Purpose of This Guide

The demographics of America are changing at a rapid pace. In 2009, approximately 35 percent of the U.S. population comprised people of color, with Latinos/Hispanics and African Americans making up the largest proportions (15.1 and 13.2 percent, respectively). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2008, the total U.S. population growth rate was 13.2 percent, but for Latinos it was 57.9 percent, with Hispanic/Latino youth comprising 22 percent of children younger than 18. It is projected that by the year 2050, there will be approximately 133 million Latinos in the United States, constituting about 30 percent of the total U.S. population (Harrison, 2009).

As the changing demographics across the nation begin to affect the composition of Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) grantees, project directors need to increasingly adapt and modify their planning, resource allocation, and activities to support the unique needs of these distinct and growing population groups. This guide serves as an introduction to cultural and linguistic competence (CLC) and provides examples and strategies for applying CLC practices to SS/HS projects in an effort to promote safe and healthy school environments that are also culturally and linguistically competent.

For the full PDF version of the guide, please go to A Guide to Cultural and Linguistic Competence: What It Means for Safe Schools/Healthy Students, (PDF, 142 KB).