Hmong-American Students Still Face Multiple Challenges in Public Schools
Author(s):
Vang, Christopher T.
Format:
Journal article
Publisher:
2005.
Language:
English
Abstract:
Although much research has been done on bilingual students from a variety of backgrounds, little research has been done specifically on the needs of K-12 Hmong students. Hmong students are refugees and children of refugees who immigrated to the United States since 1975, leaving their home country of Laos. California public schools have approximately 36,000 K-12 Hmong-American students. Of that number, 85% are classified as Limited English Proficient (LEP) students and 15% are identified as Fluent English Proficient (FEP) students. In some schools, 80% of Hmong-American students in grades K-6 are LEP students. Hmong students comprise the third largest LEP group in California's public schools, with Vietnamese students the second largest group and Hispanic pupils the largest. Today, Hmong-American students still face a variety of challenges in public schools. This article examines research that provides some insights into the factors that affect academic success and/or failure of Hmong-American students.