Limited English Speaking Households

California is made up of countless unique and culturally rich communities. Californians speak over 40 languages besides English at home, with Spanish as the most common. However, English proficiency can play an important role in accessing certain types of jobs and other social service and healthcare resources. Children in linguistically isolated households often underperform in math and reading when compared to their native-English speaking peers.

Neighborhoods with high rates of linguistic isolation often communicate and function fully without use of the English language, providing children with few opportunities to practice and learn English. However, some research suggests that children surrounded by other linguistically isolated families have the opportunity to learn and practice with other novice speakers and serve as translators for their families.

When measured alongside other datasets such as poverty and student proficiency, high rates of linguistic isolation can be an indication of a need for investment in both child and adult education resources to help socially and economically integrate non-English speaking households and communities in culturally humble ways.