Study: Hispanic student numbers surge

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A study says the number of Hispanic students in U.S. public schools doubled from 1990 to 2006 to about 10 million children.

The Pew Hispanic Center in Washington said Tuesday that the growth spurt accounted for 60 percent of the overall growth rate in public schools enrollment and the trend was likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

"In 2050, there will be more school-age Hispanic children than school-age non-Hispanic white children," Pew said in a written statement.

Pew cited U.S. Census Bureau data projecting a 166-percent growth rate in the population of Hispanic school-age children while non-Hispanics will increase 4 percent.

Hispanics make up about 20 percent of public school enrollment nationwide. However they make up nearly half of the students in California and more than 40 percent in Florida, Arizona and Texas.

The study also noted that 84 percent of Hispanic students were born in the United States, although 70 percent speak a language other than English at home.