Statement by U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.:
“The number of children ages 5 to 17 in the U.S. who speak a language other than English at home has more than doubled in the past three decades. These home languages are an asset that should be valued, and research shows that supporting bilingualism from early ages can have wide ranging benefits.

Today the White House is announcing a new Federal policy statement from the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education on better supporting our country’s youngest dual language learners (DLLs) in early childhood programs. The Obama Administration will be joined by public and private sector organizations that will also announce new commitments to support DLLs. Additionally, the White House, in collaboration with Too Small to Fail and Invest in US, is holding a regional convening today at the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education in Miami, FL to highlight the importance of supporting our country’s DLLs in early childhood programs.

Contact:   THE WHITE HOUSE, Office of the Press Secretary

Read full article here - U.S. Department of Education