85 languages spoken in Buffalo schools as 'New Americans' enter classrooms

buffalonews.com

The two young Somali sisters sat at a table in the central registration center signing up for what would become their next big challenge in their journey to America – school.

They came to enroll in the Buffalo Public Schools at an old building on Ash Street, an Ellis Island of sorts for thousands of immigrants and refugees entering an education system that has struggled over the years to keep up with their growing numbers.

Many show up speaking no English. Others may have had little formal education in their home countries. Most encounter vast cultural differences.

The City of Buffalo has taken in thousands of immigrants and refugees in recent years, and it’s reflected in many of its schools. More than 85 different languages are spoken throughout the district, but that number can change by the day. 

English language learners now make up 15 percent of the district’s enrollment, and as a whole, they are among the lowest-performing, state figures show. They also are the fastest-growing segment.