  vintage
• Multiyear estimates are based on the average of
  years from the most recent vintage

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For more information

• Subscribe to ACS Alert
• http//www.census.gov/acs/www/Special/Alerts.htm
• Visit the ACS/PRCS website
• http//www.census.gov/acs/www
• Contact by telephone
• 1-800-923-8282
• Contact by email
• acso.users.support_at_census.gov

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