Ranks of English learners swelling in Minnesota schools

Mike Zittlow:

Maria and Ines Mendez, 17-year-old seniors at Harding High School in St. Paul, have lofty goals for students who spoke no English when their family came to Minnesota from Mexico five years ago.

"I want to own my own businesses; I want to be my own boss," Ines said. Her twin sister wants to be a pharmacist. Both are in Advanced Placement classes and are on track to graduate in the spring.

The Mendez sisters are among the growing number of Minnesota students whose first language is not English. Nearly 65,000 English learner students are enrolled in Minnesota schools, representing more than 200 languages.

That number has grown rapidly in the past two decades, soaring by 50,000, a 300 percent increase in English learners.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at December 24, 2012 2:24 AM
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