In 2020, the Census Bureau made some important changes to how they collect and process race and ethnicity data. These changes were intended to better capture the increasingly diverse racial and ethnic identities of the U.S. population, while still following the 1997 Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity. However, these changes also raise some questions about the validity of the Census Bureau’s “Two or More Races” classification in 2020, particularly for Hispanic and Latino individuals. They also complicate comparisons with race data from before 2020, making it difficult to assess change over time. In this blog post, we discuss the consequences of the Census Bureau’s recent changes to how they collect and process race and ethnicity data, as well as the proposed revisions to the OMB standards for the classification of federal data on race and ethnicity.
Read MoreThe American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is an economic stimulus bill passed by the United States Congress on March 11, 2021 to aid recovery from the health and economic impacts of Covid-19. Connecticut received $2.6 billion of the $350 billion ARPA funding to aid public health, economic, and community programs.
Read MoreCongress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March 2020 to provide financial support to residents struggling with the costs of Covid-19. On average, eligible Connecticut residents received $1,616 in the first round of the CARES Act stimulus, compared to $1,676 nationally.
Read MoreIf you use census data, stay tuned for an important update that will impact the future of your data work in Connecticut.
The State of Connecticut requested and the Census Bureau proposed the appointment of the state’s nine Councils of Governments (COGs) as the “county-equivalent geographic unit for purposes of collecting, tabulating, and disseminating statistical data.” The change is set to be implemented in 2023.
Read MoreDid you know that Connecticut has a State Data Plan? On a basic level, the State Data Plan helps ensure that the public has access to a growing number of data collected through the business of the state. You may even use data made available through this plan without realizing it. Or you may be contributing data as part of your work for the state that we can all utilize because of the Plan.
Read MoreHealth care, the economy, major events, our day-to-day lives—Covid-19 has spared nothing on its path of disruption. Even the census had to adjust its 230-year-old process to prioritize the health and safety of census takers (workers) and respondents.
Read MoreWhat you need to know: Changes to the 2020 Census timeline will likely leave state legislators with little time to redraw Connecticut’s congressional and legislative districts if needed. Clarification to the state constitution is urgently needed to ensure that the legislature—not the court—can determine Connecticut’s districts.
Read MoreOn Monday, August 19, 2019, the CTData Collaborative hosted over 30 partners for a data forum on education and workforce development with the state’s Chief Data Officer, Tyler Kleykamp. Attendees included data lovers and users across multiple sectors including nonprofits, state agencies, philanthropy, higher education, advocacy organizations, for-profits, and independent consultants. CTData Executive Director, Michelle Riordan-Nold, remarked, “The diverse group of stakeholders engaged in the forum demonstrates the complexity of the topic and the necessity to address educational and workforce needs in the state.”
Read MoreThe Connecticut Data Collaborative in partnership with the Chief Data Officer Tyler Kleykamp is hosting two Data Forums to discuss the Focal Points in the State Data Plan. This is an opportunity for state agencies and stakeholders to prioritize the most pressing data questions, identify existing data sources, discuss gaps in public data, and help create an action plan to make more data available to the public for policy decision making. The meetings will be held at CTData’s office at 10 Constitution Plaza in Hartford.
Read MoreThe impact of the government shutdown, the longest in history and entering its 26th day, is extensive—from food safety worries to tax return concerns to many individuals and families struggling without paychecks. An often overlooked government function that has ceased operating in many cases is the collection and dissemination of public data. How will the shutdown affect the government’s efforts?
Read MoreThe State’s Chief Data Officer has submitted the Draft State Plan in response to PA 18-175. Click here for the plan. A public hearing will be held, November 15 at 10am at the Legislative Office Building. This will be the last opportunity for public input on the plan. The Data Analysis and Advisory Board has 30 days from today to submit comments on the plan. A final plan will be delivered by December 31, 2018.
Read MoreMichelle Riordan-Nold, Executive Director of the Connecticut Data Collaborative, has been appointed by Senator Looney to serve on the newly formed Connecticut Data Analysis Technology Advisory Board.
Read MoreI'm re-posting an older post where we were looking for support for HB 5517. Great news, the legislation was passed on the last night of the session! Thank you to everyone who advocated, testified, and wrote letters to their legislators. We are excited about the components of the legislation (there's more than only codifying EO#39). Join our open data call on Tuesday from 3-4 to learn more from the State's Chief Data Officer, Tyler Kleykamp.
Read MoreI recently sat down with Tom Cooke, a Professor in the Department of Geography at UConn, and we discussed general policy issues facing the state and the need for Connecticut focused research that could help guide policymakers. This conversation spawned from several that the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has hosted in regards to the need for an independent non-partisan public policy center in the state.
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