• About
    • Mission
    • Biographical Information
    • Contact Us
  • Defense
  • Energy
  • Logistics
  • Innovation
  • In the News
  • Follow
  • Like
  • Linkedin
  • Youtube
April 7, 2009November 19, 2013Don Soifer

← Back
← Previous Post
Next Post →

The Value of English Proficiency to the United States Economy

April 7, 2009November 19, 2013Don Soifer

Research Study

What is the cost to the United States economy attributable to a lack of basic English skills? There are currently over 11 million English learners living in the United States, including over 5 million currently attending elementary and secondary schools.

This paper utilizes data from the 2000 Census as well as a range of sources to estimate that $65 billion annually in wages are lost due to poor English language skills. Among other findings:

• There were 4.4 million “linguistically isolated” households in the United States in 1999, where all family members above the age of 14 have difficulty with English.

• Only one in four English learners in U.S. schools is foreign-born.

• Overall, limited proficiency in English imposes a wage penalty for Latino workers in the United States that can range from 3.8 to 38 percent, according to research by economist Libertad Gonzalez.

Click here to download full article as PDF.

Print | PDF | EMail

Find Archived Articles:

This entry was posted in Education. Bookmark the permalink.
Sign Up For
LexNext Emails
1600 Wilson Boulevard - Suite 203
Arlington, VA 22209 USA
Phone: 703.522.5828
Fax: 703.522.5837
© 2023 Lexington Institute

Sign Up for LexNext Emails

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign Up for LexNext Emails

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.