General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI just read that my little suburban school district has students speaking more than 80 languages.
In Seattle, it's 129 languages. In Los Angeles, more than 240.
Wow. If I'm remembering right, the Seattle area numbers are about twice what they were when my kids started school.
I wonder what it's like in the middle sections of the country? And the south and southwest? Is this part of what makes red and blue states so different? Or is this happening everywhere?
How many languages are spoken in your school district?
49jim
(560 posts)in New Britain, CT last year and there were 15 students in her class. Languages that were spoken in the room-English, Spanish, Polish and four dialects from India. Many of them were learning english for the first time.We went to her pre-school graduation and it was certainly eye opening. She is now starting kindergarten and a regular part of the curriculum is spanish class.
Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)in most school districts most students will be native English speakers; those who aren't will be Spanish speakers. The numbers of foreign-born residents (and first-generation children of immigrants) is much higher in a few specific places because there are already immigrant communities there (and more job opportunites, etc). Here's a map using census data from 2010 to show the percentage of foreign-born residents in US states:
pnwmom
(108,990 posts)are metro areas (like the Seattle metro area), whether or not they're in a state that is diverse.
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)More than 50% are minorities. Students speak 91 different languages at home. After English, the five most common languages are Spanish, Hmong, Samoan, Filipino, and Yup'ik.
pnwmom
(108,990 posts)Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)(a little less than 300,000 people). In fact, Anchorage's Mountain View neighborhood was recently named the most diverse neighborhood in the country. http://www.adn.com/2013/04/06/2855271/hometown-u-data-show-mountain.html
A lot of people are surprised by that.
pnwmom
(108,990 posts)like Samoa would be put off by the weather. Shows what I know!
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)People from everywhere. We've recently had quite an influx of Somalians, as well. It's one of the things I like about Anchorage, that the neighborhoods are so multi-cultural.
pnwmom
(108,990 posts)Except with a few more mosquitoes.
Blue_In_AK
(46,436 posts)Of course, we also sometimes call Anchorage "Los Anchorage." Lol