Dr. Danny King, superintendent of Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, is a co-founder of the Count Children First campaign. (File photo: RGG/Joey Gomez)

PHARR, April 28 - Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD has sent a voice message to the parents of its 31,000-plus students urging participation in Census 2010.

The message, delivered in Spanish to homes where Spanish is the predominant language and English in homes where English is the predominant language, was prepared, presented and sent out Tuesday afternoon by PSJA ISD Public Information Officer Arianna Vázquez-Hernández.

Here is the message in English:

“Good afternoon, PSJA parents. This message is to inform you that Census workers are currently going door-to-door conducting the 2010 Census. If a Census worker visits you, please cooperate and answer six simple questions. This will only take about ten minutes. There are no questions about immigration status or income. It is important to answer these questions and be counted to secure the distribution of federal funds for your community.

“Please participate so that your community receives its appropriate share of funding to provide needed services including better roads and health services. If you have any questions about this visit please call 1-866-872-6868. To repeat this message please press the star key.

“Thank you.”

Here is the message in Spanish:

“Buenas tardes, padres de Pharr-San Juan-Alamo. Este mensaje es para informarles que en este momento trabajadores del Censo están llendo casa por casa para completar el Censo 2010. Si un trabajador del Censo lo visita, por favor copere y conteste seis simples preguntas. Esto sólo le tomará ten minutos. No hay preguntas sobre el status legal o sueldo.

“Es importante responder a estas preguntas y ser contado para asegurar que dinero federal sea distribuido en su comunidad. Por favor participe para que su comunidad reciba los fondos necesarios para tener mejores calles y servicios de salud. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre esta visita por favor llame al 1-866-872-6868. Para repetir este mensaje por favor opríma la tecla de la estrella.

“Gracias.”

Vázquez-Hernández said the U.S. Census Bureau had asked PSJA to help promote the census. The Pharr-San Juan-Alamo area is home to tens of thousands of colonia residents. The Census Bureau did not send Census forms to 95 percent of colonia residents, preferring instead to record Census data through door-to-door visits by Census workers.

The decision not to send out Census forms to border colonias has been roundly condemned by non-profit groups that work in colonias. They argue that the Census workers will not reach anywhere near enough residents. This could result in a massive undercount which in turn would mean the region loses out on tens of millions of federal dollars for education and health care.

Vázquez-Hernández said she understands San Benito CISD sent a similar voice message out to the parents of its students about the importance of participating in the Census. San Benito has led the way in the Rio Grande Valley in Census 2010 participation rates.

PSJA ISD uses a system called School Messenger to send out voice messages to parents. The school has a list detailing which homes prefer messages in English and which prefer messages in Spanish. The message is delivered to the primary phone number of the parents. That can be a cell phone. If a parent does not answer the phone a voice message is left. Parents can hit the star key on their phone to listen to the message again.

PSJA ISD was one of the founders of the Count Children First campaign. Launched in conjunction with the Children’s Defense Fund, the Coalition for Valley Families, and the Center for Public Policy Priorities, the campaign focuses on getting maximum participation in the 2010 Census in hard-to-reach communities. Other school districts participating in the campaign include Donna, Edinburg, Hidalgo, McAllen, Mercedes and Valley View.

The Children’s Defense Fund has sent out two flyers about the Census via school districts participating in the Count Children First campaign. In addition, the CDF has visited PSJA to train Parent-Educators on the importance of the Census.

At a Census outreach event at the Texas A&M center in McAllen last month, PSJA ISD Superintendent Danny King pointed out that the Census only comes around every ten years. That means many of the children being counted now could be in college by 2020. He pointed out that PSJA has gained over 7,000 students in the last ten years. It is important, he said, federal dollars match that growth.

“We need to count everyone in the Rio Grande Valley and especially every child,” said King. “The Rio Grande Valley is one of the fastest growing areas in the state and in the country. With that growth comes needs for all kinds of services. If we do not count everyone and every child then we do not get our share of the funding for the services that are needed. The money needs to be spent where the need is. The dollars need to go where the children are.”

Write Steve Taylor

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