[Federal Register: March 9, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 45)]
[Notices]
[Page 11609-11610]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09mr05-44]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
2006 American Community Survey Content Test
ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the
proposed an/or continuing information collections, as required by the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506
(c)(2)(A)).
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 9, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet
at dhynek@doc.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions
should be directed to Wendy D. Hicks, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 2027,
SFC 2, Washington, DC 20233, (301) 763-2431 (or via the Internet at
wendy.davis.hicks@census.gov).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
Given the rapid demographic changes experienced in recent years and
the strong expectation that such changes will continue and accelerate,
the once-a-decade data collection approach of a decennial census is no
longer acceptable for the mandated or required data traditionally
collected on the census long-form. To meet the needs and expectations
of the country, the Census Bureau developed the American Community
Survey (ACS). This survey collects long-form data every month and
provides tabulations of these data on a yearly basis. In the past, the
long-form data were collected only at the time of each decennial
census. The ACS allows the Census Bureau to remove the long form from
the 2010 Census, thus reducing operational risks, improving accuracy,
and providing more relevant data.
Full implementation of the ACS in 2005 includes an annual sample of
approximately three million residential addresses in the 50 states and
District of Columbia and another 36,000 residential addresses in Puerto
Rico each year. While this large sample of addresses permits production
of single year estimates for areas with a population of 65,000 or more,
estimates at lower levels of geography require aggregates of three and
five years worth of data. The year 2008 is the first year for
significant changes to the ACS content since the 2001. From 2008
through 2012, it is important that the content of the ACS questions
remain consistent for the three- and five-year aggregated data
estimates that the ACS data will produce. 2008 will mark the beginning
of a period during which both three- and five-year aggregated data
estimates will be based on new or revised ACS content, and will also
include data collection in the year that coincides with the next
decennial census (2010). Given the significance of the year 2008, the
ACS has committed to a research program during 2006 that will result in
final content determination in time for the 2008 ACS. This research is
the 2006 ACS Content Test.
The 2006 ACS Content Test includes four stages: (1) Identification
of content eligible for testing, (2) content determination, (3) content
test implementation, and (4) recommendations for final content in 2008.
The first stage involves the joint efforts of multiple Federal agencies
that either sponsor or use data from the ACS, as well as subject matter
experts from within the Census Bureau. Together, they have demonstrated
problems with
[[Page 11610]]
existing questions or content on the ACS, such as out-of-date response
categories, or more consequential problems such as questions resulting
in estimates that seem systematically lower or higher than expected,
based on comparisons to other sources. Additionally, recent or
anticipated legislative action may result in identification of new
content, not currently included on the ACS, for testing. In this phase,
11 of 25 existing housing questions, 15 of 43 existing socio-economic
questions, and three new socio-economic questions were identified for
inclusion in the second stage of the content test.
The second stage of the content test, content determination,
includes cognitive laboratory pretesting, expert reviews and other
pretesting methods for the purpose of developing alternate versions of
question content identified as eligible for testing. As with the
previous stage, representatives from numerous federal agencies, as well
as other data users, have contributed to these early pretesting efforts
by providing their subject matter expertise in the development of
alternatives.
Content test implementation, the third stage, will include a
national sample field test with approximately 50,000 residential
addresses. About half of the sample will serve as the test panel for
the content, and the other half will serve as the control panel,
receiving the current content of the 2005 ACS. The ACS Content Test
will reflect almost all of the same data collection methodology as used
with the current ACS, starting with mailing a prenotice letter and then
an initial mailing package with an ACS questionnaire to residential
addresses selected for participation. As with the current ACS, Census
Bureau will mail a second questionnaire to the sampled address if no
response is received after three weeks. Census Bureau staff will then
follow-up households that do not respond by using computer-assisted
telephone interviewing (CATI) and computer-assisted personal
interviewing (CAPI).
Operations for the 2006 ACS Content Test and the current ACS will
differ in that the content test will not provide Telephone
Questionnaire Assistance (TQA), nor will it include a Telephone Edit
Follow-Up (TEFU) operation for mail respondents. The TQA operation
provides direct assistance to respondents while answering the mail
form, potentially influencing how they interpret and respond to
questions. The TEFU operation follows-up with households that return a
mail form to collect more complete data. The 2006 ACS Content Test
excludes these two operations so that we can analyze data that most
directly reflects the household's response to the questions.
Additionally, the 2006 ACS Content Test will differ from the
current ACS in that the content test will include a CATI Content
Follow-up as a method to measure simple response variance and response
bias. Both response variance and response bias will serve as critical
indicators of the quality of the test questions relative to the current
versions of the ACS questions. Both English and Spanish languages will
be available in the automated instruments used for this content test.
In the fourth and final stage, final content recommendations, an
analysis of the data collected, including content follow-up data, will
guide the selection of the versions of the questions that yield the
highest quality data. Census Bureau analysts, subject matter experts,
and experts from the other participating federal agencies will work
together to determine the final question content based on the results
of the test. The end product will reflect final content recommendation
based on input from all participants. These recommendations are
expected in the early part of January 2007, so that the Census Bureau
can implement all the necessary changes to the existing ACS data
collection materials (e.g., questionnaires, CATI/CAPI instruments,
questionnaire instruction booklet, interviewer training materials,
etc.) to reflect the final recommended questions/content in time for
implementation of the 2008 ACS.
II. Method of Collection
The Census Bureau will mail prenotice letters and then paper
questionnaires to households selected for the 2006 ACS Content Test. A
reminder card is delivered to all sampled households that have not
responded to the survey two weeks after the initial questionnaire was
mailed. For households that do not return a questionnaire after three
weeks, a second questionnaire is mailed to the non-responding
household. After four weeks, Census Bureau staff will attempt to
conduct interviews via CATI.
Census Bureau staff will conduct a CAPI for remaining non-response
households after eight weeks. All responding households that include a
telephone number on their returned questionnaire will be eligible for
Content Follow-Up. The Content Follow-up reinterviews will start
approximately two weeks after receipt of the first mail returns and
continue for approximately two weeks after the closeout of CAPI
operations.
III. Data
OMB Number: Not available.
Form Number(s): ACS-1(2006), ACS-1(2006)T, and a subset of
questions from ACS-1(2006)T for Content Follow-up.
Type of Review: Regular.
Affected Public: Individuals and households.
Estimated Number of Respondents: During the period of January 2-
March 31, 2006, we plan to contact a maximum of 50,000 residential
addresses and approximately 30,000 responding households will be
contacted for Content Follow-up.
Estimated Time Per Response: 38 minutes per residential address, 30
minutes per residential address for Content Follow-up.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 46,667.
Estimated Total Annual Cost: Except for their time, there is no
cost to respondents.
Respondent Obligation: Mandatory.
Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Sections 141 and 193.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on (a) whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collections techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for the OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: March 4, 2005.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-4578 Filed 3-8-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P