Alabama Census Bowl Kicks Off Today

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

School systems across Alabama jumped headfirst into the Alabama Census Bowl for Schools Program today. The program is designed to encourage higher self-response rates for the 2020 census across the 32 lowest-performing counties in Alabama.

Set up in an elimination-style bracket, these schools will compete each week until Sept. 30 for the chance to earn up to $65,000 in grant money for their institutions. The self-response rate is open to the entire county, not just to the families of students.

The competition rounds and rewards for a county's final ranking break down as follows:

Elite 8 - $20,000 each
Final 4 - $30,000 each
Second Place - $45,000
First Place - $65,000

The higher self-response rate of the two counties facing off will move on to the next round.

Results will be tallied based on the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs' self-response rate data Mondays after 2 p.m., and the next rounds start by 10 a.m. each Wednesday, with the announcement of each bracket's winners.

Below is a list of the participating Alabama counties: