New York – The United States Census Bureau announced that it will collect data on race and ethnicity differently so that members of communities such as Latinos can better identify themselves demographically to federal authorities.
The measure, which is being taken for the first time in 20 years, seeks to better and more inclusively reflect the ethnic and demographic reality of the country.
The revisions to the minimum race and ethnicity categories announced Thursday by the Office of Management and Budget are the first since 1997 to Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 (Directive No. 15).
The changes are a result of recommendations from the Interagency Technical Working Group, which includes career federal government personnel.
The group began reviewing the standards in June 2022, the White House said in a post on its website.
“Since that first meeting, we have reviewed 20,000 comments and conducted nearly 100 public listening consultations before finalizing the important standards we are announcing today,” said US Chief Statistician Dr. Karin Orvis.
“Thanks to the hard work of staff at dozens of federal agencies and the contributions of thousands of
members of the public, these updated standards will help maintain, collect, and present data
more useful, accurate, and up-to-date federal information on race and ethnicity. These revisions will improve
our ability to compare information and data collected by different agencies
federal programs and also to understand if federal programs effectively serve our country
diverse,” highlighted the expert.
Changes to questions about race and ethnicity
The most significant of the recommendations resulting from the evaluation are the changes to the questions used to collect information on race and ethnicity. The Census will use a single question to identify race and ethnicity and ask respondents to respond by selecting all the options with which they identify. In addition, it will add “Middle East or North Africa” (MENA) as a new minimum category.
The minimum race and/or ethnicity categories are: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Middle Eastern or North African, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander , white.
In short, previously asked questions about race and ethnicity will no longer be presented separately on the forms, but will be combined into a single question. This will allow respondents to choose several categories at the same time, such as “black” and “Hispanic,” for example. The current problem with the way the questions are asked is that many populations, such as Hispanics, do not know how to answer the question about race when asked separately, because they think that race and ethnicity are the same thing. This leads to them choosing “another race” or not answering the question.
The new standards also require the collection of additional details beyond the minimum required categories of race and ethnicity in most situations, “in order to ensure greater disaggregation in the collection, tabulation, and presentation of data where appropriate.” useful and appropriate.”
“The new standards also include several additional updates to definitions, terminology and guidelines that guide agencies on the collection and presentation of data,” federal authorities specify.
As a next step, other federal agencies and entities were ordered to begin updating their surveys and administrative forms, and to submit an Action Plan to comply with the provisions of the new rules within 18 months. Within the five-year period they must finish adjusting all data collection and programs to the updated standards.
Additionally, OMB created an interagency committee on statistical standards relating to race and ethnicity. “This interagency committee, convened by the Office of the U.S. Chief Statistician, will maintain and conduct a federal government-wide research program and conduct periodic reviews of Directive No. 15,” they noted. from the Census Bureau.
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