The 2020 Census is in full swing, and the Houston Independent School District needs the participation of every HISD household to ensure the district receives the federal funding it needs to serve all students.
The 2020 Census is a snapshot taken by the federal government every 10 years of all people who live in the United States and its five territories. The survey will ask how many people are living in a household, as well as their age, sex, and race. The 2020 Census does not ask about citizenship.
Everyone living in the U.S. on April 1, 2020, is counted, including children, babies, homeless or people living in shelters. Immigrants, regardless of their legal status in the country, are also counted.
Census data guides how more than $675 billion in federal funding is distributed to states and communities each year for schools, health care facilities, roads, transportation, recreation centers, social services and more.
The census also impacts federal funding communities receive for special education, classroom technology, teacher training, after-school programs, school lunch assistance and programs such as Head Start and WIC. Census data is also part of the formula used to calculate federal funding for low-income students, as well as funding for Limited English Proficiency and immigrant students.
In mid-March, homes across the country began receiving invitations in the mail to complete the 2020 Census. Responses can be completed in 13 different languages and submitted online, by phone, or by mail. Responses to the census are safe and secure. Census participation is required by law. Households that do not respond by May 1, 2020, may get a follow-up visit by a census worker to conduct an in-person interview.
A kindergartner counted in the 2020 Census this spring will be starting high school when the next census comes around in 2030. That’s 10 years of school supplies, teachers, school lunches, and so much more, and this is your opportunity to help ensure they have a bright future.
Learn more about filling out the at 2020CENSUS.gov.