Using the American Community Survey: Benefits and Challenges Book

Executive Summary     1
Introduction     13
Panel Charge     14
Historical Background     15
Evolution of the Long-Form Sample     15
Why Seek an Alternative to the Long-Form Sample?     16
Evolution of the ACS     20
Issues for the Panel     23
Overview of the Report     24
Using the American Community Survey
Essentials for Users     29
ACS Design Basics     29
Population Coverage (Universe)     30
Residence Rules     31
Content and Reference Periods     31
Sample Design and Size     33
Data Collection     40
Data Products     42
Data Processing-1-Year Period Estimates     43
Data Processing-3-Year and 5-Year Period Estimates     48
ACS Benefits     49
Timeliness and Frequency     49
Data Quality     51
ACS Challenges     61
Period Estimates     61
Sampling Error     63
Summary Assessment     74
Working with the ACS: Guidance for Users     77
Federal Agency Uses     79
Allocation of Federal Funds     80
Determination of Median Incomes for Counties     87
State Agency Uses     94
Allocating State Funds to Localities     95
Strategies for Using ACS Data in State Fund Allocations     96
Example of a Simple Updating Procedure     96
Local Government Uses     98
Large City Applications of the ACS     99
Small Jurisdiction Applications of the ACS     113
Special Case of Seasonal Populations     115
Transportation Planning Uses     117
Using the ACS 1-Year PUMS Files     119
Using the ACS TAZ Data     120
Conclusion on Using the ACS for Transportation Planning     121
Academic Research Uses     121
Using Summary Files for Research     122
Using PUMS Files for Research     122
Media and General Public Uses     123
Using ACS Profiles and Rankings     124
Comparisons with Other Data Sources     125
What Happens in a Decennial Year?     127
Preparing to Use the ACS     130
General Guidelines for ACS Use     130
Suggestions for Users During the Ramp-up Period     134
Technical Issues
Sample Design and Survey Operations     141
Sampling Operations for Housing Units     142
Developing the Initial Sample     142
Initial Sampling Rates     144
Subsampling for CAPI Follow-up     147
MAF Concerns and Recommendations     148
Sample Design Concerns     152
Data Collection for Housing Units     160
Mode of Collection     160
Residence Rules     163
Group Quarters Sampling and Data Collection     167
Group Quarters and the MAF     167
Sample Design for Group Quarters     168
Data Collection for Group Quarters     170
Concerns About Group Quarters     170
Recommendation for Group Quarters     172
Data Preparation     173
Confidentiality Protection     173
Collapsing Tables for Large Sampling Errors     177
Inflation Adjustments     179
Tabulation Specifications     181
Data Quality Review     183
The Weighting of ACS 1-Year Period Estimates     184
Overview     184
The 1-Year Nine-Step Weighting Process     186
Base Weights     187
Variation in Monthly Response Factor     188
Noninterview Factors 1 and 2      191
Mode Bias Noninterview Factor     192
Housing Unit Control Factor 1     194
Population Control Factor     194
Housing Unit Control Factor 2     194
Adjustments to Eliminate Extreme Weights     195
Rounding of Weights     195
Recommendation     196
Housing Unit Controls     196
Population Controls     201
Weighting and Interpreting ACS Multiyear Estimates     209
Alternative Estimands from Multiyear Data     210
Single-Year Estimands from Multiyear Data     210
Multiyear Period Estimand from Multiyear Data     211
Multiyear Period Estimation     212
Estimation of Change Over Time     214
Interpreting Estimates of Change Between Multiyear Period Estimates     215
Precision of Estimates of Change Between Multiyear Period Estimates     218
Conclusions     220
Effects of Changes in Population Size and Characteristics     221
Education, Outreach, and Future Development
Important Next Steps     227
Educating Data Users About the ACS     229
Key Elements of the Education Strategy     230
Providing a Foundation for the Basics     231
Building a Network for Education, Outreach, and Feedback     233
Working with the Media     235
Recommendations on User Education, Outreach, and Feedback     235
Data Quality Monitoring     238
Nonsampling Error Measures     238
Sampling Errors     239
Priorities for Assessment and Improvement of Survey Quality     242
Quality Profile     242
Methods Panels     247
The Panel's Priorities for Assessment     248
A Vision for the Future     254
Small-Area Estimates     255
Seasonal and Multiple Residences     257
Surveying Rare Populations     258
Improving Population Estimates     258
Improving Survey Estimates     259
Recommendation for Future Research and Development     260
References     261
Appendixes
Acronyms and Abbreviations     267
Controlling the American Community Survey to Postcensal Population Estimates   F. Jay Breidt     269
Alternatives to the Multiyear Period Estimation Strategy for the American Community Survey   F. Jay Breidt     290
Biographical Sketches of Panel Members and Staff     313
Index to Executive Summary and Chapters 1-7     319