Missouri's Growing Immigrant Population and Implications for School Districts

Abstract

Missouri has experienced considerable growth in immigration, and this trend is reflected in the growth of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. There has been steady growth of LEP students in Missouri over the past twenty years, but this growth has increased significantly in the past five years. According to the 2004 Limited English Proficient Student Census of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the number of LEP students has increased dramatically from 10,238 students in 1999 to 18,745 LEP students in 2004. The rapid growth immigration has left many schools unprepared to address specific needs of children with limited English proficiency.