Dear Mamaroneck School District Families & Community Members,
I am writing to make sure you are aware that the upcoming U.S. Census Update has the potential to shape many aspects of our Mamaroneck-Larchmont community, including our schools. In a nutshell, the data -- which is collected every 10 years -- will be used to determine our community's representation in Congress and on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, our allocation of federal and state aid for things such as highways, construction and public transportation, as well as our portion of County sales tax and school aid funds for the next decade!
Your Response Matters
Next month, residents in our area will receive a letter with details on how to respond to the Census, including a code to use to go online to respond or instructions on responding by phone. Please keep an eye out for that letter and realize that YOUR RESPONSE MATTERS. As per last week's Journal News article, "New York had about a 76% response rate to the 2010 census, and the state has been receiving about $73 billion annually in federal education aid, according to New York State United Teachers. If the response rate had been 95%, the annual federal allocation would have been about $92 billion." Within our school district alone, we have gained nearly 650 more students in the past 10 years. It is crucial that our entire population be counted.
When you respond to the census, your answers are kept anonymous. They are used only to produce statistics. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential. The law ensures that your private information is never published and that your answers cannot be used against you by any government agency or court.
For additional information, visit the U.S. Census 2020 website. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Regards,
Dr. Robert I. Shaps
Superintendent of Schools