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CENSUS 2000 DRESS REHEARSAL
Menominee Reservation, Wisconsin |
o Objective of Dress Rehearsal
The objective of the dress rehearsal is to conduct operational testing of
methodologies planned for Census 2000. These methodologies are designed
to provide a more accurate census at less cost. The sites selected for
the dress rehearsal reflect characteristics that we believe will provide
a good operational test of our procedures and systems.
o Selection of the Menominee Reservation for the Dress Rehearsal
The Census Bureau will conduct the dress rehearsal in three sites,
including the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin. The Census Bureau
anticipates formal approval of the Menominee site by the Menominee
Tribal Council in late July. Overall the 1990 census was very good,
with an estimated total undercount of 1.6 percent, although the undercount
for American Indians living on reservations exceeded 12 percent.
Conducting the dress rehearsal on an American Indian reservation allows
the Census Bureau to test Census 2000 methodologies for reducing this
differential. The Census Bureau selected the Menominee Reservation
because it had a very high proportion of American Indians living on the
reservation. Also, the Census Advisory Committee on the American
Indian and Alaska Native Populations recommended the Menominee Reservation.
o Benefits to Tribal Governments
o The Menominee Tribal Government will have the opportunity to observe
first-hand the methodology planned for Census 2000. This
experience could be beneficial in preparing their jurisdiction for
the decennial census. The Census Bureau plans to have an
unprecedented partnership effort for Census 2000, making this
census the "partnership" census. The Census Bureau plans to work
closely with tribal governments, community organizations, and so
forth to conduct a wide range of census activities. For example,
for the first time, the Census Bureau will allow tribal governments
to review the census address list to ensure its completeness and
accuracy. We also will work in partnership with tribal governments
on implementing our promotion and outreach program, and to
facilitate the availability of census questionnaires. We will
implement these partnerships with the Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal,
making the local and tribal governments within the dress rehearsal
sites our first partners for Census 2000.
o The dress rehearsal will provide an economic benefit through
temporary jobs for taking the census. The Census Bureau
anticipates hiring over 30 temporary workers to conduct various
census operations. The duration of the jobs will vary from a few
weeks to nine months.
o The Census Bureau plans to provide the tribal government with
results of the census, including some basic demographic,
economic, and housing data.
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