According to LEP.gov, individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English can be limited English proficient, or "LEP." For funding and service purposes, there may be additional layers of specification to be considered. Let's consider the following: LEP household and LEP individual.
Language use, English-speaking ability, and data on limited English-speaking households are currently collected in the American Community Survey (ACS). An "LEP household" is one where no The definition of “limited-English-speaking household,” as used by the American Community Survey (ACS) is “a household unit where no member 14 years old and over speaks only English at home or speaks a language other than English at home and speaks English less than ‘very well.’” Whereas an "LEP individual" is anyone five (5) years old and over who speaks a language other than English at home and speaks English less than ‘very well’.
Bear in mind, language use data is collected on a self-reported basis via government form/survey. Individuals who speak a language other than English in the home choose to self-report the language they speak, but are also asked to make a "ballpark" assessment about their English proficiency.
Due to decades of policies that sought to limit bilingual education and the use of non-English languages, entire generations of children of immigrants did not learn the mother tongue of their parents, leaving many individuals feeling disconnected from their family and culture.
"Kulingana na LEP.gov, watu ambao hawazungumzi Kiingereza kama lugha yao ya msingi na ambao wana uwezo mdogo wa kusoma, kuzungumza, kuandika, au kuelewa Kiingereza wanaweza kuwa ""Limited English Proficient"" au ""LEP.""" Kwa ajili ya fedha na huduma madhumuni, kunaweza kuwa na tabaka za ziada ya vipimo kuchukuliwa. Kwa mfano, kwa mfano, LEPs, familia ya LEPs na familia ya LEPs. Utafiti wa lugha, uwezo wa kuzungumza Kiingereza, na data juu ya nyumba zinazozungumza Kiingereza kidogo kwa sasa zinakusanywa katika Uchunguzi wa Jumuiya ya Amerika (ACS). "Lepid-speaking household (LEP) ni ""familia inayozungumza Kiingereza kidogo"" kama ilivyoelezwa na American Community Survey (ACS) ni ""familia ambayo hakuna mwanachama wa umri wa miaka 14 na zaidi anayezungumza Kiingereza nyumbani au anaongea lugha nyingine isipokuwa Kiingereza nyumbani na anaongea Kiingereza chini ya ""bora sana"" wakati ""mtu wa LEP"" ni mtu yeyote mwenye umri wa miaka mitano na zaidi ambaye anazungumza lugha nyingine isipokuwa Kiingereza nyumbani na anaongea Kiingereza chini ya ""bora sana.""" Kumbuka, data ya matumizi ya lugha hukusanywa kwa msingi wa kujiripoti kupitia fomu ya serikali. Watu wanaozungumza lugha nyingine kuliko Kiingereza nyumbani huchagua kujiripoti lugha wanaozungumza, lakini pia wanaulizwa kufanya tathmini ya "ballpark" kuhusu ujuzi wao wa Kiingereza. Kwa sababu ya miongo kadhaa ya sera zilizojaribu kupunguza elimu ya lugha mbili na matumizi ya lugha zisizo za Kiingereza, vizazi vyote vya watoto wa wahamiaji havikujifunza lugha ya mama ya wazazi wao, na kuacha watu wengi wakihisi kutengwa na familia na utamaduni wao.