The National K-16 Foreign Language Enrollment Survey collects and analyzes K-12 foreign language enrollment data as it currently stands in the United States, where more than 21 percent of households speak a language other than English at home.
This report maps and documents enrollments at the K-12 level; showing that approximately 20 percent of K-12 student population is enrolled in foreign language courses.
The Foreign Language Enrollment Study also includes reporting on language courses taught; types of language programs (traditional, blended or immersion); student enrollments; levels of instruction; and language assessments.
Why Survey Foreign Language Enrollments in the United States?
Education in foreign languages in the US, particularly at the K-12 level, continues to experience dynamic changes in terms of numbers and locations of programs and program designs.
Sometimes, these changes have conflicting evolutions. For example, while a number of states are involved in major efforts to support offerings of K-12 language education, decisions on a local level are often taken to eliminate or consolidate programs in specific languages. This disconnect between a desire or need for language education and the challenges faced by the schools to implement, expand, or offer programs to support language learning is apparent in the findings of this report.
Recent evidence points to a renewed interest in language immersion, particularly dual language immersion, as a way to more effectively incorporate second language learning into the curriculum for native and non-native speakers of English.
This report maps and documents such developments at the K-12 level; showing that approximately 20 percent of K-12 student population is enrolled in foreign language courses. The Foreign Language Enrollment Study also includes reporting on language courses taught; types of language programs (traditional, blended or immersion); student enrollments; levels of instruction; and certifications.
The survey work began in 2014 and continued throughout 2015, as American Councils and the Center for Applied Linguistics collected secondary data on foreign language enrollment, including a census of all US foreign language enrollments in grades 9-12 and a survey of a subsample of K-8 schools. MLA also provided 2013 data on foreign language enrollment in higher education.
Schools, school districts, and states are encouraged to continue to share their data and information regarding the status of language programs in their school/district/state in order to continue the efforts of this survey into the future.
Download the Report
Read the report here.
Share Your Data
Schools, school districts, and states are encouraged to continue to share their data and information on foreign language programs and enrollment in their school/district/state to reflect the most current data. The K-12 foreign language enrollment map is monitored by various stakeholders in the foreign language education field, so please update your data if you have not already, as we will continue to collect this invaluable information.
If you are interested in more information or would like to share data from your school, school district, or state, please email Nadra Garas.
The National K-16 Foreign Language Enrollment Report
Prepared by Dan Davidson, Nadra Garas, and Werner Wothke at American Councils for International Education; Richard Brecht and Robert Slater at American Councils Research; Marty Abbot at American Center for the Teaching of Foreign Languages; Meg Malone at the Center for Applied Linguistics; David Goldberg and Dennis Looney at Modern Language Association.
Sponsors and Partners
Sponsored by The Language Flagship at the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO), The National K-16 Foreign Language Enrollment Survey and Report was conducted by American Councils for International Education (and its research arm; American Councils Research Center or ARC) in collaboration with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL), and the Modern Language Association (MLA).
The Institute of International Education (IIE) administered the DLNSEO grant in cooperation with Bryn Mawr College. The survey data and report do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of IIE or the Government; and no official IIE or Government endorsement should be inferred.