The American Community Survey

Proposed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to add to ACS during the 2010 Census

ACS interviewing staff (all modes) will be given the following FAQs to use to answer questions about the relationship between the ACS and the 2010 Census.

Except where noted, these questions and answers are taken from the list of those that will be used for the 2010 Census.

FAQ:	Add to:
	Automated Instruments1	Automated TQA manual	TQA training for new hires	IVR
1. Will the American Community Survey be conducted during the 2010 Census?			
2. Why did I receive a questionnaire for the Census and a questionnaire for the American Community Survey?				2
3. Do I have to respond to the 2010 Census and the American Community Survey?				
4. Why can’t you take my answers from the 2010 Census for the American Community Survey or vice versa?3			
5. What do I do if I received a 2010 Census questionnaire and an American Community Survey questionnaire?				
6. Can you take my 2010 Census information also?4			
7. I have a question about the 2010 Census. Can you help me?3				
8. Do I include the same people on my ACS form and my Census 2010 form ?			

Current ACS interviewers doing TQA, FEFU, CAPI, and GQ will be trained on these FAQs via a memo in late 2009 or early 2010. If CATI interviewers have classroom training, this will be included in the training; otherwise they will also be trained via memo.

The 2010 TQA phone numbers will only be given to respondents when the 2010 TQA phone line is active, that is, February 25, 2010 – July 31, 2010.

1 – Will the American Community Survey be conducted during the 2010 Census?

Will the American Community Survey be conducted during the 2010 Census?

Yes. The American Community Survey is an ongoing survey that collects detailed population and housing information from a sample of U. S. households and group quarter’s facilities each month. Households that receive both the American Community Survey and the 2010 Census need to respond to both.

(Read if necessary:

More information about the ACS can be found at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/.

More information about the 2010 Census can be found at http://www.census.gov/2010census .)

2 – Why did I receive a questionnaire for the Census and a questionnaire for the American Community Survey?

Why did I receive a questionnaire for the Census and a questionnaire for the American Community Survey?

Every household (as well as residents of group quarters, such as college residence halls, skilled nursing facilities, group homes, military barracks, and correctional facilities) will receive a 2010 Census questionnaire so that we can provide an official count of the entire U.S. population to Congress. Your address (or group quarter) happens to also be a part of the sample of addresses (or group quarters) the American Community Survey is surveying. The American Community Survey, which replaced the decennial census long form, provides communities with detailed population and housing characteristics (no housing questions on the GQ form) every year instead of once every 10 years like the decennial census.

Please respond to both the 2010 Census questionnaire and the American Community Survey. The 2010 Census and the American Community Survey are each vitally important to ensure that your community receives its far share of government funding for education, transportation, neighborhood improvements and much more. Your participation in each is also required by law. For more information about your participation in the 2010 Census please call 1-866-US COUNT, that’s 1-866-872-6868 or go to www.census.gov/2010census. If you prefer a Spanish-speaking operator, call 1-866-928-2010

NOTE: parenthetical phrases are not read on the IVR

3 – Do I have to respond to the 2010 Census and the American Community Survey?

Do I have to respond to the 2010 Census and the American Community Survey?

The American Community Survey, which replaced the decennial census long form, has different questions and purposes than the 2010 Census population headcount. Your participation in both is vital and required by law. Data about how our communities are changing are crucial to many planning decisions that affect you – such as neighborhood improvements, emergency preparedness, transportation, senior services and much more.

4 – Why can’t you take my answers from the 2010 Census for the American Community Survey or vice versa?

Why can’t you take my answers from the 2010 Census for the American Community Survey or vice versa?

The American Community Survey, which replaced the decennial census long form, has different questions and purposes than the 2010 Census population headcount. Your participation in each is vital and is required by law.

5 – What do I do if I received a 2010 Census questionnaire and an American Community Survey questionnaire?

What do I do if I received a 2010 Census questionnaire and an American Community Survey questionnaire?

If you received a 2010 Census questionnaire and an American Community Survey questionnaire you are required by law to complete and return both questionnaires to the Census Bureau. The American Community Survey replaced the decennial census long form and asks for different information than the 2010 Census short-form questionnaire. Your participation in both is vital to ensure that your community receives its fair share of political representation and government funding.

6 -- Can you take my 2010 Census information also?

Can you take my 2010 Census information also?

If you need help completing your census questionnaire, or have other questions about the census, please call 1-866-872-6868 for an English-speaking operator. If you prefer a Spanish-speaking operator, call 1-866-928-2010.

More information about the 2010 Census can also be found at http://www.census.gov/2010census .

7 -- I have a question about the 2010 Census. Can you help me?

I have a question about the 2010 Census. Can you help me?

If you have questions about the 2010 census, please call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance center at 1-866-872-6868. (If you prefer a Spanish-speaking operator, then dial 1-866-928-2010.) The lines will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (your local time) seven days a week from February 25, 2010 through July 30, 2010.

For the hearing-impaired, dial 1-866-783-2010 (during the times noted above.)

More information about the 2010 Census also can be found at http://www.census.gov/2010census .

8. Do I include the same people on my ACS form and my Census 2010 form?

Do I include the same people on my ACS form and my Census 2010 form?

Because the Census and the ACS are conducted for different reasons, they use slightly different "rules" on whom to include within each household. Follow the instructions on each form.

1 Includes CATI, CAPI, TQA, FEFU, GQ

2 IVR will not refer to Group Quarters in response

3 2010 Census FAQ is reversed (i.e., take ACS answers for census)

4 FAQ for ACS only

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