Asian American Advancing Justice – AAJC Launches Groundbreaking Research Assessing Availability and Quality of Administrative Records for Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders
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Washington, D.C. — Today Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC publishes a report, Assessing Availability and Quality of Administrative Records for Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders: Introduction and Federal Database Analysis, the first in a three-part series that seeks to better understand the different roles administrative records could play in the Census data collection processes and the subsequent impact on Asian American and NHPI communities.
“This report initiates a comprehensive exploration into the effectiveness and implications of utilizing administrative records for the decennial census,” said Terry Ao Minnis, Vice President of Census and Voting Programs at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC. “As the Census Bureau gears up for the 2030 Census, there is consideration of an increasing reliance on administrative records in census planning, implementation, processing, and quality assessment. This research series aims to understand the strengths and limitations of this increasing reliance to better advocate for the most accurate data collection approaches for Asian Americans and NHPIs.”
The first installment of this report walks through the history of the Census Bureau’s measurement of race and use of administrative data and describes Asian American and NHPI coverage in federal administrative records. The report cautions against potential disparities in coverage for communities of color due to overreliance on administrative records and stresses the importance of self-reported data.
This research series underscores the critical importance of accurately capturing current population statistics, especially concerning detailed racial and subgroup coverage. Subsequent publications will analyze administrative records collected by selected states, culminating in recommendations on how to best utilize administrative records for the Asian American and NHPI communities.
Read the report here.