The demographic profile of our country is changing, and Rhode Island is no exception. An increasing number of Americans were born in other nations, speak different languages, and carry different cultural traditions.

Nowhere is this demographic change more evident than in public school classrooms. For example, although the total public school population of Rhode Island has declined over the last decade, the percentage of English language learners has been increasing (U.S. Department of Education's Survey of the States' Limited English Proficient Students).

Such demographic trends have important implications for school leaders, policy makers, parents, and the community at large. How will changing demographics alter both school practices and policies? How will schools meet the needs of a changing school population?

Public schools bear a major responsibility to address these changes. Indeed, the  changing demographics of the U.S. pose a number of challenges for schools, most notably:

• The need for highly qualified bilingual teachers and teachers of English language learners.
• The need for high-quality preschool programs, especially for young children whose first language is not English.
• The need to address gaps between population groups in such areas as dropout rates, test scores, high school completion rates, and college entrance rates.
• The need for outreach to parents of all backgrounds, including immigrant parents and speakers of languages other than English, as well as older citizens.
• The need to address issues of equity in resources among schools.

Source: The United States of education: A guide to our changing demographics and their implications for public schools

The ways that Rhode Island schools respond to these challenges—and to the opportunities presented by an increasingly diverse population—will play a crucial role in the future well-being of the state.