The American Community Survey (ACS) is
an ongoing monthly survey that collects detailed housing and
socioeconomic data from about 3.5 million addresses in the United
States and about 36,000 addresses in Puerto Rico each year. The ACS
also collects detailed socioeconomic data from about 195,000
residents living in Group Quarter (GQ) facilities in the United
States and Puerto Rico. Resulting tabulations from this data
collection are provided on a yearly basis. The ACS allows the
Census Bureau to provide timely and relevant housing and
socioeconomic statistics, even for low levels of geography. An
ongoing data collection effort with an annual sample of this
magnitude requires that the ACS continue research, testing, and
evaluations aimed at improving data quality, reducing data
collection costs, and improving the ACS questionnaire content and
related data collection materials. The ACS Methods Panel is a
research program designed to address and respond to survey issues
and needs. As part of the Decennial Census Program, the ACS also
provides an opportunity to research and test elements of survey
data collection that relate to the decennial census. As such, the
ACS Methods Panel can serve as a testbed for the decennial census.
From 2021 to 2024, the ACS Methods Panel may test ACS and decennial
census methods for reducing survey cost, addressing respondent
burden, and improving survey response, data quality, and survey
efficiencies. The ACS Methods Panel may also address other emerging
needs of the programs. At this time, plans are in place to propose
several tests related to self-response, group quarters, and
nonresponse followup data collection operations. Tests may also be
conducted to explore the use of administrative records. Because the
ACS Methods Panel is designed to address emerging issues, we may
propose additional testing as needed. Any testing would focus on
methods for reducing data collection costs, improving data quality,
improving the respondent experience, revising content, or testing
new questions that have a need to be included in the Decennial
Census Program.
As an ongoing testing program,
the ACS plans testing in 3-year increments in line with the OMB
Clearance process. Testing proposed here is in reaction to emerging
issues related to improving data quality, reducing data collection
costs, and improving the ACS questionnaire content and related data
collection materials. Changes in technology, emerging societal
issues, and cutting-edge survey methodology necessitate testing to
maintain the highest relevance for ACS survey estimates.
Additionally, since the ACS Methods Panel can serve as a testbed
for the decennial census, census methods that showed promise in the
2020 Census but could not be fully evaluated due to Census
environment constraints are good candidates for ACS Methods Panel
testing from 2021 to 2024. The agility of this ongoing testing
program benefits the larger field of survey methodology, as well as
contributing specifically to reducing survey cost, addressing data
collection efficiencies, and improving data quality for the ACS and
decennial census.
Robin Pennington 301 763-8132
robin.a.pennington@census.gov
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.