Hispanics currently account for 18.1% of the population of the United States. They are the fastest-growing ethnic or racial minority group within the nation with 58.9 million individuals as of July 1, 2017. In fact, Hispanics make up half of the total population growth within the United States. With that being said, Kansas has the 26th largest Hispanic population in the nation. This ethnic group accounts for the increase in the population of the state both in the 2000 and 2010 United States Census.

General Latino Information In Kansas

The state of Kansas is home to 329,000 Hispanics, which account for 11% of the state’s population. Out of the 329,000 Hispanics in Kansas, 66% of the population are U.S.-born, while 34% are foreign-born. Hispanics other than Mexican account for 79% of the Hispanic population, while only 21% of the Hispanic population is of Mexican origin. Home languages other than English are widely spoken throughout the state by 67% of the Hispanic population.

Largest Hispanic Population In Kansas

Kansas is home to a diverse Hispanic population. As mentioned, Hispanics of any race make up 11% of the states total population. (*Note: These stats reflect the total population of Kansas– 2,853,118.)

There are a total of 15,293 Central Americans, accounting for 0.5% of the population. 

The largest groups of Central Americans are as follows:

• Guatemalan 5,538 0.2%
• Salvadoran 5,108 0.2%
• Honduran 2,689 0.1 %

There are a total of 5,845 South Americans, accounting for 0.2 % of the population.

The largest groups of South Americans are as follows:

• Colombian 1,769 0.1%
• Peruvian 1,151 0.0%
• Venezuelan 639 0.0%

Additional Hispanics Stats Include:

• Mexican 247,297 8.7%
• Puerto Rican 9,247 0.3%
• Cuban 2,723 0.1%
• Dominican 764 0.0%
• Spaniard 3,034 0.1%

Education Information In Kansas

There are 89,000 Hispanic children enrolled in K-12 grade levels in Kansas. The state ranks 16th highest in the United States for Hispanic school-aged children. Hispanics account for 17% of all K-12 students in Kansas.

Education Resources for English Learners In Kansas

English Learners in Kansas can benefit from a variety of educational resources, for that reason school administrators, teachers, and parents should seek out the highest quality educational resources to use at school and at home. Bilingual books are an excellent resource for English Learners to use. Not only are they learning English, their new language, but they are also strengthening skills in their native language. Lectura Books offers an array of bilingual books for English Learners of all ages. These books feature topics and themes that immigrant and Hispanic students can relate to. Bilingual books also help parents learn English and become more involved in their children’s education.

Another fantastic approach to learning English is understanding phonics. Lectura Books has a series of phonics workbooks called Family Phonics™. This series of workbooks are ideal for children learning English in bilingual education programs. These workbooks help both parents and children obtain strong English vocabulary skills and proper pronunciation of words. Additionally, these workbooks promote parental involvement among English Learners because parents are working alongside their children.

Another very useful resource is the Latino Family Literacy Project. This organization offers professional development workshops and seminars for school administrators and teachers who work with Hispanic English Learners. The Project also offers webinars and other resources, such as age-appropriate programs, along with a very informative blog featuring the latest information, research, and advice for school administrators, teachers, and parents of English Language Learners.