1 American Community Survey: Update New Jersey State Data Center Meeting June 11, 2008 Nancy Torrieri American Community Survey Office

2 Areas of Emphasis in 2008 Continue careful management of resources Submit to Congress the planned questions for 2010 Census and ACS Implement new questionnaire in 2008 Finalize 2009 questionnaire changes Continue critical research priorities Increase focus on data users Release both 1- and 3-year estimates

3 Management of ACS Resources Status: On track FY08 budget includes full funding for conducting the ACS in the U.S. and Puerto Rico FY08 Methods Panel was not funded –Canceled test of multi-lingual brochure –Canceled test of additional mailing during CATI FY09 budget request includes full funding for ACS including Methods Panel

4 Submission of 2010 and ACS Questions to Congress Status: Completed Required by law two years prior to conducting the decennial census Submission to Congress includes examples of questions and brief narrative description of uses

5 Implementation of New 2008 ACS Questionnaire Status: Completed Obtaining CATI and CAPI interviewer feedback on new instrument

ACS Questionnaire Status: Partially complete Add open-ended Field of Degree question Restore duration of vacancy question to CAPI operation Target date for OMB approval: July 2008

7 Open-ended

8 Duration of Vacancy Question Data collected from vacant units currently consists of reasons why it is vacant (i.e., for rent, for sale only) Proposed question for 2009 will ask for the number of months the unit has been vacant

9 Research and Evaluation Projects Status: Ongoing Estimation –multiyear estimates; small area estimation; use of population and housing controls Data quality –consistency by mode; item nonresponse Data usability –displaying measures of variability; seasonality Review and analysis of operations

Data Release Plans Status: On track Developing new automated review tool for multiyear estimates Data release schedule –2007 ACS data released first (Aug.-Sept.) – ACS data released Dec.

11 What We Will Release in 2008 First release of 3-year estimates for areas with populations of 20,000 and greater 3-year estimates are based on data collected from housing unit population in 2005, 2006, and 2007; group quarters population in 2006 and 2007

12 What We Will Release in 2008 First release of 2 sets of ACS estimates for areas with populations of 65,000 and greater –1-year estimates for 2007 –3-year estimates for

13 What We Will Release in 2008 The types of geographic areas that will receive 3-year estimates are essentially the same as those receiving 1-year estimates Many more specific areas will now qualify

14 What We Will Release in 2008 First release of ACS data for many mid- sized counties, metropolitan, and micropolitan statistical areas Multiple data sets for states, Congressional Districts, PUMAs, large counties, and metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas

15 What We Will Release in 2008 Most data products identical to last years data release Data profiles will add estimates in percent format Selected Population Profiles – expanded to include iterations by country of birth –drop in threshold to 500,000

16 What We Will Release in 2008 Comparison Profile returns –Compares 2007 ACS with 2006 ACS –Includes flags identifying statistical testing results Finalizing plans to release two PUMS files –2007 ACS PUMS – ACS PUMS

17 Organization of ACS Data in the American FactFinder Important to clearly distinguish the 1-year and 3-year data products through effective labeling and clear terminology Important to highlight assistance links

18 Organization of ACS Data in the American FactFinder Decision to direct both novice and expert users to specific data sets as defaults Users can select other data sets

19 User Education Handbooks and Supplementary Materials on Understanding and Using ACS Data Target Audiences: General UsersFederal Agencies Congressional StaffPUMS Users Business CommunityMedia High School TeachersSmall Local Governments University ResearchersAmerican Indians/Alaska Natives State & Local GovernmentsPuerto Rico (in Spanish)* Rural Areas*State Legislators* * New handbooks

20 Web Site Improvements Training New and revised content on ACS web site ACS Training for SDCs –Scheduled for Oct. 9 at Census Bureau –Train the Trainer