Reengineering the SIPP: The New Dynamics of Economic Well-being Program

The Center on Children and Families and the Urban Markets Initiative at the Brookings Institution and the U.S. Census Bureau held a seminar to discuss the new measurement program being developed by the Bureau to replace the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).

As part of its 2007 budget, the Census Bureau removed full funding for SIPP. Data collection for the 2004 SIPP panel is scheduled to end in September 2006. The Bureau has announced that it intends to replace SIPP with an improved, lower-cost measurement effort, the Dynamics of Economic Well-Being program that would provide high-quality data on issues similar to those addressed by SIPP. Critics of the Census Bureau’s decision to terminate SIPP argue, among other things, that the Bureau had not done serious development work on the new program. Without knowing the characteristics of a new measurement program, critics have been especially concerned that researchers and policymakers would lose the longitudinal information available in SIPP on program participation and other issues. The Bureau indicates that it has made substantial progress in determining the characteristics of the replacement program, and wishes to get feedback from those who use and rely on SIPP. Therefore, we are pleased to invite you to the luncheon meeting to learn about the Bureau’s plans for the new program and to participate in a moderated discussion about its adequacy as a replacement for SIPP.