This generation of K-12 students is growing up in a society that is increasingly bilingual. While foreign language requirements have long been a core requirement for high school graduation—second language classes at an earlier age would improve overall fluency for most students.

Gathered on the floor of their Washington Elementary School classroom, the third-graders turned to each other to talk about the difference between English and Spanish definitive articles.

Once a week, a classroom at King’s Fork High School is filled with students of different cultures working hard to help their fellow classmates succeed. 

Teachers nationwide do not reflect the demographics of the students they’re teaching, and San Diego County is no exception. The disparity is particularly noticeable when looking at Hispanic students. While 48 percent of students are Hispanic, 20 percent of teachers who reported their race or ethnicity are, according to state data for last school year.