February 17, 2000
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:
It is time to stand up and be counted - by the U.S. Census.
An accurate and reliable count can mean additional money for your schools and all Texas public schools. The General Accounting Office estimates that in 1990 the census missed about
486,000 people in Texas. That translates into an estimated $934 million loss of federal revenue for this state, or about $1,922 for each person
who was missed during the last census. Some of that would have been available in educational funds to aid disadvantaged children but was lost
because all of our residents were not counted. Since the last census was taken in 1990, the Texas population has grown to 20 million, an increase of about 25 percent.
That growth is clearly reflected in our public school population and in the amount of federal revenue at stake.
To assist with this massive effort, the governor has designated
Texas Secretary of State Elton Bomer as Texas census ambassador. His office is regularly posting information about the census at this website: www.sos.state.tx.us. Click on the U.S. Census icon. Also available at this website is information for the “Census in Schools” program.
The program is an initiative to ensure an accurate count by mobilizing schools nationwide. Program materials are available in three
versions for use by grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12.
Efforts to count all United States residents will begin in March.
Please encourage your teachers to work with students and parents to complete the census so that Texas schools and communities receive the financial help they deserve. It will help your schools and communities.
Sincerely yours,
Jim Nelson
Commissioner of Education