Census Bureau seeks teacher 'ambassadors' for accurate count

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The U.S. Census is seeking Illinois school teachers to spread the word about an accurate census count in 2020.

The Illinois State Board of Education says that the Census Bureau's Statistics in Schools program invites pre-K through 12th grade teachers to serve as ambassadors. Ambassadors will help educate students about the importance of an accurate population count and take that information home to families.

All teachers may take advantage of free classroom activities offered by the Census.

The count affects Illinois' representation in Congress and the size of federal education grants for the next decade. The General Assembly has allocated $29 million to efforts to ensure an accurate count, among the nation's larger state investments.

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Census activities: www.census.gov/schools