Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Chancellor's Letter - Census Letter


                                                                                                                                     September 25, 2020

Dear Families,  

As  our buildings reopen and your child reconnects with their school community,  we are reminded  of how much it takes from all of us to operate the largest school system in the nation.   Serving each of our 1.1 million students takes an immense amount of resources, and right now the federal government isn’t coming through with the funds that our city desperately needs.    

You can make a  huge  difference by  filling out the 2020 United States Census. While the Census deadline has been temporarily extended, I still encourage families to complete it today as the final deadline has yet to be determined.  It’s a short online survey  to count  all  New Yorkers,  and it only happens once every ten years.   Filling it out  ensures  our city gets the  money, power, and respect we deserve from the federal government.  

Without an accurate population count, our City will lose out on billions of dollars in federal funding for our schools, but also  healthcare, roads, hospitals, public transportation, and more.  New York could even lose two seats in Congress.
  
Here is how to  fill it out immediately:  

How to Fill Out the United States Census  
   Go online  to https://my2020census.gov
   Filling  it out  takes  five minutes or less.  
   The Census is available  online  in  15 languages.  
   In addition, you can complete your census over the phone  by calling 844-330-2020.  

The Census is Safe and Private 
   The Census  counts all residents, regardless of citizenship or immigration status—therefore,                   
      the Census  does not include a citizenship question.       
   Even if you are undocumented, filling out the Census will not put you or your family at 
      risk.        
   Census responses are private, protected by federal law,  kept strictly confidential,  and can     
      never be  used against you by a court,  government agency, law enforcement authorities, or       
      third parties like  a business or your landlord.   

Too much is at stake for us to be undercounted,  so please fill out  the Census if you have not already done so,  and  encourage  your friends and family members  to  do so  as well!

Making sure that all New Yorkers  are counted  is so  important to guarantee  a bright future for our  city and our  children.