WHY THE CENSUS IS IMPORTANT TO PTA

2020 is an important year for the state and the country - it's the once-per-decade time that every person in America is counted in the U.S. Census. Census-taking starts in March 2020. Why is this important to you as a PTA member or leader? In a nutshell, responding to the census helps your community get its fair share of funding for the next 10 years. Census data guides how more than $675 billion in federal funding is distributed for the following: Schools Health care facilities Roads and transportation Recreation centers Social services And much more! In terms of education and schools, the census count impacts the next 10 years' worth of funds that your community's schools will receive for special education, classroom technology, teacher training, after-school programs, school lunch assistance, and so on. If your child is in second grade now, the census count will have an impact on her education until she graduates from high school! To help children understand the importance of the census, the U.S. Census Bureau has created a program called Statistics in Schools. The program features activities and lessons for grades K-12 which bring school subjects to life using real-world Census Bureau statistics. We encourage you to promote Statistics in Schools at your school in order to teach students about the census and why it's crucial that every person is counted. You have the power to shape the future for the children of California by helping to ensure that everyone in your community is counted in the 2020 Census.

Click the link below for more information on the importance of the 2020 Census.