Is the Census Bureau on track for 2025 operational milestones?

This tracker highlights 2025 operational milestones which keep us on track for a fair, complete, and accurate count of our communities. Are we meeting this year’s milestones?

0
Met or Ongoing
0
Not Met or Suspended
0
Pending or Status Unknown

American Community Survey

(Ongoing)

Release of 2030 Census Design and Baseline Operational Plan

(Not Met: Expected early 2025)

By early 2025, Census Bureau should have released a 2030 Census design and baseline (initial) operational plan.

Census Advisory Committees

(Disbanded)

Census Scientific Advisory Committee, Census National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic, and Other Population, and 2030 Census Advisory Committee are disbanded by the Census Bureau under the direction of Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick (March 2025).

Disbanding Census advisory committees can significantly undermine the accuracy, efficiency, and transparency of the Census process. These committees provide valuable expert guidance and stakeholder input that helps ensure the decennial census follows best practices.

Federal Register Notice on Residence Criteria and Situation

(Not Met, May Be Scheduled for 2027)

A Federal Register Notice expected in 2025 on Residence Criteria and Residence Situations (which is known as the residence rule and affects prisons, colleges, and other group quarters) has not been issued.

Analysis of Gender Identity Data

(Suspended)

Census Bureau is expected to suspend analysis of gender identity data collected as part of the 2024 ACS SOGI field test (February 2025).

Assuming efforts to add a sexual orientation question continue, the Bureau would release evaluation reports with its research findings based on cognitive interviews and the 2024 field test.

2030 Census Design & Operations Research and Testing

(Ongoing, No updates have been released by the Census Bureau)

Research and testing to inform 2030 Census design selection and operational development, culminating in the release of the 2030 Census design and first operational plan in early 2025, should be released soon.

Tentative 2025 Census Barriers, Attitudes, and Motivators Survey (CBAMS)

(Pending, Contingent on Funds and Administrative Directives)

Preparations for the 2026 Census Test of Methods & Operations

(Scheduled, May be impacted by hiring freeze Executive Order)

Preparations for the 2026 Census Test of census methods and operations, which will evaluate new tools, outreach strategies, and technological innovations to make participation easier, should be underway.

  • Testing is expected to take place in the following six sites: Tribal lands within Arizona; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Western Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Western North Carolina; and Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Resources

slant-separator

Take Action

slant-separator

Join the States Count Action Network listserv to receive quarterly newsletters, policy updates, invitations to events, and opportunities for action to advocate and prepare for the 2030 Census!