Census 2020

How the 2020 Census Affects Children

The 2020 Census count impacts the federal funds that communities receive each year for programs and services that are critical for schools, students, and younger children, such as:

  • Special education, Head Start, after-school programs, and classroom technology.
  • Food assistance, including free and reduced-price school lunches.
  • Maternal and child health programs.

Census-guided federal spending programs that impact schools and students include Title I grants to local educational agencies, the national school lunch and breakfast programs, special education grants, career and technical education grants, the Title IV-E foster care program, Section 8 housing assistance, Head Start programs and more.