(Washington, D.C., Wednesday, March 25, 2020) – The 2020 Census is critical for communities across the United States for two reasons:

It guides the allocation of over $675 billion in federal funding. That funding provides schools, hospitals, housing, roads, infrastructure, and other essential services. Communities receive the most benefit when every resident is counted.

It determines the number of seats that each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives. The number of seats for each state can change if the Census shows that the state’s population count has changed. An inaccurate Census population count within a state means two things:

• People in the state who go uncounted are not represented equally in Congress; and
• The state’s population is not fully represented.

In some cases, an inaccurate Census count for a state might also mean that the state loses a seat in the House of Representatives or misses out on gaining an additional representative.

A full and accurate Census count depends on participation by traditionally hard-to-count populations, including minorities, low-income households, rural residents, persons with low educational attainment, and non-native speakers of English. Communities are using locally adapted tools and strategies to reach all residents and promote Census completion.

The National Coalition for Literacy is an alliance of the leading national and regional organizations dedicated to advancing adult education, family literacy, and English language acquisition in the United States. Through collaborative efforts with other advocacy organizations and individuals, NCL ensures that leaders and legislators at the national level make informed decisions about policies, regulations, and funding for adult education and family literacy.