LOS ANGELES – U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves, members of Congress Judy Chu,
Grace Napolitano, and Lucille Roybal-Allard, Los Angeles School Board Vice President Yolie Flores,
and the ya es hora ¡HAGASE CONTAR! Census Coalition (It’s Time, Make Yourself Count!) today
visited Garza Primary Center in Los Angeles. The event marked the national kick off of efforts by
Latino organization, the U.S. Census Bureau, school districts, early childhood education providers,
among others, to promote a full tally of one of the hardest-to-count populations – Latino children.



Census data are used to help allocate approximately $26 billion annually in education funding every
year. “There are more than 56 million students in elementary and secondary schools in the United
States,” says Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of the NALEO Educational Fund. “Of those, one in
five is Latino. As the nation’s second-largest and fastest growing population, a Latino undercount will
mean a failed census. The country cannot afford.”

“The Latino community has more at stake in this Census than any other group. Unless we have a
complete count we will not be able to give our children the tools they need to become the future leaders
of our communities and the nation," said NALEO Educational Fund board member Rep. Lucille Roybal-
Allard (D-Calif.). “We must ensure that Latino children receive the education funding they deserve. I
applaud Director Groves and the Census Bureau's efforts to ensure a complete count, and NALEO’s
commitment to increase Latino participation."

The ya es hora Campaign, through its¡HAZME CONTAR! initiative is working to ensure a full Census
count of all school-aged children. Efforts include promotion of the “Census in Schools” curriculum,
resolutions in school districts supporting that curriculum, distribution of outreach materials, and
trainings sessions on how to conduct Census outreach efforts at the local level.

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For more information on the campaign, please visit www.yaeshora.info.