Supporting Statement B - AABS1820-2.27.19-FINAL

Supporting Statement B: Arts Basic Survey
B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods
B.1. Universe and Respondent Selection
The U.S. Census Bureau will conduct the ABS as a February supplement in conjunction with the
CPS. The universe is the more than 130 million housing units in the 3,233 counties and
independent cities that make up the United States. From this universe, the Bureau will select a
sample of approximately 72,000 households each month, of which approximately 60,000
households are eligible to be interviewed (most of the ineligible housing units are non-residential
or unoccupied). About 55,500 households will be interviewed each month. The Bureau will
administer the 2018 ABS supplement to a random one-quarter of the 60,000 eligible households,
or the approximately 15,000 households, who are in two of the CPS months in sample rotations.
In larger households, a second supplemental ABS interview will be administered. All respondents
will receive all survey items in the 2018 ABS. The Bureau will administer the 2020 ABS
supplement to a random one-half of the 60,000 eligible households, or the approximately 30,000
households, who are in two of the CPS months in sample rotations. Half of the random sample
will be given each module of the 2020 ABS. In larger households, a second supplemental 2018 or
2020 ABS interview will be administered.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimated, based on the 2015 AABS, that we should expect
approximately 36,000 and 72,000 adults will be eligible for the 2018 and 2020 ABS supplements,
respectively. Since the ABS allows proxy responses for spouses or partners, we expect that data
will be collected on approximately 18,000 adults in 2018 and 32,000 adults in 2020. This is what
occurred in the 2015 AABS and 2016 AABS using the same sampling procedures. The exact
number will depend on the Supplemental response rate, which is expected to be about 75% (a
little lower than the expected response rate of 88% for the overall CPS).
B.2. Procedures for Collecting Information
The main data for the Arts Basic Survey-Arts Creation and Performance module will be collected
as a supplemental survey associated with the February 2018 CPS. The main data for the Arts
Basic Survey-Arts Creation and Performance module and the Arts Basic Survey-Arts Attendance
and Arts Learning module will be collected as a supplemental survey associated with the
February 2020 CPS, but half of the sample receive the first module and the other half will receive
the second module. Attachment H gives an overview of the CPS sample design and weighting.
B.3. Methods for Maximizing Response Rate
One of the main reasons that the NEA has chosen to have the ABS as a supplement to the CPS is
historically, the CPS has achieved higher response rates than what would otherwise be possible.
To avoid breakoffs, the NEA has kept the number of supplemental questions to a minimum. The
NEA also has tested each question to ensure that the questions are easy to answer and will not
lead to any significant item nonresponse. As with the SPPA, to avoid lower response rates, the
NEA has given permission to the U.S. Census Bureau to collect information via proxy from a
knowledgeable adult in the event that the target respondent is unavailable during the CPS field
period. Finally, the U.S. Census Bureau’s ABS supplement survey weights will include a
nonresponse adjustment, which reduces potential nonresponse bias.
Attachments
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A.

Title 13, Section 182, United States Code

B.

First Federal Register Notice

C.

Second Federal Register Notice

D1.

2018 ABS Arts Basic Survey Questionnaire

D2.

2020 ABS Arts Basic Survey

E.

CPS Advance Letter

F.

Confidentiality Brochure

G.

Fact Sheet for the Current Population Survey

H.

Overview of CPS Sample Design and Methodology

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