Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1205100
10 | WEAnews The importance of the U.S. Census to the well-being of children and the strength of their public schools cannot be overstated. Using census data, the federal government allocates tens of billions of dollars in education funds to states and localities annually using formulas that factor in population and poverty levels. An accurate census count is the critical first step to helping educators address the needs of every child who walks through their doors. The census count happens only once every ten years; when we undercount young children, the consequences can last most of their childhood. "Educators are trusted, and we can reassure others that participation in the census is safe, important, and necessary," says Utah elementary teacher and NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia. "Being counted helps ensure that all communities receive their fair share of federal and state funding for schools and other critical services." Census data determine the distribution of more than $800 billion, including to programs that help our students. Some of those programs provide supports for children with special needs and those from low-income families. These funds help schools reduce class sizes, hire specialists, continuously bolster teacher quality, offer preschool to low- income families, and ensure that hungry students can get breakfast or lunch to help them pay attention in class. Census data are also critical to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which keeps millions of families out of poverty and has lasting benefits for children's health and academic success. Talk to your family, coworkers, and friends about what is at stake for public schools in the census. Check out the Census Bureau's Statistics in Schools site at census.gov/schools, where you can learn more about the census, and find lesson plans, maps, historical data, plus coloring pages, quizzes, word finds, and more. The 2020 Census Matters for Every Student: Here's Why wyoming.pbslearningmedia.org/