Informational Resources, Grade-By-Grade Learning Activities Now Available Online
BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Louisiana Department of Education, in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, today released an online toolkit of resources designed to help teachers and families communicate the importance of the 2020 Census to their students and children. The toolkit, now available at louisianabelieves.com, includes general informational resources, such as flyers, statistics, and videos, as well as a suite of learning activities by grade level, from counting for pre-kindergartners to examining career statistics for high schoolers.
"We are proud to partner with the U.S. Census Bureau to ensure every child counts in Louisiana," said State Superintendent John White. "A complete and accurate census is critical for all communities, as the results affect various aspects of education, from offering affordable, healthy school lunch options to providing high-quality early care and education to supporting historically disadvantaged students and their families."
The Constitution mandates a count--or a census--of the population every 10 years. The census counts the population in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories. In March, homes across the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, respondents can complete the survey by phone, by mail, or for the first time, online. Census responses are confidential.
The census provides vital information for you and your community.
- It determines how many representatives each state gets in Congress and is used to redraw district boundaries.
- Communities rely on census statistics to plan for a variety of resident needs, including new roads, schools, and emergency services.
- Businesses use census data to determine where to open places to shop.
Each year, the federal government distributes more than $675 billion to states and communities based on Census Bureau data. However, participation in Louisiana has decreased over time.
In 2000, for example, 68 percent of questionnaires were mailed back by Louisiana households that received them. In 2010, the rate decreased to 65 percent. That same year, no Louisiana parish had a participation rate exceeding 75 percent. Ouachita Parish had the highest rate of participation, at 74 percent, and Tensas Parish had the lowest rate of participation, at 44 percent.
Visit the 2020 Census Toolkit to learn more about how to ensure every child counts in Louisiana.
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