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
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Go online to my2020census.gov.
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Filling it out takes five minutes or less.
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The Census is available online in 15 languages.
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In addition, you can complete your census over the phone by calling 844-330-2020.
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The Census is Safe and Private
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The Census counts all residents, regardless of citizenship or immigration status—therefore, the Census does not include a citizenship question.
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Even if you are undocumented, filling out the Census will not put you or your family at risk.
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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.
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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.
Sincerely,
Richard A. Carranza
Chancellor
New York City Department of Education